The Support at Home Calculation of Your Cost of Care form (SA456) helps Services Australia determine how much you contribute towards your Support at Home services. Completing the form can feel complicated, especially when it asks for details about your income, assets and financial situation. This guide explains who needs to complete SA456, what documents you need, how to submit it and how to avoid delays in your assessment.
Key Takeaways
- The Support at Home Calculation of Your Cost of Care form (SA456) is the financial assessment form used by Services Australia to calculate your Support at Home contributions
- It determines how much you pay and how much the government subsidises your care
- You may not need it if your Centrelink or DVA details are already up to date
- If you don’t complete it, you can be charged the maximum contribution rate
- It can take 4-6 weeks to get the results of your income and assets test.
- Completing it early, ideally before services begin, helps avoid delays and default maximum fees
What Is the SA456 Form and Why Does It Matter?
The Support at Home Calculation of Your Cost of Care form (SA456) is the form Services Australia uses to assess your income and assets for Support at Home.
In simple terms, it decides how much you will contribute towards your care.
Without it, Services Australia does not have enough information to assess your situation. That usually means you are charged the maximum contribution until your details are provided.
For many families, this form feels like just more paperwork. But done properly, it can reduce what you pay and give you certainty before services begin.
SA456 is specifically for Support at Home (in-home care). If your loved one is entering a residential aged care facility, you will need the Residential Aged Care Calculation of Your Cost of Care form (SA457) instead.
Where The SA456 Form Fits in Your Aged Care Journey
Before you reach SA456, there are a few steps already in motion.
You usually will have:
- Registered with My Aged Care
- Completed an aged care assessment under the Single Assessment System (which replaced the old ACAT process in December 2024)
- Been approved for Support at Home services
In other words, the decision about what care you need is already done.
Completing the SA456 form is the next step. It answers a different question: how much you will pay for that care.
This is where the financial side connects to your approval. Services Australia uses the information you provide in the SA456 form to calculate your contribution, so your provider knows what funding is available and what your out-of-pocket costs will be.
Timing matters here. If SA456 is delayed, services can still start, but you may be charged the maximum fee temporarily until your assessment is finalised. Submitting it early helps avoid that situation and gives you clarity from day one.
Who Needs to Complete the SA456 Form?
You generally do not need to complete SA456 if:
- You receive a means-tested Centrelink or DVA payment (such as the Age Pension, Disability Support Pension, Carer Payment or Service Pension)
AND
- Your income and assets are already up to date with Services Australia (updated within the last two years and unchanged)
In these cases, Services Australia already has the information it needs.
You will usually need to complete SA456 if:
- You are a self-funded retiree
- You receive a non-means-tested payment such as Age Pension (Blind), Disability Support Pension (Blind) or War Widow/er’s Pension
- Your financial situation has changed and is not yet updated with Services Australia
You can choose not to provide your financial details. However, this means you may be charged the maximum contribution for every Support at Home service you receive until the lifetime cap is reached.
Before You Start: Gather These Documents
Before you sit down with the form, it is worth taking a bit of time to get everything together. This makes the process much smoother and avoids going back and forth.
You will typically need:
- Bank statements for all accounts (savings, cheque, term deposits, including overseas accounts)
- Superannuation or income stream statements, including any Self-Managed Super Fund details
- Managed investment, share and bond records, including latest statements
- Council rates notices for your home and any other properties you own
- Mortgage or loan statements showing current balances
- Documents for funeral bonds, life insurance policies that can be cashed in, and any loans you have made to others
- Evidence of overseas pensions or payments you or your partner receives
You only need to provide copies, not originals. The copies will not be returned.
Step 1: Answer The Opening Questions
The first section of the SA456 form confirms you are filling in the right form and establishes why you need the assessment.
You will be asked:
- Whether you are starting Support at Home services, already receiving them, or whether this relates to residential aged care (if it is the latter, you need the SA457 instead)
- Whether you are completing the form on behalf of someone else, such as a parent or partner
- Whether you receive a means-tested income support payment from Centrelink or DVA. If you do, you may not need to continue completing the form.
Step 2: Provide Personal and Partner Details
The next section collects basic identification details for the person receiving care, and for their partner if applicable.
You will be asked for:
- Full name, date of birth and contact details (phone, email and postal address)
- Your Centrelink Customer Reference Number or DVA reference number, if you have one
- Any other names you have been known by (birth name, married name, alias, etc.)
If you have a partner, it is important to know that for Support at Home, income is assessed as half of your combined total, regardless of whose name the income or assets are in. You will need to include your partner’s details throughout the form and confirm they are aware their financial information is being collected.
You will also be asked whether you have any dependent children or students in your care, as this can affect the assessment.
Step 3: Describe Your Home and Other Properties
This section looks at property ownership. Your primary home and any other real estate you and/or your partner own in Australia or overseas.
For your family home, you will need to:
- Confirm whether you own or partly own it
- Indicate if it sits on more than 2 hectares (5 acres) of land, has more than one title, or is used for business purposes
- Estimate its current market value (including land, buildings and any water assets)
- List any outstanding mortgage or loan balances
Your principal family home is an exempt asset and is not counted in your financial assessment.
