Who are the best providers to look at for Government-Funded Home Care Packages in Australia, and how to choose the right provider

If you are looking for the best government-funded home care providers in Australia, this guide is for older Australians, families, and referrers seeking the best government-funded home care options. Choosing the right provider ensures you receive the support you need to live safely and independently at home. If you are searching for the best Home Care Package provider in Australia, the first thing to know is that Home Care Packages have been replaced by the Australian Government’s Support at Home program.

Support at Home commenced on 1 November 2025 and is now the main government-funded program for older Australians who need coordinated support to remain living safely and independently at home.

So, which providers are the best?

There is no single provider that is best for every older Australian. The best provider for you is one that can deliver or coordinate the services in your approved support plan, operates in your area, has capacity when you need it, communicates clearly, publishes transparent prices and has the right experience for your current and future needs.

That may sound less simple than a “top 10” list, but it is a much more useful way to choose care.

Information in this article is current as at October 2026.

Home Care Packages are now called Support at Home

This is worth clarifying because many people still search online for “Home Care Packages”. My Aged Care was the first step to access Home Care Packages before the move to Support at Home.

The Home Care Packages Program and Short-Term Restorative Care Programme were replaced by Support at Home on 1 November 2025. The former Home Care Packages program was managed by the Department of Health and had four levels based on support needs. There are four levels of Home Care Packages in Australia, based on support needs.

Existing Home Care Package recipients transitioned into the new system, while newly assessed older Australians now enter Support at Home.

Support at Home uses eight ongoing funding classifications, as well as short-term pathways for:

• Assistive Technology and Home Modifications
• Restorative Care
• End-of-Life care.

Under the former system, a trained assessor from My Aged Care determined your eligibility and approved services and funding. An acat assessment could be completed in your home or virtually. You then work with a provider to organise the services you have been approved to receive.

Understanding these changes is essential before you begin comparing providers. Next, let’s explore how to identify the best providers for your needs.

What are the best providers to look at for government-funded home care in Australia?

The best place to start is with registered or associated Support at Home providers that service your area and can meet the needs identified in your support plan.

My Aged Care recommends comparing providers based on:

• location
• services available
• cost
• quality of care
• current availability
• whether they can meet more specialised or changing needs over time.

Evaluating and comparing aged care providers should include looking at their pricing schedules and compliance records. Costs for service can vary significantly among providers in the aged care sector. Providers are required to publish their pricing list for transparency. The My Aged Care Find a Provider tool helps consumers compare local care providers.

You can search registered providers through the Australian Government’s My Aged Care Find a Provider service.

Rather than asking “Who is the biggest provider?”, a better question is:

“Which provider can deliver the right support for me, at a reasonable price, with people I am comfortable having in my home?”

Next, let’s clarify the recent changes to government-funded home care programs in Australia.

What is an associated provider?

You may also receive some of your Support at Home services from an associated provider. An associated provider is an organisation that delivers government-funded aged care services on behalf of your registered Support at Home provider. Associated providers do not have to be registered providers themselves. Your registered provider remains responsible for coordinating your care and overseeing the quality, safety and compliance of services delivered on its behalf.

Bloom Healthcare is an associated provider, this means you can still ask us to provided your allied health services when working with your registered Support at Home provider. So, when choosing your main registered provider, it is worth asking whether you can continue to use, or nominate, the allied health provider you prefer for services such as Occupational Therapy, Physiotherapy, Exercise Physiology, Speech Pathology and Psychology/Counselling.

Seven things to look for when comparing Support at Home providers

When comparing Support at Home providers, keep in mind that Home Care Packages provide flexible service options tailored to needs. Aged care services must accommodate individual clients’ cultural and specialised needs for better support. Aged care providers need to demonstrate experience and qualifications in specialised care areas.

1. Can they actually provide the services you need?

Start with your care plan.

A provider might be excellent at personal care and domestic assistance but may not have the clinical or allied health capability you need, so your chosen provider should be able to deliver all approved services in your care plan, either directly or by coordinating them.

Support at Home includes services across Clinical Supports, Independence and Everyday Living. The current Australian Government service list contains 49 services across 14 service types, and Home Care Packages provide flexible service options tailored to needs.

Think about what matters now and what might matter later.

For example, you may currently need help with personal care and cleaning, but changes in mobility could later mean you need Physiotherapy, Occupational Therapy or Assistive Technology.

My Aged Care specifically recommends considering whether a provider can meet changing needs over time, and broad flexibility in service offerings is essential as those needs shift.

2. Are they available in your area?

A highly regarded provider is not much help if they cannot start services where you live.

