Editorial · about Australia
By Our Mate editorial team ·
The Commonwealth Home Support Programme explained: who's eligible, what help you can get, what it costs, and how to start.
Not everyone who needs a hand needs a big care package. Sometimes the gap between managing fine and managing fine with help is small: someone to do the heavy cleaning, a lift to appointments, a hot meal a few days a week, a bit of help in the shower. That's exactly what the Commonwealth Home Support Programme, usually shortened to CHSP, is for.
It's the most common starting point in Australian aged care, and the one people most often overlook because they think they're "not bad enough yet." You don't have to be in crisis to qualify. Often, a little help early is what keeps a small problem from becoming a big one.
CHSP is entry-level help at home, funded by the federal government. The whole point is to help older people keep living independently and safely in their own home and community for longer. The Department of Health describes it as exactly that: entry-level care.
It sits below the bigger, coordinated Support at Home program (which replaced Home Care Packages in November 2025). Think of it as a ladder:
| Need | Program |
|---|---|
| A bit of help, here and there | CHSP |
| Ongoing, coordinated, higher needs | Support at Home |
| Can't manage at home anymore | Residential aged care |
Most people start on CHSP. If your needs grow, you can be reassessed and move up.
CHSP covers a genuinely useful range of services. Per My Aged Care, it includes:
You won't get all of these. You get what the assessment says you need. But the breadth is the point: it's not just cleaning. The social support and allied health side keeps a lot of people steadier on their feet, literally and otherwise.
The eligibility lines, from My Aged Care, are:
You don't need a diagnosis or a major health crisis. "I'm finding the cleaning too much" or "I can't drive to appointments anymore" is a perfectly valid reason. An assessment confirms what you're eligible for.
CHSP is subsidised, but most people make a small co-contribution toward the cost of services, based on what they can afford. Providers set their own fees within government guidelines, and they're meant to be reasonable. If you genuinely can't pay, you shouldn't be turned away on cost alone; ask the provider about their hardship policy.
This is the cheapest way into the aged care system, which is part of why it's such a good place to start. For the bigger picture on what aged care costs and how means testing works once you move up to a package, see our guide to aged care costs.
The process is the same front door as all aged care.
Contact My Aged Care:
You can do this for yourself or for someone else.
For CHSP-level needs this is usually a home support assessment, a conversation in your home about how you're managing. Be honest about the hard parts. People routinely talk themselves out of help they qualify for by saying "oh, I'm fine really." If you're applying, you're probably not entirely fine, and that's okay.
Your Notice of Decision letter lists the services you're approved for and gives you referral codes. You then choose a provider for each service. Unlike a single big package, CHSP often means you might use different providers for different things: one for cleaning, another for transport, a community group for social activities.
This is where browsing a directory really helps. You can line up several providers in one place, see which are verified, and find the community and social options alongside the formal services. Use search to find services near you.
Here's something the official pages undersell. A big part of staying well at home isn't the cleaning or the ramps; it's not becoming isolated. CHSP funds social support for a reason. Beyond the program, your local community centres, senior centres and groups like Men's Sheds and bowls clubs do enormous good and cost little or nothing. They're often the thing that actually keeps someone going, long before a formal package is needed.
If the person you're helping is lonely more than they're frail, start there. Browse what's near them in our community listings.
Am I "too well" for CHSP?
Probably not. It's specifically designed for people who are mostly independent but need a bit of help. Early help is the whole idea.
Can I use more than one provider?
Yes. CHSP often works best as a mix: different providers for cleaning, transport and social support.
What happens if my needs increase?
You can be reassessed and may move up to a Support at Home package. CHSP isn't a dead end; it's the bottom rung.
Do I have to pay?
Usually a small co-contribution, based on what you can afford. Ask each provider about fees and hardship before you start.
Is this the same as a Home Care Package?
No. Home Care Packages were the bigger, coordinated tier, and they've been replaced by Support at Home as of November 2025. CHSP is the entry level below that. See the Department of Health for the official line.
The simplest advice we can give: don't wait until things are dire. CHSP exists for the in-between stage, and starting there is how a lot of people stay in their own homes for years longer than they expected.
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