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The Commonwealth Home Support Program, explained

What CHSP is, who it is for, what we deliver under it, and what help around the house covers.

Last reviewed 20 September 2026

A worker talking with an older woman who is steadying herself on a walking frame in a community hall

Most of what we do in aged care is ordinary. A hand with the vacuuming. A morning where a family member can go to their own appointment because somebody else is sitting with the person they care for. Ordinary things are what hold a life at home together, and they are usually the first things to go. The Commonwealth Home Support Program exists to put them back, and for many people it is the only aged care they will ever need.

It is for people who need a hand, not a whole care plan

The Commonwealth Home Support Program, usually shortened to CHSP, is the entry level of the aged care system. It is built for people who are managing well at home and would manage better with some regular, practical help.

CHSP is deliberately modest. It is not a full package of care, and it is not meant to be. It is the bit of support that keeps someone independent for longer.

together² is a CHSP provider in Sydney's Inner West. Under it we deliver three things: help around the house, respite for family carers, and one-to-one social support.

How it is paid for, and how you get in

The Australian Government funds providers directly to deliver CHSP services. You contribute something towards the cost, and you are never asked to cover the whole of it. Receiving CHSP does not affect your pension, because the subsidy goes to the provider, not to you.

CHSP services are only available to people who have been assessed as eligible through an aged care assessment. The assessment is free, and we can talk you through how to arrange one. Broadly, CHSP is for people aged 65 and over, and from age 50 for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and for people who are homeless or at risk of homelessness.

The Department of Health, Disability and Ageing has extended CHSP grant funding to 30 June 2029, so this is a program you can plan around rather than one that is about to disappear.

CHSP calls this domestic assistance. It covers the household jobs that keep a place safe and comfortable to live in, and it is meant to be done with you rather than around you wherever you want a hand in it.

  • General house cleaning: mopping, vacuuming, washing up, and keeping surfaces clear so the place stays safe to move around in
  • Laundry: washing clothes and bedding, and ironing
  • Shopping assistance: working out the list with you, doing the shop, and bringing it home

What it does not cover

  • Professional cleaning such as pest control, carpet cleaning, dry cleaning or an end of lease clean
  • Moving or rearranging furniture and other heavy items
  • Pet care
  • The cost of the groceries themselves, and anything to do with managing your money

Which of these you are funded for is set out in your assessment. We will read it with you, and we will tell you plainly if something you want is not in there.

If you or someone you love could use a hand at home, ring us and we will help you work out the next step, whether or not you have been assessed yet. Call 02 9556 9500 or get in touch.

Last reviewed 20 September 2026 by Steven Lowrie, Governance and Case Management Lead. Rules and funding can change. If something here does not match your situation, ask us.

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