What's Included in My Provider's Hourly Rate for Services

With the transition to Support at Home, many clients and families are asking an important question:

What exactly is included in my provider's hourly rate?

At BallyCara, we believe transparency matters. Understanding how pricing works helps you feel confident about how your funding is being used and how your services are delivered.

Why Do Hourly Rates Include More Than Just the Service?

Registered Support at Home providers are not separately funded by the government to operate their organisation or business. This means providers must recover the costs of running their services through the pricing of the care and support they deliver.

While you may only see the time a support worker spends in your home, there is a great deal happening behind the scenes to make that service possible.

What Does the Hourly Rate Cover?

Under Support at Home, the price of each service is bundled. This means your hourly rate includes:

• The direct care or support you receive
• Worker travel time and associated travel expenses
• Care planning and coordination
• Scheduling and workforce management
• Compliance with Aged Care Quality and Safety Standards
• Claims processing through Services Australia
• Monthly statement preparation
• Financial management and invoicing
• Regulatory reporting and governance requirements

These essential "back-office" functions may not always be visible, but they ensure your services are safe, coordinated, compliant and financially managed correctly.

Why Do Prices Seem Higher?

The new bundled pricing model has resulted in increases across most service types throughout the home care sector. Because administrative, compliance and travel costs are now built into each service rate, prices may appear higher than under previous arrangements where some costs were charged separately.

This approach is designed to provide greater clarity and consistency, so you can better understand the true cost of delivering safe and sustainable aged care services.

What If I Choose My Own Workers or Suppliers?

If a participant chooses and coordinates their own workers or third-party suppliers, providers are permitted to apply a capped 10% loading. This loading covers the additional administrative and compliance responsibilities associated with managing third-party arrangements, including ensuring regulatory obligations are met.

We're Here to Help

Every person's situation is different. If you would like more information about BallyCara's Support at Home pricing methodology, or would like assistance structuring your care and services within your available quarterly budget, our team is here to help.

We're committed to ensuring you receive the right support, delivered safely and transparently - with no surprises.