Ask:

• Do you service my suburb or regional area?
• Are you accepting new Support at Home participants?
• How soon can services begin?
• Are there waiting lists for any of the services I need?
• Can I receive services consistently on the days and times I need them?

Availability can differ substantially by location, particularly for allied health and specialist services.

3. Is their pricing clear?

Price matters because Support at Home providers set their own service prices. Costs for service can vary significantly among providers in the aged care sector. Providers are required to publish their pricing list for transparency.

Those prices must be reasonable, transparent and clearly explained, and providers are required to publish their most frequently charged prices on My Aged Care and on their own website.

When comparing providers, do not look only at one headline hourly rate.

Ask for the full price list and compare like with like.

You should understand:

• the hourly rate for the services you will actually use
• whether rates change after hours or on weekends
• how care management affects your budget
• what is included in each service price
• whether services are provided directly or through another organisation.

My Aged Care specifically recommends comparing what is included in services and whether the provider delivers them directly or subcontracts another organisation.

The same government funding can buy different amounts of service depending on the prices being charged.

4. How well do they communicate?

Home care is personal.

You should be able to understand:

• who is coordinating your care
• what services you are receiving
• what each service costs
• how much funding remains
• who to contact if something changes.

Support at Home providers are required to have service agreements with participants and provide information about agreed services and prices.

This is not just administrative detail. In a 2026 prudential review of 25 higher-risk Support at Home providers, the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission identified issues involving pricing transparency, service agreements and financial management. The review reinforced the importance of clear information and strong governance when choosing a provider.

That does not mean you need to become an aged care expert before choosing a provider.

It does mean that asking questions is completely reasonable.

5. Will you have continuity of care?

For many older people, who comes into the home matters just as much as what service they provide.

Ask whether you are likely to see:

• the same care workers
• the same Care Partner
• the same Therapist where possible.

Continuity can be particularly important for someone living with dementia, communication difficulties, anxiety or complex health conditions, and consistent workers usually improve comfort and safety over time.

It also makes it easier for workers and clinicians to notice gradual changes in mobility, function, health or confidence.

6. Can they support your clinical and allied health needs?

Support at Home is not limited to personal care, cleaning and meals.

Clinical Supports include nursing and eligible allied health services. The Australian Government pays the full price of approved Clinical Supports from the participant’s available Support at Home funding, with a 0% participant contribution.

Depending on your assessed needs, allied health might include:

Occupational Therapy to support daily activities, home safety, equipment, Assistive Technology and Home Modifications.

Physiotherapy to support mobility, balance, falls prevention and physical function.

Exercise Physiology to develop safe, individualised exercise that supports strength and endurance.

Speech Pathology to support communication and swallowing.

Psychology/Counselling to support emotional wellbeing, adjustment, anxiety or reduced confidence.

If allied health is important to you, ask how the provider arranges these services and whether you have choice about who delivers them.

7. Do they have experience and qualifications in specialised care areas?

Aged care providers need to demonstrate experience and qualifications in specialised care areas. Ask about their track record, staff training, and ability to support complex or changing needs.

Transitioning from comparing providers, it’s important to understand how the single provider model works under Support at Home.

The single provider model: an important point to understand

Under Support at Home, each participant is connected to a single registered provider responsible for their service agreement, care management and coordination of their funded services.

That does not necessarily mean one organisation physically delivers every service.

Your main Support at Home provider may work with other organisations or clinicians to deliver particular services.

This is particularly relevant for allied health.

If you want a particular Occupational Therapist, Physiotherapist or other clinician involved in your care, ask your Support at Home provider whether that service can be arranged within your approved support plan and funding.

Now, let’s see how Bloom Healthcare fits into the Support at Home landscape.

Where Bloom Healthcare fits

Bloom Healthcare’s Allied Health Services

Bloom Healthcare provides allied health support for older Australians living at home.

We are not suggesting that one organisation will be the right choice for every component of every person’s home care.

Instead, Bloom can provide the allied health component of care where services such as Occupational Therapy, Physiotherapy, Exercise Physiology, Speech Pathology or Psychology/Counselling are appropriate to the person’s assessed needs and Support at Home arrangements.

How Bloom Supports Independence

Our clinicians work with older Australians, families, carers, referrers and care providers around practical goals such as:

• staying mobile
• reducing falls risk
• managing everyday activities safely
• building strength
• communicating more effectively
• swallowing safely
• improving home safety
• assessing equipment or Home Modifications
• maintaining confidence and emotional wellbeing.

Flexible Service Delivery

Services can be delivered at home, in the community or through telehealth where appropriate.

You can learn more through Bloom Healthcare’s Support at Home Hub.

