Support at Home service agreements must do more than record a participant’s consent to receive services. They must explain what the provider and participant have agreed, what the services will cost, and how participant contributions will apply. Providers also need to ensure that the agreement is consistent with the care plan, individualised budget, published prices and information given to the participant throughout their care.
We recommend reviewing these documents as a connected communication system, rather than updating an agreement template in isolation. A clear contract can still create confusion if a care coordinator describes a service differently, the budget shows another price, or the monthly statement is difficult to reconcile. For the wider operational context, read our Support at Home transition guide for providers.
Start with the agreement requirements
A Support at Home provider must have a written service agreement in place before or on the day services begin. The agreement is between the registered provider and the participant, or an active appointed decision maker with authority to enter into it on the participant’s behalf. The agreement must set out both parties’ rights and responsibilities, the services to be provided, agreed prices, a process for agreeing prices not yet known, and how applicable participant contributions will be paid.
An appointed decision maker’s authority must be checked rather than assumed. A family member, registered supporter or other trusted person may help a participant understand an agreement without necessarily having legal authority to sign it for them. We recommend that providers record who participated in the discussion, the capacity in which they acted, and how the participant’s own preferences were established.
Make the agreement understandable
Service agreements must be written in plain language and must not contain unfair contract terms. Providers should work collaboratively with participants, support informed decisions and allow time to consider the agreement or seek advice. Where needed, communication support can include an interpreter. These requirements should shape both the written document and the conversation in which it is introduced.
We suggest testing a draft agreement with practical questions: Can a participant identify the services they will receive? Can they find the price for each service and understand when a contribution may apply? Does the document explain how an additional or changed service will be agreed? If these answers depend on a staff member interpreting complex clauses, the document may need to be clearer.
Clarity also requires consistency. Use the same service names and agreed prices in the agreement, care plan, budget and relevant staff instructions. Where a price cannot be known when the agreement is prepared, specify how it will be proposed and agreed before the service is confirmed.
Explain prices and contributions separately
A service price is not the same as the participant’s contribution. Providers set their Support at Home service prices and must agree the prices charged with each participant. The participant contribution depends on the relevant arrangements, including the service’s contribution category and the participant’s assessed circumstances. Agreements and explanatory materials should distinguish these concepts rather than presenting a single figure without context.
Published pricing is another part of the same obligation. Providers must publish their most frequently charged price for each service on My Aged Care and their website, keep that information current, and explain any agreed participant price that is higher than the published price. The Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission has emphasised that older people need clear service and pricing information to make informed decisions. A website price schedule alone does not replace the requirement to maintain service and pricing information in the My Aged Care portal.
When reviewing pricing communications, we recommend checking what a participant will see before signing, what staff will explain when scheduling a service, and what the participant will see after delivery. Each stage should tell a consistent story.
Align the budget and monthly statement
An individualised budget records the participant’s available Support at Home funding and how it will be used. It should be prepared in plain language alongside the care plan and identify service prices and any participant contributions. The budget requires review when circumstances change, including a change in services, available funding, contribution rate or the cost of providing services.
Monthly statements provide the subsequent record of what happened. Providers must issue a statement each month showing available funds, services delivered, prices, contributions and remaining funding, even when no Support at Home services were delivered during that month. The statement must be provided by the last day of the following month.
We advise providers to reconcile a sample of statements against the agreement, budget, service records and claims. If a participant cannot readily understand why a charge differs from the amount they expected, investigate whether the issue lies in the underlying price, an unrecorded change or the explanation provided.
Manage changes without losing consent
For participants receiving ongoing services, a Support at Home service agreement must be reviewed at least every 12 months, or when the participant or their active appointed decision maker requests a review. Changes to services, operations or published prices may also require an update. If the participant does not agree to a proposed change, the provider must negotiate and explain the reasons in a way the participant can understand.
Providers should establish a documented change process: identify the proposed change, check its effect on the care plan and budget, explain it to the participant, record the discussion and update the relevant documents. This is particularly important where a change affects a participant’s expected out-of-pocket costs. We recommend reviewing communication templates and staff scripts alongside the formal agreement so that a revised price or service is not introduced inconsistently.
A recent example is the personal care contribution change that took effect on 1 October 2026. Since that date, personal care has been in the Clinical Supports category for contribution purposes, and eligible participants no longer pay a contribution for approved personal care services delivered on or after 1 October 2026 if they have available Support at Home funding. The change does not alter the scope of personal care or the qualifications required to deliver it. Providers should confirm that the change is now reflected in agreements, budgets, statements, invoices and participant explanations; services delivered before 1 October remain subject to the earlier contribution arrangements, even if claimed later.
Address legacy and CHSP arrangements carefully
Providers should not assume that all existing participants are subject to the same agreement deadline. Participants who transitioned from Home Care Packages must finalise a Support at Home service agreement within 90 days of receiving their confirmed contribution rate from Services Australia. Providers should continue working with participants who have not signed within that period and must follow the applicable notice requirements before considering cessation of services.
The Commonwealth Home Support Program is a separate arrangement and should not be described as though it has already transitioned to Support at Home. Its service agreement requirements also warrant a distinct review: from 1 November 2026, CHSP clients must have a CHSP Service Agreement and a Care and Services Plan reflecting the applicable requirements. Providers operating both programmes should maintain clear, programme-specific documents and communications.
Establish a controlled review process
We recommend assigning one accountable owner to the agreement and communication review, with input from care management, operations, finance, quality and any legal adviser required for contract terms. An effective review should:
- Compare agreement templates with current Support at Home requirements.
- Match service descriptions and prices across agreements, published information, budgets and statements.
- Check how staff establish and record participant understanding, decision-making support and agreement to changes.
- Test a sample of participant files from agreement through to service delivery and monthly statement.
- Approve revised documents, train staff and set a date for the next regulatory review.
We can support the associated governance, policy and operational review: mapping requirements, testing document consistency and helping providers embed revised processes in everyday service delivery. Providers should seek legal advice when developing or materially revising contractual terms.
For a broader view of the reforms and their implications for home care providers, visit our Support at Home transition guide. To discuss a review of your policies and operational documentation, contact Critical Success Solutions.
