Can you get a refund on your Home Care Package?

If you choose to end your Home Care and cease to use your Home Care Package, you may be able to get a refund on any money you contributed to your Home Care Package.

Did you contribute to your Home Care Package?

If you paid a daily fee, or an income-tested fee, you, or your estate, are eligible to receive this money back once you cease your Home Care Agreement.

However, if you did not pay either of these, then you won’t receive any refunded money.

If the money in your Home Care Package has been contributed wholly by the government and this money will now be allocated to the next person waiting in the National Prioritisation Queue.

Unspent Home Care Package amounts

Once your agreement with your Home Care Package provider has ended, the provider must notify you (in writing) of any unspent funds remaining in your Package. They have a total of 56 days in which to do this.

In this written notice from your provider, your unspent funds will be broken down into three separate categories:

  • The amount of your own personal contribution remaining (this is the amount that will be given back to you)
  • The amount of the government’s contribution that is remaining (this is called the Commonwealth portion, and will be given back to the government)
  • The transfer portion – if you’re switching to another provider, this is the total amount that will be transferred across to your new provider

Payment of your unspent Home Care funds

Your provider must return any unspent amount to you or to your estate within 70 days of you ceasing your Home Care Agreement with them.

Similarly, the provider must notify the government of the Commonwealth portion remaining in your Home Care Package within 70 days.