Who pays for respite care in Australia comes down to one shared principle. Respite is short-term care that gives an unpaid carer a break. In most government-funded cases the government pays the provider a subsidy or plan funding. The person receiving care pays a contribution set by the program. The practical question is which stream applies, and who sends the invoice.
Key takeaways
- Subsidised respite is shared cost: government funding goes to the provider, and the person may pay a contribution.
- Residential respite has no income and assets assessment, but a basic daily fee and sometimes a booking fee apply.
- Support at Home and CHSP fund in-home and community respite with different contribution rules.
- NDIS participants fund short-term accommodation from their plan, subject to published price limits.
- Private respite has no government fee cap, so ask for the full price in writing.
The short answer: subsidised, not free
My Aged Care says that if a person is eligible for short-term care, they may be expected to contribute (My Aged Care, checked 2 November 2026).
The confusion comes from three different mechanisms all being called “a contribution”. Residential respite has a government-set basic daily fee, calculated from the age pension. Support at Home applies an income-tested percentage of the service price. CHSP uses a provider-set contribution, governed by each provider’s client contribution policy.
These aren’t interchangeable. Knowing which applies is most of the answer. Two exceptions matter. Clinical supports under Support at Home are fully funded. Carer Gateway can also provide planned respite at no cost within a tailored support package. If a person can’t pay an assessed contribution, financial hardship assistance exists. Ask rather than cancel.
In short: subsidised respite isn’t free, but the person normally pays a set contribution rather than the full provider rate.
Which funding route applies to you?
The route follows the person’s circumstances and existing assessments. An assessment or plan decides the stream, not a provider. People can also move between streams over time, for example paying privately while waiting for funding.
| Route | Who it may suit | Who pays | What the person may pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Support at Home | Older people eligible for ongoing home support | Government funds a budget; the provider is paid from it | A contribution based on service type and income and assets |
| CHSP | Older people needing entry-level help | Government grant to the provider | A provider-set contribution, never the full cost |
| Residential respite | Older people needing a short stay in an aged care home | Government pays the provider a subsidy and supplements | Basic daily fee, plus an optional booking fee |
| NDIS short-term accommodation | NDIS participants whose plan includes it | Funded from the participant’s Core budget | Paid from plan funds, subject to price limits |
| Carer Gateway | Unpaid carers who need a break | Government-funded service | Planned respite can be free within a support package |
| Private | Anyone not using a subsidised stream | The person or family | The provider’s full rate, with no cap |
Under Support at Home, respite sits in the Independence contribution category. It covers supervision and assistance in the home or community (Support at Home service list, published 24 September 2026). Residential respite is funded separately.
Aged care routes: Support at Home, CHSP and residential respite
For older people using the aged care system, My Aged Care is the gateway. The contribution rule depends on which of the three streams is funding the service.
Support at Home
In-home and community respite can be funded through Support at Home, where respite sits in the Independence category. A moderate contribution can apply, based on the person’s income and assets assessment (My Aged Care, checked 2 November 2026):
- Full pensioners contribute 5% of the price for Independence services.
- Part pensioners and Commonwealth Seniors Health Card holders contribute between 5% and 50%, on a tapered scale.
- Self-funded retirees without a CSHC, and people whose means are not disclosed, contribute 50%.
From 1 October 2026, personal care became fully funded with no participant contribution. Respite did not move with it, so treat the two separately. For the other services a Support at Home budget can fund, see what you can spend a home care package on. For how in-home respite is arranged, see our in-home respite care guide.
CHSP
The Commonwealth Home Support Programme funds entry-level help, including community and in-home respite. Clients pay a contribution, but My Aged Care states they’ll never be asked to cover the full cost (CHSP costs). Every provider must hold a client contribution policy, tell the client what they’ll pay, and monitor for financial hardship.
CHSP funding currently runs from 1 July 2025 to 30 June 2027. It has been extended to 30 June 2029 (health.gov.au, checked 2 November 2026), so the program stays separate for now.
