Support at Home is government-funded aged care for eligible older Australians. Private care is support you pay for yourself.
Both can help you stay at home for longer. The difference is how support is funded, how quickly it can start, and how much flexibility you have around timing and setup. Support at Home replaced the Home Care Packages Program and Short-Term Restorative Care on 1 November 2025.
Through Careseekers, you can use Support at Home funding where your approved provider agrees to pay Careseekers for eligible services delivered through the platform, and you can also use private payments.
The short answer
Choose Support at Home when you want to use government funding for eligible services and you are happy to work within your support plan, provider setup and funding rules.
Choose private care when you want to start sooner, want extra flexibility, or want support outside what your funded arrangement currently covers.
Some people use both together. For example, they may use funded care for eligible services and pay privately for extra help, extra hours or support while waiting for funding to become available.
What is Support at Home?
Support at Home is the Australian Government’s in-home aged care program.
It helps older Australians stay at home with funded services based on their assessed needs. If approved for ongoing services, people are assigned a classification and receive quarterly budgets. Costs under the program depend on provider prices, the type of service used, and whether participant contributions apply.
Through Careseekers, Support at Home can work by letting you choose the worker you want while your approved provider pays Careseekers for eligible services delivered through the platform.
What is private care?
Private care is support you arrange and pay for yourself.
It does not rely on government funding being available first. That usually means you can move more quickly and choose the support you want without waiting for a funding allocation.
The biggest differences
1. How support is paid for
With Support at Home, your approved services are funded through your quarterly budget, with government funding and, where applicable, your own contributions.
With private care, you pay directly for the support yourself.
2. How quickly support can start
With Support at Home, support does not always start straight away. If you are approved for ongoing funding, you may still need to wait for funding to be allocated through the Support at Home Priority System. Some people receive interim funding first.
With private care, support can often start sooner because you are not waiting for funding allocation.
3. How much flexibility you have
With Support at Home, services need to match your assessed needs and support plan.
With private care, there is usually more freedom to arrange the support you want, when you want it, as long as you are paying for it yourself.
4. What you may pay
With Support at Home, what you pay depends on:
- your provider’s prices
- the services used
- your income and assets
- whether participant contributions apply.
With private care, you pay the agreed rate directly.
5. When people use each option
People often use Support at Home when they want funded care for approved services.
People often use private care when:
- they are waiting for Support at Home funding
- they want extra flexibility
- they want additional support beyond what their funded arrangement covers
- they want help in place sooner.
Can you use both?
Yes, in many cases.
Private agreements can be used for extra services that are not government funded. That means some people use Support at Home for funded services and add private care where they want more help, more hours or more flexibility.
How Careseekers fits into both options
Careseekers helps people choose aged care workers more directly.
Through Careseekers you can:
- compare worker profiles
- view experience, availability and hourly rates
- choose the worker who best suits needs, preferences and routine
- arrange one-off, occasional or ongoing support
- use Support at Home funding
- use private support where you want extra flexibility or faster support
That means the choice is not just funded or private. It is also about how much visibility and flexibility you want over the worker and the arrangement itself.
Which option is better?
Neither is automatically better. It depends on your situation.
Support at Home may suit you better if:
- you want to use government funding
- your services fit clearly within your support plan
- you are comfortable working through your approved provider’s arrangement.
Private care may suit you better if:
- you need help sooner
- you want more flexibility
- you want extra services beyond your funded support
- you want to combine funded and private care.
Frequently asked questions
Is Support at Home the same as private care?
No. Support at Home is government-funded aged care for eligible older Australians. Private care is support you pay for yourself.
Can I use private care while waiting for Support at Home?
Yes. You can arrange private care while waiting for Support at Home funding to be allocated.
Can I use Support at Home and private care at the same time?
Yes, in many cases. My Aged Care notes that private agreements can be used for extra services that are not funded by the government.
Does Support at Home always take longer to start?
It can. Approval for ongoing Support at Home services does not always mean funding starts immediately, because some people need to wait for funding allocation.
Is private care more flexible than Support at Home?
Usually, yes. Private care can give you more flexibility because it is not tied to funding allocation, approved service categories or provider payment rules in the same way.
Can I use Careseekers for both funded and private support?
Yes.
Will I still need to pay something under Support at Home?
Possibly. Many participants contribute towards some Support at Home services, while clinical services do not require a participant contribution.
Ready to compare your options?
We make it easier to choose the worker you want, understand how support is arranged, and decide whether funded care, private care, or a mix of both is the right fit.
Read: How Does Support at Home Work with Careseekers?
Read: Can I Choose My Own Aged Care Worker with Support at Home?
Read: What Services Can Aged Care Workers Provide Under Support At Home?
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