Quick answer: can you switch home care providers?
Yes. You can change home care providers if your current arrangement is no longer meeting your needs.
Your funding stays attached to the person receiving care, not the provider. That means eligible funding and unspent amounts can transfer when you move providers. Your current provider should continue services until the agreed transition date and providers cannot charge exit fees.
If switching feels overwhelming, it does not have to be. The right provider should explain the process clearly and help reduce disruption during the change.
Why families decide to change home care providers
If you are managing care for a parent and things are not working the way they should, changing providers may be worth exploring.
Maybe you've been dealing with missed visits, poor communication, or confusion about where their funding is going.
Perhaps your mum or dad feels like just another number. Or maybe you're the one carrying the full load and you’re looking for better communication and support.
You're not alone in feeling this way and you're not trapped. You can leave a provider that's failing you.
Your funding is attached to your parent, not their provider. When you switch, their individualised budget moves with them, including eligible unspent funds. No exit fees apply; no funding is lost and there is no care gap to worry about when it's done right.
This guide will show you:
- When it's time to switch
- How the process actually works (and who handles it)
- What happens to funding during the transition
- How to keep existing care workers (companions, cleaners and gardeners)
- How to choose a provider that's genuinely different
- Why most people wish they'd switched sooner
Is it difficult to switch home care providers?
Not with the right provider.
Under Support at Home, you have complete control over care decisions. You can change providers at any time, for any reason.
When you decide to switch:
- Your funding moves with you (including unspent amounts for ongoing services)
- No exit fees apply — providers cannot charge an exit amount when you leave
- Your current provider must continue services until your agreed exit date
At a glance:
At Five Good Friends, we believe your parent should always be at the centre of their care. Whether you choose to self-manage services through our app or have our team coordinate everything on your behalf, you remain in control.
How to know if it's time to switch
The obvious signs
Most people start thinking about switching when they notice clear problems:
Service quality issues:
- Missed, late or inconsistent visits
- A revolving door of different faces, no familiar care workers
- Services that don't match what was promised
Communication breakdown:
- You can't reach your provider when you need them
- No clear contact person who knows your situation
- You're left in the dark about what's happening
Limited flexibility:
- Your provider can't deliver the services your parent needs
- Rigid scheduling that doesn't work for their life
- Difficulty adjusting care as needs change
These are valid reasons to switch. But often, there are deeper issues driving the frustration.
The real reasons people leave
Beyond the surface problems, many people switch because of something harder to articulate:
Loss of control:
- The package doesn't feel like it's truly yours to manage
- Decisions are made without your input
- You don’t have oversight over who is visiting your parent or what has been spent
- The budget isn't being fully used, but you're not sure why
Feeling invisible:
- Your parent feels like a number, not a person
- You have to repeat their story to different people constantly
- Their preferences and goals aren't being heard
- There's no genuine relationship with their care workers
Why people stay with the wrong provider
Even when people are unhappy, even when they know they have options, switching can feel risky or overwhelming. Let's talk honestly about why, and what's actually true.
Barrier #1: Will my parent's care stop?
What people worry about:
- "Will there be a gap in services?"
- "Will we lose the physio she's been seeing for two years?"
- "What if something goes wrong during the transition?"
What's actually true:
Your current provider must continue services until your agreed exit date. This is a regulatory requirement. There should be no gap in care.
Here's how we ensure continuity when you switch to Five Good Friends:
- We coordinate everything behind the scenes with your current provider
- Your new services begin on or after your exit date (no gaps)
- We handle all the paperwork and support you with government notifications
- You have one dedicated contact person guiding you through every step
- We can help you re-register existing care workers so your parent has continuity of care.
Barrier #2: Will we lose funding in the transition?
What people worry about:
- "What happens to unspent funds?"
- "Will we lose money while we're between providers?"
- "What if the final invoice from the old provider eats into the budget?"
What's actually true:
Switching won't affect your parent’s budget. Funding moves with them.
Their Support at Home funding follows your parent to the new provider, including eligible unspent funds for ongoing services. Government-held funds are available to the new provider immediately.
Your current provider must:
- Finalise claims properly
- Provide required information to the new provider
- Not charge an exit fee
Barrier #3: It feels too complicated
What people think:
- "This sounds like a lot of admin"
- "I don't know where to start"
- "I'm already incredibly busy and can't take on something else"
At Five Good Friends, we handle the switching process for you.
