Changing the people who support you at home can feel like a big decision. You might be worried about what happens to your funding, whether your services will stop, or if you will have to go through the aged care assessment process all over again.
But changing your Support at Home provider doesn’t have to mean starting from scratch.
If your current provider is no longer the right fit, you can move to another provider and take your Support at Home funding with you. There are a few steps to follow, but you do not have to manage the entire transition on your own.
This article is written to equip you with all the information you’ll need in that process - how switching works, what happens to your funding and care plan, and what to look for when choosing a provider who can support you now and as your needs change.
If something about your current care is not working, you have the right to speak up.
You may want to start by talking with your provider about the issue and giving them an opportunity to address it. Every registered aged care provider must have a complaints process, and raising a concern should not affect the way you are treated.
A good approach can be:
1. Tell your provider what is concerning you.
2. Ask what can be done to resolve the issue.
3. Use the provider's formal complaints process if you need to escalate it.
4. Consider changing providers if the service or relationship still does not feel right.
5. Ask for independent advocacy or complaints support if you would like help.
If you do not feel comfortable raising the concern directly, or you are unhappy with how it has been handled, you can contact the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission.
You can also contact the Older Persons Advocacy Network (OPAN) for free, confidential and independent support.
Changing providers is one of the options available to you. You do not have to stay in an arrangement that is no longer meeting your needs.
Yes. You can change your Support at Home provider for any reason.
Changing providers does not cancel your Support at Home approval and, by itself, does not mean you need to start the assessment and funding process again. Your funding can move with you to your new provider.
For many people, the decision is less about something having gone badly and more about asking a simple question: is my current support still working for me? If the answer has changed, you have options.
What you need from support at home can change over time.
Perhaps you originally needed a little help with cleaning and transport, but you now need physiotherapy or nursing as well. Maybe you would like more consistency in who you speak to. Or your family might be looking for a provider that can support several parts of your care instead of arranging them separately.
You might consider changing your aged care provider because:
There does not have to be one dramatic reason for changing. What matters is finding support that works for your life now and can continue to work as things change.
Yes.
Once you have been approved and allocated Support at Home funding, you can choose the registered provider you want to deliver your services. You can also change that provider later. Australian Government guidance specifically states that a Support at Home participant can change providers for any reason.
That means you can ask questions, compare services and prices, speak with different organisations, and decide what feels right for you.
You do not need to stay with a provider simply because they were your first choice.
If you have recently been approved for Support at Home and have not chosen a provider yet, this is also a good time to think beyond the services you need today. Consider what support you may need in the future and how easily the provider can adapt with you.
One of the biggest concerns people have about switching home care providers is losing their funding.
Your Support at Home funding moves with you when you change providers. This includes eligible unspent funding for ongoing services.
You do not need to apply for your Support at Home funding again simply because you choose another provider.
As part of the transition, your outgoing provider has responsibilities around finalising services and sharing relevant budget information with your new provider. Your new provider then works with you to establish a new care plan and individualised budget.
If you transitioned from the former Home Care Packages program, you may also have unspent HCP funds.
Relevant unspent Home Care Package funding can move with you when you change providers. Government-held funds are made available to the new provider through your account, while specific rules apply to any eligible participant-held amounts that your previous provider needs to transfer.
You do not need to work through those funding arrangements by yourself. The providers have administrative responsibilities as part of the transition.
Changing providers is usually easier to understand when you break it into a few manageable steps.
Before comparing providers, think about what is working now and what could be better.
Start with your current services. What support do you receive each week? What do you value about it? Is there anything you need that you cannot currently access?
It can also help to think ahead. Ask yourself:
You do not need to have every answer. The idea is simply to know what matters to you before you start comparing your options.
You can use the My Aged Care Find a Provider tool to research registered providers and compare options.
Look at the services each provider offers, where they operate, and how much they charge. Providers set their own service prices, so comparing pricing can help you understand how far your available budget may go.
If you are considering Suncare, you can also look through our Support at Home services, our full range of services and locations to get a clearer picture of the support available in your area.
Once you have found a provider that looks promising, have a conversation before making your decision.
Tell them what services you currently receive, what is important to you, and what you would like to change.
You can speak with us at Suncare about your current circumstances and the kind of support you are looking for before deciding if changing providers is right for you.
It is also worth asking about availability, pricing, and how your proposed services could fit within your Support at Home budget.
