6 Myths About Switching Aged Care Providers (And the Truth Under Support at Home)
Stuck with a provider you’re not happy with? And quietly putting up with it because the thought of switching just feels too hard?
You’re not alone. We hear it constantly. People stay where they are because they’ve been told switching is complicated, risky, or just not worth the bother. And often, they’ve been told this by the very provider who’d lose their funding if they left.
But it’s not about the provider – it’s about you, and your quality of care.
So, let’s clear this up.
Since 1 November 2025, every home care recipient in Australia has been moved onto Support at Home, the new aged care reform that’s replaced the former Home Care Packages (HCPs) and Short-Term Restorative Care (STRC). Some of the rules around switching providers have changed. Some of the old myths are still doing the rounds anyway. We thought it was time to set the record straight.
Here are the six we hear most often, and what’s actually true.
Myth 1: ‘I need a release form to switch providers’
The truth: There is no release form. There never was a release form (and there still isn’t a release form).
This is the most stubborn myth in aged care, and it’s costing people months of being stuck. Your funding belongs to you, not the provider currently delivering your services. You don’t need their permission, their sign-off, or any kind of paper they hold the pen on.
What you actually need to do is much simpler. You let your current provider know you’re moving, agree on an exit date with them, and tell them who your new provider will be. Your new provider then accepts the referral through the My Aged Care portal – and that’s the bit that makes the switch official. No mystery document required.
If anyone is telling you a release form is part of the process – even gently, kindly… they’re wrong. And it’s worth asking yourself why they’d want you to think otherwise.
Myth 2: ‘I’ll lose my funding or have to be reassessed’
The truth: Your funding goes with you. Your assessment goes with you. Your remaining budget goes with you.
Under Support at Home, you’re either allocated one of eight ongoing classification levels (based on your assessed needs), or one of four transitioned Home Care Packages (if you’re a current Home Care Package holder), and a quarterly budget that comes with it. That classification is yours – it doesn’t reset, it doesn’t need to be reviewed, and it doesn’t disappear because you’ve changed providers. The new provider simply picks up where the old one left off.
Even your unspent funds carry across. If you’ve got money sitting in your budget that hasn’t been used yet, the new provider gets access to it – there’s no resetting back to zero.
The only time you’d go through a reassessment is if your needs themselves have changed and your current budget can’t cover what you need. That’s a separate conversation, and one we’d happily walk you through.
Myth 3: ‘It’ll take months and I’ll be left without support in the meantime’
The truth: With a bit of planning, your services don’t have to skip a beat.
This is one of the most understandable fears – and one of the easiest to put to rest. The official guidance is straightforward: Your new provider’s start date should fall on or after the agreed exit date with your old one. My Aged Care actually recommends having both dates be the same day. So Tuesday’s your last day with Provider A, and Wednesday morning your new carer from Provider B turns up.
A good incoming provider will plan this transition with you carefully. They’ll coordinate the timing, talk to your old provider about handing over care notes, and make sure your services don’t drop out from under you.
If they’re vague about how they’ll manage it, take that as a useful clue about how organised they are.
Myth 4: ‘All providers charge about the same – there’s no real point switching’
The truth: Provider fees can vary wildly, and what you pay in fees comes straight out of your care budget.
This one matters more than people realise. Every dollar your provider takes in management or administration fees is a dollar that’s not buying you a clean house, a ride to your appointment, or someone to help with your shower.
Right now, providers can still set their own prices, but they’re required to publish a ‘common price’ on My Aged Care and on their own website – so comparing is much easier than it used to be. Mandatory price caps for each service type kick in on 1 July 2026, which will narrow the range. But until then, the variation is real, and it’s worth comparing.
If you want a deeper dive into what the new fee structure actually looks like, we’ve written a guide to decoding your Support at Home fees as a starting point.
Myth 5: ‘My provider will be offended, and they might take it out on my care’
The truth: You’re a person exercising your right to choose. A professional provider will respect that.
We get it. If you’ve built a relationship with your care workers, telling someone you’re leaving feels uncomfortable. You’re not breaking up with them, but it can feel a bit like that.
Two things that might help. First, you don’t have to have the conversation in person. An email or letter is completely fine, and it gives you a clear record of when you gave notice. Second, providers are not allowed to charge an exit fee under Support at Home – that’s a rule, not a request. They’re also obligated to keep delivering your services to the same standard until your exit date.
And if your provider does behave poorly when you give notice? That’s not a sign you’ve made the wrong call. That’s a sign you’ve made exactly the right one.
Myth 6: ‘I should wait until everything settles down with the new system’
The truth: Waiting isn’t free.
Support at Home has been live since 1 November 2025. The rules for switching are already in place. They’re not going to dramatically change again any time soon. So if you’re holding off until things ‘settle’, you’re really just waiting on a finish line that’s already behind us.
Worse – staying with a provider that isn’t working for you has a cost. You might be paying higher fees than you need to. You might be missing out on services that could genuinely improve your day and allow you to continue residing safely and independently at home for longer. And there’s a quieter risk too: Under Support at Home, if you go a full year without a service agreement in place with any provider, your ongoing funding can be withdrawn entirely. Here’s our piece on making sure your Support at Home funds don’t go to waste.
If something isn’t working, there’s no good reason to wait it out.
How Do I Write to My Provider?
To help you formulate an exit letter to your provider, here’s a template you can use:
Dear, [Name of Contact Person or “Management Team”],
I am writing to formally advise you that I will be changing my Home Care Service provider.
Please accept this letter as notice to terminate my Service Agreement with [Current Provider Name]. As per my agreement, I am providing [insert the notice period – i.e. number of days’ notice that’s required – e.g. 14 days / 28 days] notice of this decision.
My final date of service with your organisation will be: [Insert date]
Please ensure that:
- All scheduled services continue as normal and are provided in full until my final date of service.
- My final monthly statement is prepared and provided to me promptly.
- Any unspent funds are transferred to my new provider, [New Provider Name – if known], within the required regulatory timeframe.
- My exit package and all relevant care documents are provided to me or my new provider upon exit.
- My Aged Care is notified of this change in line with standard requirements.
I understand that there is no obligation for my new provider to contact you directly unless my package code requires releasing. If needed, I am happy to contact My Aged Care directly to reactivate my code and confirm an agreed exit date.
I consent to you liaising with my new provider if required to ensure a smooth transition of my care.
Please confirm receipt of this notice and my final end date in writing at your earliest convenience.
Also, please advise should you need to confirm any details regarding my exit.
Thank you for your support during my time with [Current Provider Name].
Yours sincerely,
[Your Signature]
[Your Full Name]
[Your Email Address]
[Your Contact Phone Number]
[Your Address]
💡 Tip: Check your current Service Agreement for the amount of notice you are required to give – this is typically 14 or 28 days but may vary.
So, Where to From Here?
Switching providers isn’t a punishment, and it isn’t a betrayal. It’s just you, making sure your funding does what it’s actually meant to do: Support you.
If you’re not sure where to start, we’d love to help. Our team can walk you through your options, explain the process in plain English, and help you compare providers in your area – no pressure, no jargon, no sales pitch. Just a chat.
Alternatively, if you’re sure you’re wanting to switch providers – our team can take care of this entire process for you.