For other properties such as rental properties, investment properties, farms or holiday homes, you will need to provide estimated values, ownership percentages, property descriptions and mortgage details for each one.
Step 4: List All Income and Assets
This is the most detailed section of the SA456 form, but you only need to answer the sections that apply to you.
It covers:
- Bank accounts and term deposits (including overseas accounts, reported in the original currency)
- Superannuation and income stream products, including account balances, income received, and lump sum amounts available
- Shares, managed funds, bonds and debentures and their current market value
- Vehicles, household contents and personal assets such as cars, boats, furniture, jewellery and collectables
- Loans you have made to other people, organisations or family trusts
- Overseas income or pensions, even if they are not taxable in the country of payment
- Business interests, private trusts or private companies you have an involvement in
- Other assets including cryptocurrency, commercial licences and time share arrangements
One thing many people don’t realise is that gifts or assets you have given away or sold for below market value in the last five years may still be counted in your assessment. If you or your partner gifted more than the current thresholds, the excess may be treated as an asset.
Support at Home contributions are based on a full financial picture, not just one income source. It may feel extensive, but working through the form section by section makes it manageable.
Step 5: Sign The Declaration
At the end of the form, you will need to read the privacy notice and sign a declaration confirming:
- The information you have provided is accurate and complete
- You understand how it will be used by Services Australia
- You are aware that giving false or misleading information is a serious offence
If someone is signing on your behalf (eg. enduring Power of Attorney, legal guardian or existing Centrelink nominee) they must provide proof of their authority (eg. a copy of the relevant legal order) and photo identification.
If you would also like to formally authorise a family member or organisation to enquire or act on your behalf for aged care matters going forward, you can complete the Authorising a Person or Organisation to Enquire or Act on Your Behalf form (SS313) attached at the back of SA456. This is submitted separately.
Step 6: Lodge Your SA456 Form
Once complete, work through the document checklist on the final page of the form and make sure all required supporting documents are included. Then submit everything together.
You can lodge the form:
- Online — through your Centrelink online account via myGov
- By post — Services Australia, Residential Care, PO Box 7821, Canberra BC ACT 2610
- In person — at any Services Australia service centre
- DVA clients — Department of Veterans’ Affairs, GPO Box 9998, Brisbane QLD 4001
Submitting early matters. The form’s own instructions recommend lodging before your Support at Home services commence where possible. This ensures your contribution is calculated promptly and you do not default to maximum support at home fees while waiting.
What Happens After You Submit the SA456 Form?
Once your form is processed, Services Australia will send you an outcome letter. This outlines:
- Your assessed contribution amount
- The date from which the assessment takes effect
It can take 4-6 weeks to before you receive your outcome letter, so the sooner you submit the form the better.
The result is valid for 120 days from when Services Australia first notifies you. If your financial situation changes during this time (for example, you sell a property, receive an inheritance or your income drops) let Services Australia know so your contribution can be reassessed.
There are also annual and lifetime caps on contributions for Support at Home. Once you reach your lifetime cap, Services Australia will write to both you and your provider.
Learn more about Support at Home co-contributions
Get Help Choosing the Right Support at Home Provider
Completing the SA456 form is just one step. The next is choosing a support at home provider and making sure your funding is used in a way that actually supports your day-to-day life.
Aged Care Decisions is a FREE, independent service that helps you compare Support at Home providers based on your needs, location and budget. Our team of aged care specialists can explain fees, shortlist suitable options and help you move forward with confidence. We do the running around, so you don’t have to.
Get your FREE Aged Care Provider List today to save time comparing options.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to complete SA456 before or after I am approved for Support at Home?
No. The maximum full Age Pension rate does not change in July. It is updated in March and September each year in line with movements in wages and the cost of living. Any increase you received earlier in 2026 came in March.
Do I need a financial adviser to complete the SA456 form?
Not necessarily. Many people complete it themselves with the help of bank statements and superannuation documents. However, if you have complex financial arrangements like private trusts, a Self-Managed Super Fund, a family business or overseas assets, it may be worthwhile getting professional advice before submitting.
What if my partner does not want to provide their details?
Your partner needs to be made aware their financial information will be collected before you proceed with the form. If financial details are not provided, Services Australia may not be able to calculate an accurate assessment, and maximum contributions could apply.
Can someone else complete the SA456 form for me?
Yes. A family member, enduring Power of Attorney, legal guardian or existing Centrelink nominee can complete and sign the form on your behalf. They must supply appropriate identification and documentation confirming their authority.
How long does the assessment take?
Processing times vary. Submitting early, ideally before services begin, is the best way to avoid delays. Once approved, the assessment result is valid for 120 days.
What if my financial situation changes after I submit?
You should notify Services Australia if your circumstances change, for example, if you sell your home, receive an inheritance or your income changes significantly. This allows your contribution to be reassessed and keeps things accurate going forward.