Your job is simply to tell us what your parent needs. We take care of:
- Notifying your current provider
- Helping you coordinate the exit date
- Transferring funding and care information
- Setting up new services
- Keeping you informed at every step
You make one call. We do the rest.
Barrier #4: What if the new provider is no better?
What people worry about:
- "What if I switch and it's actually worse?"
- "How do I know this won't be a waste of time?"
What's actually true:
You need to look at what other people experience, not just what providers promise.
At Five Good Friends, we're proud of our industry-leading Net Promoter Score. This isn't just a number, it's a reflection of the trust our Members and their families place in us.
What our Members say
Phil's story: Finding consistency for his mum Jan
Phil first engaged a traditional home care provider for his mum, Jan, hoping for warmth, consistency and genuine connection. Instead, Helpers changed from week to week, and sometimes from visit to visit.
"There were varying people. It was hard to get continuity of care," Phil explains. "And for someone in aged care, it's hard to build trust with different people every time."
Within a week after switching to Five Good Friends, Jan had her first Helpers. Phil built a small, consistent team matched to Jan's needs, preferences and community connections.
"Having the same person all the time, that the person needing the care can relate with, is so important, especially in dementia cases," Phil explains. "But I think in all cases, it makes people a lot more comfortable."
For Jan, it meant a calmer, more predictable routine. For Phil, it meant confidence that his mum was supported by people she knew and trusted.
"It's just super comfortable to know you've got people coming in who can look after her, and that she's happy with them," Phil says.
Read Phil and Jan's full story →
Keith's story: Finding a provider who followed through
Keith and his wife Jenny came to Five Good Friends after a disappointing experience with a previous provider. For them, poor communication and services that didn't meet expectations had made home care feel harder than it needed to be.
Finding Five Good Friends marked the start of a different experience: one built on clearer communication, practical support and doing what was promised.
"Five Good Friends are the ones," Keith says sincerely. "They have done everything they said they would do, and you can't ask for more than that."
Read Keith and Jenny's full story →
Why switch to Five Good Friends?
Five Good Friends is built around personalised home care, genuine relationships and practical tools that help you stay informed and in control. If your current provider is unable to deliver consistent, high-quality care, switching can give you more confidence and peace of mind.
Continuity of care, where familiar faces can stay
Switching providers does not always mean starting again with completely new people. If you are happy with some of your current care workers, such as a companion, cleaner, gardener or regular support person, we can explore whether they can continue supporting you through Five Good Friends.
We help with the steps involved in moving suitable workers across, including registration, checks and onboarding requirements. This can help preserve the relationships, routines and trust that already work well.
Helpers matched to you
When new support is needed, welcoming someone into your home is personal. Five Good Friends uses smart Helper matching to connect you with people who suit your needs, preferences, interests and lifestyle.
- Build familiar, trusted relationships
- Choose people who are a better fit for your parent
- Keep care more consistent over time
Support for families caring for someone living with dementia
For families caring for someone living with dementia, continuity and familiarity are especially important. A calm routine, familiar faces and clear communication can make care feel less disruptive for the person receiving support and the people around them.
That is why we look closely at what is already working before making changes. Where suitable, we can help maintain trusted care relationships and build a small, consistent team around the person’s preferences, routines and changing needs. This gives family carers additional support and respite too. Dementia support should consider both the person receiving it and the family members coordinating it.
As needs change over time, we help keep communication clear so everyone understands what is happening and why.
More visibility over your care and budget
Our app helps you and your family stay connected to care. You can view schedules, track spending and understand how funding is being used, giving you more confidence and fewer surprises.
You can:
- See upcoming visits and care notes
- Track spending and remaining budget
- Keep family members informed
Choice in how your care is managed
You can choose a Self-Managed Membership if you want more control, or a Full Service Membership if you would like us to coordinate the details. Either way, your care is shaped around your goals.
Questions to ask before you switch
- Will you manage communication with my current provider?
- How will you make sure there is no gap in my care?
- Who will be my main point of contact?
- Can I choose or change the people who support me?
- Will I see the same person each week?
- Can you help keep care workers I already know and trust?
- If I require new care workers, do you match them to my needs
- How will I see where my funding is going?
If a provider cannot answer these clearly, keep asking. Switching should give you more confidence, not more uncertainty.
Thinking of switching? Start with a free care review.
Five Good Friends can help you understand whether switching makes sense, what your next steps would look like and how your care could be improved. There is no pressure and no obligation, just clear guidance from people who understand how personal this decision is.
Frequently asked questions about switching home care providers
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