An hourly price is a starting point. It does not tell you whether a provider can offer the visits you need, at the times you need them.
Write down a typical week, then ask each provider to quote for that same week. Include the type of help, visit length, days, preferred times and your suburb. Compare private services with private services, and funded services with funded services.
Check the minimum bill as well as the hourly price. A short visit may have a different rate or a minimum charge. Ask whether part of an hour is rounded up, and request a written example for the visit length you actually need.
Keep three amounts separate: the provider’s charge, the amount paid from funding, and your own contribution. A price list alone does not establish what your family will pay. Check the quote’s date, funding route, inclusions and any applicable GST.
Before you sign, ask
- What is the shortest visit available in our suburb, and what time will we be billed for?
- Are weekend, evening and public-holiday prices different?
- Can you show the charge for the visit length we need, including minimum charges and any rounding up?
- For transport, which journeys, kilometres, support time, parking and tolls are included?
- What happens if we cancel, go to hospital or the worker cannot attend?
- Can we usually see the same worker? Who arranges a replacement?
- Can you start in our suburb, at the times we need?
- What would our own payment be, and what would come from the funded budget?
- If the brochure and the quoted terms differ, which current written agreement applies?
Under Support at Home, the provider’s service price and your contribution are different amounts. Approved personal care is contribution-free from 1 October 2026, within the support plan and available funding. Other services may still involve a contribution. Ordinary administration and staff travel costs must be included in service prices. Transport provided to the person receiving care is a separate service to ask about.
Request a written quote, current price list and service agreement. Compare the total cost of your actual week, the care available and how problems would be handled.
Compare home-care quotes — free to use, with no sign-up.
Use the moving and planning checklist or read selected local profiles to continue at your pace.