Commonwealth Home Support Programme (CHSP)

What is CHSP?

CHSP is government-funded aged care for older people who need a little help to keep living at home. The support is designed to work with you, helping you keep doing things for yourself rather than doing them for you.

The Australian Government gives grants to aged care providers across Australia, and they deliver CHSP services at a subsidised price. That's different from Support at Home, where you get your own budget.

You'll see the name spelled two ways: Commonwealth Home Support Programme and Commonwealth Home Support Program. They mean the same thing, and My Aged Care uses Program.

Who is eligible for CHSP?

To get CHSP services you must be:

• 65 or older, or
• an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander person aged 50 or older, or
• homeless or at risk of homelessness, and aged 50 or older.

Age alone doesn't qualify you. Since the new Aged Care Act started on 1 November 2025, everyone getting government-funded aged care must be registered with My Aged Care and have an aged care needs assessment. The assessment decides whether CHSP is right for you. If your needs are more complex, you may be approved for Support at Home instead.

Under 65 with a permanent disability? The NDIS may suit you better. Our guide to the NDIS explains who it covers.

What services does CHSP cover?

CHSP services cover everyday help at home and in your community. Common examples:

This isn't the full list. Your approval letter shows which services you're approved for, and you can get each one from a different provider.

How much does CHSP cost?

CHSP is subsidised, so you never pay the full cost. If you can afford to, you're asked to pay a contribution towards your services. Here's how it works:

• Each provider sets its own prices. Every CHSP provider must be open about its fees and have a client contribution policy, which makes sure people who can afford to contribute do, and protects people least able to pay.
• You pay for what you use. You typically pay an hourly rate for the services you get, on the days you get them.
• Costs vary by service. What you pay depends on your ability to pay and the type and number of services you need. Simple services such as meals might cost a small amount, while bigger jobs such as home modification work cost much more.
• You agree the fee before anything starts. Your provider discusses its fees with you first, services won't start until you agree, and the amount goes in your service agreement.
• No exit fees. You can stop a service or change provider without paying an exit fee.
• Help if you can't afford it. Not being able to pay doesn't mean missing out. Providers have hardship policies, so talk to yours.
• Your pension isn't affected. The government pays CHSP subsidies to your provider, not to you.

Providers must also tell you what you might need to pay, keep track of your contributions so they don't put you in financial hardship, and explain your rights and how to make a complaint. My Aged Care explains more on its CHSP costs page.

How to apply for CHSP

Every CHSP client must be registered with My Aged Care and have an aged care needs assessment, so that's where you start.

1. 1

   Contact My Aged Care

   Call 1800 200 422 (8am to 8pm weekdays, 10am to 2pm Saturdays) or apply online. A family member or carer can do this for you, and your GP can refer you.

2. 2

   Have your aged care needs assessment

   An assessor talks with you, usually at home, about what you can manage, what you find hard and the help you'd like. The assessment is free, and it decides whether you're eligible for CHSP.

3. 3

   Read your approval letter

   If you're approved, the letter lists the CHSP services you're approved for. If your needs are more complex, you may be approved for Support at Home instead.

4. 4

   Choose a provider for each service

   Use one provider, or a different one for each service. How soon you start depends on which providers in your area have room.

5. 5

   Agree your fees, then start

   The provider talks you through its fees and puts them in your service agreement. Your services start once you've agreed.

Ready to start? Apply online with My Aged Care or call 1800 200 422.

CHSP vs Support at Home

CHSP and Support at Home are both government-funded aged care for people living at home, and the age rules are the same. The difference is how much help you need and how it's paid for.

You don't choose between them yourself. Your aged care assessment works out which program suits your needs. If you're on CHSP and you need more help, ask My Aged Care for a new assessment.

Comparing CHSP with a Home Care Package? Support at Home replaced Home Care Packages on 1 November 2025, so Support at Home is now the program to compare. Our Support at Home guide explains the 8 classifications, budgets and contributions.

CHSP is moving into Support at Home

CHSP will move into Support at Home no earlier than 1 July 2027. Until then it keeps running as its own grant-funded program, and providers' CHSP grants have been extended to 30 June 2027.

For now, CHSP works as this page describes: you can still apply, be assessed and get services from CHSP providers. Check My Aged Care closer to the date for how the move will work.

How to choose a CHSP provider

CHSP providers deliver services in their own way and set their own prices, so compare a few before you decide. Think about your needs, budget and location, then ask each one:

• Do you offer the services I'm approved for, where I live?
• When can you start, and will I see the same workers each time?
• What do you charge for each service, and can I see your client contribution policy?
• What happens if I can't afford my contribution?
• Do you have workers who understand my culture, language or background?
• Do you also deliver Support at Home, in case my needs grow?
• How do I change or stop a service, or make a complaint?

My Aged Care's Find a provider tool shows which services are available near you. Our guide to using My Aged Care's Find a provider tool walks through searching and comparing.

A directory can't tell you who has room, though. Help Alliance is a free, independent matching service. Tell us once what you need and where you live. We send your request to providers who serve your suburb and offer that support. Up to three who can start when you need contact you directly. You choose who to go with, and you never pay us.

Still waiting on an assessment, or for a CHSP provider with room? You can pay privately for help in the meantime, and we can match you with providers for that too.

CHSP questions

Related guides

• Support at Home explained
• How to use My Aged Care's Find a provider
• NDIS in-home care (under 65)
• What is the NDIS?