Residential respite
No income and assets assessment is required. My Aged Care also states that a provider can’t ask a respite resident to pay means tested contributions or any accommodation costs.
The basic daily fee is 85% of the single basic age pension, updated on 20 March and 20 September each year. My Aged Care states the current maximum as $68.93 per day. A booking fee, if charged, can’t exceed one week’s fees or 25% of the total stay. It’s deducted from the daily fees, and refunded if the booking is cancelled more than seven days before entry. The government pays the rest as a subsidy and supplements to the registered provider.
For how the stay itself is counted, see how long someone can stay in respite care.
NDIS: who pays for short-term accommodation
For NDIS participants, the National Disability Insurance Agency funds short-term accommodation from the person’s Core budget. The participant doesn’t pay a daily fee out of pocket. The cost comes from plan funding. It covers support and accommodation, but not activities, food, holidays or airfares (NDIS, checked 2 November 2026).
The NDIS pricing schedule sets maximum prices, and providers can’t charge more than those limits (NDIS pricing arrangements). The support was briefly renamed “short-term respite” in October 2025 and changed back in 2026; the history is in our explanation of the NDIS name change and reversion.
TIMELY HEALTH ASSIST does not provide accommodation-based NDIS respite, under either name. In-home support is a separate question from accommodation funding.
Carer Gateway and emergency respite
Carer Gateway is the entry point for unpaid carers. Unlike the aged care and NDIS streams, it doesn’t require the cared-for person to have an assessment. Any unpaid carer can call 1800 422 737 to ask what’s available locally.
Planned respite can be provided at no cost to the carer within a tailored support package. Emergency respite is different. Carer Gateway providers organise it “if a suitable service is available in your local area” (Carer Gateway, checked 2 November 2026). Availability is local, not guaranteed, and no fixed duration should be assumed. Because it depends on supply, an emergency care plan made in advance is worth more than a phone call in a crisis.
Private, unsubsidised respite
Private respite is paid entirely by the person or family and priced by the provider. No government fee cap applies, which is why private rates vary so widely.
People use it while waiting for an assessment or funding, when they’re not eligible for a subsidised stream, or when they need a specific date. A private rate can be several times a subsidised contribution, and nothing caps it.
No official source publishes a private rate, so this article quotes none. Ask instead for the rate and any after-hours loading, the minimum booking and cancellation terms, travel charges, what’s included, and how workers are screened.
Which support line should the payer use?
The funding stream should decide the service line, not the other way around. If the person is under the aged care system, the relevant support is Aged Care Services Adelaide support. It covers the same home tasks a respite shift involves. NDIS participants use the disability support line instead.
This article doesn’t establish that TIMELY HEALTH ASSIST is an approved Support at Home, CHSP or NDIS provider, or that a particular service, subsidy, worker or start date is available. Confirm funding directly with My Aged Care, the NDIA or the relevant provider.
For most families the order is the same. Establish which stream applies, confirm its contribution rule, then get the price and terms in writing.
Frequently asked questions
Do you need a means assessment for respite care?
No. My Aged Care states that an income and assets assessment is not required for respite care (My Aged Care, checked 2 November 2026). Permanent residential care is different. There, a means assessment sets the hotelling contribution, non-clinical care contribution or means tested care fee (My Aged Care).
Is respite care free in Australia?
Not generally. Most subsidised respite involves a contribution: a government-set daily fee, an income-tested percentage, or a provider-set CHSP contribution. Specific services, and Carer Gateway’s planned respite within a support package, can be fully covered.
Who pays for emergency respite?
Carer Gateway organises it where a suitable local service is available. If it isn’t, the person may need an existing aged care or NDIS stream, or pay privately.
Editorial note: Program rules and fees in this guide were checked on 2 November 2026 against My Aged Care, the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing, the NDIS and Carer Gateway. Aged care fees change on 20 March and 20 September each year, so confirm current details before making decisions.
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