CHSP Providers: A Planning Guide to the 2029 Extension

On 21 August 2026 the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing announced that it had extended CHSP grant funding to 30 June 2029. For CHSP providers, that means two more years of funding certainty and a formal say in how entry-level home support is designed from here.

The extension is not a pause button. Registration obligations under the Aged Care Act 2024 still apply today, clients with growing needs still need a clear pathway, and the move to a new entry-level model is still coming. This guide covers what changed, what stayed the same and how to plan the next three years.

Key Takeaways

CHSP grant funding now runs for another two years, to 30 June 2029, according to the Department's 21 August 2026 announcement.
CHSP providers are already registered providers under the Aged Care Act 2024 and must meet every registration condition and obligation in addition to their grant agreement.
The Department is consulting on the long-term design of entry-level in-home support, including block funding, fair contributions, early intervention and a smoother path into more complex care.
Clients whose needs exceed what CHSP can offer should be referred for reassessment through My Aged Care without delay, with the referral and follow-up documented.
Providers should keep transition readiness work going and avoid planning around any transition date the Department has not confirmed.

What the CHSP Extension Actually Changed

The extension changed the end date of CHSP grant funding and opened a design conversation, nothing more. The Department's announcement says funding is extended for another two years to 30 June 2029, and that consultation on the future of CHSP, entry-level services and in-home support will begin this year.

The Commonwealth Home Support Programme delivers entry-level support such as domestic assistance, transport, meal delivery and social support. In the same announcement, the Department said plainly that improvement is required. Health and Ageing Minister Mark Butler and Aged Care and Seniors Minister Sam Rae also released an open letter to CHSP providers alongside the news.

Before August, the Department's stated position was that CHSP would move to Support at Home no earlier than 1 July 2027. The extension shifts the funding horizon, but providers should treat any new transition date as unknown until the Department publishes one.

The four consultation themes

The Department has named four areas of focus for the consultation. Each one has a direct bearing on how CHSP providers operate.

A sustainable entry-level program - how entry-level services are funded; the future role of block-funded services
Fair and equitable contributions - how older people contribute to the cost of home care
Early intervention - how timely low-level support can reduce pressure across the aged care system
A smooth path to more complex care - how people move from entry-level support into more complex in-home care, care in an aged care home or other options

What Did Not Change: Registration Obligations Apply Now

The extension did not change the fact that CHSP providers are regulated under the Aged Care Act 2024 today. The Department's provider resources state that CHSP providers became registered providers under the new Act and must meet all registration conditions and obligations in addition to their grant agreement.

That means two layers of accountability. The grant agreement governs funding, reporting and service outputs, while the Act brings the Statement of Rights, the Aged Care Code of Conduct, incident management including the Serious Incident Response Scheme and the rules on restrictive practices. A provider that focuses only on grant reporting is exposed if the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission looks at how rights and safety obligations are met in practice. This guide is general information, not legal advice, so check your own obligations against your registration and grant documents.

The Department has also published supporting resources, including guidance on unregistered and unassessed CHSP clients, the CHSP 2025-27 Manual and a provider readiness checklist. These are a sensible starting point for a gap review.

A Three-Year Plan for CHSP Providers

The most useful way to treat the extension is as a defined planning window with four workstreams running side by side. Each can be assigned to an owner and reported to the board.

Year one: governance and registration compliance

Start with the obligations that already apply. Map your current policies and procedures against your registration obligations, identify gaps and fix the ones that carry the most risk to older people first.

Confirm the board or governing body receives regular reporting on incidents, complaints and feedback, workforce screening and rights-based practice.
Check that Code of Conduct obligations are built into worker induction and supervision, not just a signed form.
Review how your service records consent, choice and changes in a client's circumstances.
Test your incident management system with a real scenario from a home visit or a transport trip.

Governa's policy templates and evidence mapping can shorten this work, because each obligation can be linked to a document and a responsible person. The aim is a register that shows a reviewer where the evidence lives.

Ongoing: clients whose needs exceed CHSP

CHSP is built for entry-level support, so some clients will need more than it can provide. When that happens, the right response is a timely referral for reassessment through My Aged Care, a record of the referral, and follow-up until the outcome is known.

The cost of delay can be serious. In its submission to the Senate inquiry on the CHSP transition, Silverchain reported that over six months, 630 of its CHSP clients who were awaiting Support at Home, a package or reassessment moved permanently into an aged care home. Whatever the reasons in individual cases, the figure shows why watching for rising needs is a front-line responsibility.

A clear referral management policy helps workers know what triggers a referral, who makes it and how it is recorded. Pair it with an entry, transition and exit policy that covers how clients are supported while they wait, how information is shared with the person and their family, and how services end or change safely.

Late 2026 into 2027: preparing a consultation submission

CHSP providers have direct evidence about what entry-level support achieves, and the consultation is the place to use it. A submission grounded in your own service data will carry more weight than general commentary.

Funding model - what block funding allows you to do that unit pricing would not; where it creates inefficiency
Contributions - how your clients currently contribute; what a fair approach would look like for people on low incomes
Early intervention - examples where social support, meals or transport kept someone safely at home
Pathways - how long clients wait after referral; what happens to them in the meantime

Start collecting this evidence now, before the consultation papers arrive. Include the perspectives of clients, carers and front-line workers, and check whether your service has particular insight on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, rural communities or other groups with distinct needs.

Through to 2029: keeping transition readiness alive

Transition readiness is easy to shelve once a deadline moves, but the work does not lose its value. Support at Home has run since 1 November 2025 with assessor-set classifications, quarterly budgets and care management funding, which gives CHSP providers a working model to study.

Keep a small transition project open. Review pricing, client agreements, workforce capability and systems for budget tracking, and decide whether your organisation wants to deliver Support at Home services, partner with a provider that does, or focus on entry-level support in whatever form the new design takes. Our Support at Home reform roadmap covers the broader program changes in more detail.

Related Resources

Frequently Asked Questions

How long has CHSP funding been extended?

The Department's 21 August 2026 announcement extended CHSP grant funding for another two years, to 30 June 2029. Check your own grant agreement and any variation the Department issues for the terms that apply to your organisation.

When will CHSP move to Support at Home?

Before the extension, the Department's position was that CHSP would transition no earlier than 1 July 2027. Providers should not assume a new date until the Department confirms one, and should follow the consultation on entry-level support closely.

Do CHSP providers have to meet the same obligations as other registered providers?

CHSP providers became registered providers under the Aged Care Act 2024 and must meet all registration conditions and obligations that apply to them, in addition to their grant agreement. The extension did not change this.

What should we do when a CHSP client needs more support than we can offer?

Refer the client for reassessment through My Aged Care, record the referral and follow up until there is an outcome. Keep supporting the person safely in the meantime and tell them and their family what to expect.

How can CHSP providers take part in the consultation?

The Department has said consultation on the future of CHSP and entry-level services begins this year. Watch Department updates and sector peak body channels, and start gathering service data and client stories now so you are ready to respond.

Use the Extension as a Planning Window

The CHSP extension to 2029 buys time, not relief from obligations. Registration compliance applies now, clients with rising needs still depend on timely referrals, and the consultation will shape the program you deliver next. Pick an owner for each of the four workstreams this month and add a short progress report to your next board meeting.

CHSP Extended to 2029: A Planning Guide for CHSP Providers