Home Care Package (HCP) and the Commonwealth Home Support Programme (CHSP) – what’s the difference?

They are both Government funded programs that provide benefits designed to enable you or your loved one to remain in your home.

There are, however, a few things to keep in mind when trying to decide which option is best for you. Your funding can be used for a variety of services based on your individual care needs, including but are not limited to; nursing, cleaning, respite care, medication prompting and companionship.

There are four levels of support and each level of funding has a different subsidy amount depending on the client’s individual needs.

The benefits of a Home Care Package (HCP) are that YOU can decide what works best for your unique situation and how you want to spend your funds.

The Commonwealth Home Support Programme (CHSP) is considered a step prior to a HCP, providing light support to independent individuals who may require assistance from time to time

With the CHSP, instead of receiving a pool of funding to spend on services, you will be allocated access to specific services based on your care needs. These can include services such as personal care, domestic assistance, or social support.

Essentially, the key difference between the CHSP and a HCP comes down to the level of service
you require, and how it’s funded.