Can I pause my Support at Home services while I’m away? 

If you are going away for a holiday, staying with family or spending some time somewhere else, you may not need all of your usual Support at Home services while you are away. 

The good news is that you can temporarily pause ongoing Support at Home services. 

The Australian Government allows participants to take a break from services for reasons including holidays, hospital stays, transition care, residential respite or staying with family and friends. The important part is letting your provider know the dates you will be away so they can plan your services properly. 

If you already know your travel dates, contact your provider as early as possible. 

Let them know: 

For example, you may be away from home but still want an agreed service such as gardening to continue while you are gone. Government guidance specifically notes that some services can continue during a temporary pause if this has been agreed with the provider. 

The important thing is to make the arrangement clear before you leave. 

Yes, but there is an important difference between cancelling a visit and arranging a temporary pause in services. 

If you only need to cancel one or two scheduled visits, your provider’s cancellation policy will usually apply. 

Support at Home providers are expected to clearly explain their cancellation and no-show policy in the service agreement. Government guidance also says participants should generally give at least two business days’ notice when cancelling a scheduled service to help avoid unnecessary cancellation charges. 

If you are going away for several weeks, it may be simpler to tell your provider that you want to temporarily pause the relevant services rather than cancelling each individual visit. 

Your ongoing Support at Home quarterly budget does not simply disappear because you are away. 

If you temporarily stop ongoing services, you will continue to receive your quarterly budget. However, the usual rules for carrying over unspent funding still apply. That means it is still worth keeping an eye on your budget, particularly if you are away near the end of a quarter. 

A temporary pause may leave more funding unspent, but that does not mean all of it can automatically be carried forward. Your provider can help you understand how the pause may affect your individualised budget and future service planning. 

Yes. Your provider must continue giving you a monthly statement even if no services were delivered during that month. Your statement helps you see: 

Monthly statements are an important way to check that your services were paused as expected and that there are no unexpected charges while you were away. 

Related: How to read your Support at Home monthly statement

Support at Home providers are required to provide monthly statements showing how available funds are being used and any amounts that remain unspent. 

Care management remains part of Support at Home. 

Providers are required to provide at least one direct care management activity each month for participants receiving ongoing Support at Home services. 

Government guidance also says that when services are temporarily paused, care management should continue at least once a month where other services are still being delivered. 

If you are going away for an extended period, talk with your Care Partner about what communication will look like while you are away. 

Yes, but there is a limit you need to be aware of. If you do not receive any Support at Home services for four consecutive quarters, or one year, your ongoing funding can be withdrawn. The government may send reminders before this happens. 

A normal holiday or short stay with family is unlikely to create this issue, but it matters if someone is planning to stop services for many months. 

If you expect to be away for an extended period, discuss it with your provider so you understand what it could mean for your funding. 

No. Temporary pauses apply to ongoing Support at Home services. 

Short-term pathways operate within specific funding timeframes and generally cannot simply be paused in the same way. For example, Assistive Technology and Home Modifications funding still expires according to the timeframe shown on the person’s Notice of Decision and monthly statement. 

If you are receiving support through a short-term pathway and expect to travel, speak with your provider before changing any arrangements. 

Your Support at Home service agreement should explain your services, agreed prices and your rights and responsibilities as a participant. 

Before going away, it is worth checking: 

If something is unclear, ask your provider before you leave. 

A few quick arrangements can make returning to your usual routine much easier. 

Before travelling: 

It can also help to let your provider know if your care needs are likely to be different when you come home. 

Before returning home, confirm your restart date with your provider. Do not assume that every regular visit will automatically resume immediately, particularly if services have been paused for several weeks. 

Giving the provider notice allows them to organise Support Worker availability, schedules and any other services you need. 

If your needs have changed while you were away, your provider can also review your care plan and individualised budget with you. Support at Home providers are expected to review these arrangements as needs change. 

If you are planning a holiday, staying with family or simply taking a break from your usual routine, Leora Healthcare can help you organise your Support at Home services before you go. 

Your Care Partner can help you confirm which visits should pause, which services may continue, your restart date and how your schedule may affect your quarterly budget. 

A little planning before you leave means your care arrangements are already clear when it is time to come home. 

Going away soon? Speak with a Leora Care Partner today so we can help plan your services around your travel dates.