Changing Home Care Package Providers
Choose the Support at Home provider you trust
Changing care provider is easy
- Get the most from your Support at Home funding
Support at Home replaced Home Care Packages on 1 July 2025. Most people still call it a home care package, and that’s fine. Whichever name you use, you’re allowed to change provider whenever you want.
You don’t need a reason and you don’t need anyone’s permission. Your funding goes with you, there are no exit fees, and your classification level stays exactly as it is.
Plenty of people stay with a provider they’ve outgrown because they assume moving is complicated, or they worry they’ll lose the money they’ve saved up. Neither is true. Changing aged care providers is a short administrative process, and we’ll handle as much of it as you’d like us to.
How we help you move to Absolute Care & Health
If you’d like to change to us as your Support at Home program provider, you won’t be doing the paperwork on your own. Here’s what we take off your hands:
- We'll read your current service agreement with you, so you know exactly what notice period applies and what you've agreed to.
- We'll talk to your current provider on your behalf, with your written permission, so you don't have to have an awkward conversation.
- We'll help you make the My Aged Care call and get your referral code sorted.
- We'll build your new care plan around the support you actually want, not the one you inherited.
- We'll line up your start date so there's no gap in your care.
Feeling comfortable with the people coming into your home matters. If you’re not getting that where you are, moving is a reasonable thing to do.
How to change home care package providers in six steps
These steps are the same whether you’ve been moved across to Support at Home or you’re one of the grandfathered clients still on the old arrangements. Switching home care provider is usually done inside a few weeks.
1. Choose your new provider
Take your time. Compare what you’ll actually get for your quarterly budget, not just the headline hourly rate, and check your current service agreement for a notice period while you’re at it.
2. Tell your current provider in writing
Write to them and say you’re moving. Give the notice your agreement specifies, and no more than that. An email is fine.
3. Ask them to confirm your last day in writing
This is your cessation date. You’ll need it, and having it in writing avoids arguments later.
4. Call My Aged Care on 1800 200 422
5. Give your new provider the referral code
They’ll use it to access your My Aged Care record and register as your provider.
6. Agree a new care plan and service agreement
Your budget and any unspent funds move across with you. Read the new agreement properly before you sign, and ask for changes if something doesn’t sit right.
What the Support at Home programme changed
If you were on a Home Care Package before July 2025, a few things work differently now and most of them work in your favour when you’re thinking about moving.
- Exit fees are gone. Under Home Care Packages a provider could charge you to leave if it was written into your agreement. That's no longer permitted. Leaving costs you nothing.
- Support at Home unspent funds still follow you. Money left in your budget is yours, not your provider's, and it moves with you when you move.
- Care management is set by the government. It's charged at the same rate by every provider, so it's no longer something you need to shop around for.
- The "no worse off" principle protects you. If you transferred from a Home Care Package, you keep your existing arrangements and changing providers doesn't affect that.
- Your classification level stays yours. Changing providers doesn't send you back for reassessment and doesn't put you back on a waiting list.
If you’re not sure whether you’ve been moved across yet, our guide to the Support at Home transition explains what’s happened and when. Our Support at Home funding page covers how the levels and budgets work.
Common reasons people change home care providers
You don’t have to justify moving. But if you’re weighing it up, these are the reasons we hear most often:
- Too much of the budget goes on overheads. Care management is fixed now, but hourly rates, travel charges and minimum visit lengths still vary a lot and every dollar spent there is a dollar not spent on care.
- A different support worker every week. Continuity matters more than almost anything else, and high turnover makes it impossible.
- Nobody answers the phone. Slow responses and a care partner you can never reach wear people down.
- Services you asked for never materialise. Funds accumulate while the help you needed doesn't arrive.
- Your needs changed and the provider didn't keep up. What suited you two years ago may not suit you now.
If something on that list sounds familiar, it’s worth raising with your current provider first. They may fix it. If they don’t, you have options.
Common reasons people change home care providers
You don’t have to justify moving. But if you’re weighing it up, these are the reasons we hear most often:
- Too much of the budget goes on overheads. Care management is fixed now, but hourly rates, travel charges and minimum visit lengths still vary a lot and every dollar spent there is a dollar not spent on care.
- A different support worker every week. Continuity matters more than almost anything else, and high turnover makes it impossible.
- Nobody answers the phone. Slow responses and a care partner you can never reach wear people down.
- Services you asked for never materialise. Funds accumulate while the help you needed doesn't arrive.
- Your needs changed and the provider didn't keep up. What suited you two years ago may not suit you now.
If something on that list sounds familiar, it’s worth raising with your current provider first. They may fix it. If they don’t, you have options.
How to choose a Support at Home provider
Knowing what to look for in a home care package provider makes comparing them much easier.
Under Support at Home, care management is set by the government and charged at the same rate by every provider. So home care package fees now differ mainly in service pricing, minimum visit lengths and what you actually get for your money.
| What to check | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Care management fee | Home care package management fees used to vary widely. Under Support at Home the rate is set by the government and is the same wherever you go, so if a provider tells you theirs is cheaper, look harder at everything else they've told you. |
| Hourly rates by service and time | Weekday, evening, weekend and public holiday rates differ. Ask for the full Support at Home price list, not a starting rate. |
| Minimum visit length | A one-hour minimum turns a 30-minute task into an hour of your budget. Ask for the minimum in writing. It's the quickest way to tell whose scheduling is built around you and whose is built around their roster. |
| Support worker continuity | Ask how many different workers you'd see in a month, and what happens when yours is away. |
| How much you can self-manage | Some providers allow more say over who visits and when. It affects both cost and control. |
| Response time | Ask who you call after hours, and how quickly a schedule change can be made. |
Questions to ask home care package providers before you sign
- Beyond care management, what else comes out of my budget before any care is delivered?