Next, let’s review the key questions to ask before choosing a Support at Home provider.

Questions to ask before choosing a Support at Home provider

Key Questions to Ask

You do not need to ask twenty questions. These ten will tell you a great fit:

1. Can you provide all of the services in my support plan?
2. How soon can you start?
3. Can I see your full current price list?
4. Who will coordinate my care?
5. Will I generally see the same workers and clinicians?
6. Do you provide allied health directly, or do you work with other allied health providers?
7. How will I know how much of my quarterly budget I have used?
8. What happens if my needs change?
9. How do I raise a concern or change a service?
10. What happens if I eventually decide to change providers?

A provider should be comfortable answering these questions clearly.

Once you have your answers, you may wonder about changing providers or what value means in this context. Let’s address those next.

Can you change Support at Home providers?

Yes.

You can change providers if your current provider no longer meets your needs or simply because you would prefer another provider.

My Aged Care recommends finding a new provider before setting an end date with your existing provider so there is less risk of a gap in services. Your current provider is required to support the transition.

This matters because choosing a provider is not an irreversible decision.

If your needs change or the relationship is not working, you have options.

Now, let’s consider how to assess value when comparing providers.

Does the cheapest provider mean the best value?

Not necessarily.

Price is important, because every dollar charged affects how much service your Support at Home budget can purchase.

But the lowest hourly rate is not automatically the best choice.

Consider:

• experience
• service availability
• continuity
• communication
• clinical capability
• reliability
• how quickly services can start
• whether the provider can support changing needs.

Good value is getting the right care, reliably, at a reasonable and transparent price.

Next, let’s look at a simple checklist to help you compare providers.

A simple provider comparison checklist

Before deciding, compare two or three suitable providers against the same criteria:

The “best” provider is the one that performs well on the factors that matter most to you.

Once you’ve compared your options, you may want to involve family or referrers in the decision-making process.

For families and referrers

If you are helping an older person choose services, start with function rather than a provider name.

Ask:

What is becoming harder at home?

Perhaps the person is falling more often, struggling to shower safely, becoming weaker after hospitalisation, having difficulty swallowing, or becoming increasingly anxious about leaving the house.

Those needs can help determine which services should be prioritised and what capability you should look for in a provider.

For allied health referrals, useful information includes the person’s Support at Home arrangements where known, current functional concerns, recent health changes, falls, existing assessments and the outcomes they want to achieve at home.

Now, let’s address some frequently asked questions about Support at Home providers.

Frequently asked questions

What are the best government-funded home care providers in Australia?

There is no official “best provider” ranking. The best provider depends on your location, approved services, budget, availability and individual care needs. My Aged Care recommends comparing services, costs, quality, availability and whether a provider can meet changing needs.

What happened to Home Care Packages in Australia?

The Home Care Packages Program was replaced by Support at Home on 1 November 2025. People searching for Home Care Package providers should now look for Support at Home providers.

Where can I compare Support at Home providers?

The Australian Government’s My Aged Care Find a Provider tool allows you to search providers by location, services and other requirements. The My Aged Care Find a Provider tool helps consumers compare local care providers. You can also call My Aged Care at 1800 200 422 for assistance.

What should I compare between home care providers?

Compare their services, location, availability, full published prices, experience, continuity of workers, clinical capability, care management and capacity to meet changing needs.

Can I choose who provides my allied health services?

Support at Home operates through a single registered provider responsible for coordinating your services. Ask that provider about your options for selecting allied health clinicians or organisations within your approved support plan and funding.

Are allied health services covered by Support at Home?

Eligible allied health sits within Clinical Supports under Support at Home. Approved Clinical Supports attract a 0% participant contribution and are funded through the participant’s available Support at Home budget.

Can Bloom Healthcare provide Support at Home allied health?

Bloom Healthcare provides aged care allied health services including Occupational Therapy, Physiotherapy, Exercise Physiology, Speech Pathology and Psychology/Counselling. Bloom can work with older Australians, families, carers, referrers and care providers to deliver allied health that supports independence, safety and wellbeing at home.

Can I change my Support at Home provider?

Yes. Participants can change providers. My Aged Care recommends securing the new provider first before agreeing on an end date with the existing provider to reduce the risk of a gap in care.

Make a Referral

If you or someone you support is receiving Support at Home and needs allied health support, Bloom Healthcare can help.

Our Occupational Therapists, Physiotherapists, Exercise Physiologists, Speech Therapists and Psychologists work with older Australians on practical goals that support mobility, safety, communication, confidence and independence at home.

You do not need to know which discipline is right before contacting us. Tell us what is becoming difficult and our team can help identify an appropriate starting point.

Make a Referral