Once you have decided to move, tell your current provider that you want to change providers and let them know who you are moving to.
You will also need to agree on an exit date with them.
Check your existing service agreement as part of this step. Your agreement contains the terms and conditions applying to your services and may include information relevant to ending the agreement.
There is no single universal participant notice period stated for every Support at Home provider switch. The exit date should take your circumstances, your service agreement, and Support at Home requirements into account. Government guidance says it should not unnecessarily disadvantage you.
Timing matters.
Your outgoing provider continues delivering services under your existing service agreement and care plan until your agreed exit date.
Your new provider's service agreement must begin on or after that exit date.
Working through these dates before the change can help reduce the chance of disruption to important services.
Before your new services begin, you will enter into a service agreement with your new provider.
The agreement should explain important details, including:
Remember to take the time to read it and ask questions about anything that is unclear.
Once you have chosen your new provider and agreed on your exit date, there are administrative steps that the providers themselves are responsible for.
For example, your outgoing provider must share relevant remaining budget information with your new provider. If requested, they must also provide relevant records such as care notes within the required timeframe.
The incoming provider then creates your care plan and individualised budget with you and completes the necessary provider-side notifications.
In other words, you do not have to personally manage every piece of paperwork moving between the two organisations.
Changing Support at Home providers does not automatically mean your services need to stop in between.
Your existing provider should continue delivering services under your current service agreement and care plan until the agreed exit date. Your new agreement can then begin on or after that date.
Planning ahead is important, particularly if you rely on regular personal care, medication support, nursing or other services that you cannot easily go without.
Talk with both providers about timing and confirm:
Good coordination can help minimise disruption, although it is sensible to avoid guaranteeing that a gap can never occur.
No. Changing providers, by itself, does not mean starting your aged care assessment again. Your Support at Home approval remains relevant when you move to another provider.
If your needs themselves have changed, that is a separate question. You can discuss those changes and, where appropriate, ask for a reassessment so your approved support better reflects what you now need.
For example, you may originally have needed help with cleaning and transport but now need regular clinical care or greater support with mobility.
Changing providers can be a useful opportunity to look at the bigger picture and ask whether your current support plan still reflects your day-to-day life.
Your new provider will look at your approved services, available Support at Home funding, and individual circumstances, then work with you to establish your care plan and individualised budget.
Keep in mind that providers do not necessarily offer every service available under Support at Home. Government guidance allows providers to choose which approved Support at Home services and pathways they deliver.
That is why it is worth confirming that a new provider can support the services that matter to you before completing the move.
It is also worth thinking beyond individual appointments.
You may need a cleaner today, physiotherapy in six months, and nursing support later. Choosing a provider that offers different kinds of support can make it easier for your care to adapt as life changes.
There is no single provider that will suit everybody. The right choice depends on your needs, priorities, location and the kind of relationship you want with the people supporting you.
If you are ready to start looking at another provider, use this checklist to keep track of the next steps:
Sometimes, you need one pair of hands around the house. At other times, you might need help across a few different parts of life.
Suncare provides a broad range of in-home and community support across South East and Central Queensland, from everyday help around the home to nursing and allied health services.
Our approach starts with getting to know what matters to you. That might mean keeping your garden manageable, getting to appointments, staying strong on your feet, having help with the housework or getting clinical support at home. As your circumstances change, the support around you can change too.
With Suncare, you can access services including:
• Nursing
• Exercise Physiology
• Assistive Technology & Home Modifications
You can explore our full range of services to see what support may suit you.
Suncare is a Queensland-based not-for-profit organisation that has been part of local communities since 1970. Our focus is practical, personalised support that helps older people stay connected to their home, their routines, and the life they want to keep living.
For someone thinking about changing aged care providers, that means you can look beyond the service you happen to need today and think about the kind of support partner you would like beside you as life changes.
Talk to us about switching providers
Your outgoing Support at Home provider cannot charge you an exit amount when you leave their care. You should still check whether there are any outstanding participant contributions or invoices for services you have already received.
Yes. A family member, friend, carer or supporter can help you compare providers, ask questions and work through the transition with you. If you would prefer independent help, OPAN can provide free and confidential aged care advocacy.
Moving location is one of the reasons you may need to change Support at Home provider. Before moving, check which registered providers operate in your new area and confirm that they can deliver the services you need.