- Can I see your full price list in writing?
- How many support workers would visit me in a typical month?
- Who do I call if something goes wrong on a Sunday?
- How much notice do I need to give to change or cancel a visit?
- What happens to my unspent funds if I leave?
Any provider worth moving to will answer all six without hesitating.
Self-managed, partly managed or fully managed Support at Home
Some people changing providers aren’t really after a different organisation. They want more control over how their funding is spent.
A self managed home care package gives you exactly that, and self managed Support at Home works the same way.
Fully managed means your provider arranges everything: rostering, workers, invoicing, compliance. Self-managed means you take on more of those decisions yourself, usually in exchange for more say over who comes to your home. Partly managed sits between the two.
Support at Home self managed budgets give you the most say over who visits and when. There’s no right answer though. More control also means more admin, and that suits some people and not others. If you’re not sure which you’d prefer, it’s a good conversation to have before you commit to anyone, including us.
Myths and misunderstandings about changing providers
My current provider will keep the funds I've saved up
They can’t. Unspent home care package funds move with you, and so do Support at Home budgets. The only money your current provider may keep is the cost of services they’ve already delivered. Exit fees no longer apply under Support at Home.
I could lose my package altogether if I change
Your funding can’t be taken away because you changed providers. It stays with you no matter how many times you move. There is a window in which you need to start with your new provider, so don’t leave your old one before you’ve chosen a replacement but if you need more time, you can ask for it.
I'll have to give six months' notice
Your service agreement specifies your notice period, and you don’t owe more than that. If it’s unusually long, ask them to shorten it. Many will.
They'll stop my care during the notice period
They’re not allowed to. Your provider has to keep delivering your care right up to your cessation date.
A new provider will promise low fees, then charge more later
Your new provider has to set out every fee in your service agreement and give you a written care plan showing what you’ll get for your budget. They can’t charge outside those documents without asking you first. If something in the agreement isn’t right, say so before you sign.
Changing providers means starting the assessment process again
It doesn’t. Your assessment and your classification level stay with you. You’re changing who delivers your care, not re-applying for it.
I can't change providers because I'm a grandfathered client
You can. Support at Home grandfathered clients keep their existing arrangements under the no worse off principle. The no worse off principle Support at Home carries over applies wherever you go, so it travels with you to a new provider.
Frequently asked questions (FAQs) about changing providers
These are some of the most common questions, answered for you.
How do I change my Support at Home provider?
Choose a new provider, give your current one written notice, get your cessation date confirmed, call My Aged Care on 1800 200 422 for a referral code, pass that code to your new provider, and sign a new care plan and service agreement.
Can I change my aged care provider whenever I want?
Yes. You can change at any time and you don’t need to give a reason. The only constraint is the notice period in your current service agreement.
How do I change my home care package provider?
The process is identical. Whether you call it a home care package or Support at Home, you give written notice, get a referral code from My Aged Care and sign a new agreement with your new provider.
Support at Home vs Home Care Package: what's the difference?
Support at Home replaced Home Care Packages on 1 July 2025. It’s the same idea whereby government funding for care in your own home with different funding levels, fixed care management and no exit fees.
What happens to my Support at Home unspent funds when I change providers?
They move with you. Unspent funds belong to you, not your provider, and they transfer to your new provider along with the rest of your budget.
Are there exit fees for changing Support at Home providers?
No. Exit fees were removed when Support at Home replaced Home Care Packages on 1 July 2025. Leaving your provider doesn’t cost you anything.
Do Support at Home provider fees vary between providers?
Care management doesn’t. The government sets that rate for everyone. Service pricing does vary, so compare the full price list, minimum visit lengths and any travel charges.
How long does it take to change providers?
It depends mostly on your notice period. Once that’s served and My Aged Care has issued your referral code, the handover itself is quick. It usually a matter of days.
Will my care stop while I'm changing over?
It shouldn’t. Your current provider must keep delivering care until your cessation date, and we’ll set your start date to follow on from it.
Do I have to tell My Aged Care that I'm changing providers?
Yes. You need to call them on 1800 200 422 to get a new referral code, which is what allows your new provider to access your record.
Can I change providers if I'm a grandfathered Home Care Package client?
Yes, and the process is the same. Your no worse off protections move with you and aren’t affected by changing providers.
How do I find the best home care package provider?
There’s no single best provider. The right one depends on what you need. The best home care package providers tend to be clear about fees, keep the same support workers coming back, and answer the phone. Speak to two or three before deciding.
Can I change providers more than once?
Yes. There’s no limit on how many times you can move, and doing so doesn’t affect your funding.
Find out more about Support at Home
For more information about how we do things, download our information pack. It has everything you need to know about who we are and what we do.
What our clients say about us
- Jacklyn, Hopper Crossing
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