Entering into a service agreement
This is your Service Agreement for the Support at Home Services you will receive from us.
We will give you a copy of this Service Agreement before your Start Day, so you have time to consider the Service Agreement and an opportunity to seek independent legal, financial or other advice. We will also give you general information about Prices and Contributions to support you to make informed decisions about this Service Agreement and your Services.
We will ask you to sign this Service Agreement on or before your Start Day. If you are unable to sign this Service Agreement, it may be signed by your Legal Authorised Representative. If you accept services from us after receiving a copy of the Service Agreement, this Service Agreement will be in effect from your Start Day, even if you have not signed the Service Agreement.
The Help Plan, Budget, Roster, and this agreement form the entire Service Agreement. Pricing changes (as outlined in section 21) will be updated in the Budget component of the Service Agreement.
Navigating this Service Agreement
This Service Agreement contains a number of different sections:
- The Key Terms table at the beginning of this Service Agreement, which is where you will find information that is specific to you.
- The standard terms, which are divided into a number of parts.
- The signing page, where you and we sign this Service Agreement.
- The Schedules at the back of this Service Agreement. If you see a reference number (such as Schedule 1, 2, 3 etc.), you can find out more by reading the Schedule marked with that number at the back of this Service Agreement.
- There is a dictionary of terms in Schedule 1, for any capitalised words and terms used in this Service Agreement.
If you speak a language other than English, you have a vision or hearing impairment, or you require any special assistance in accessing this Service Agreement, please let us know and we will assist you with arranging an interpreter or other supports to access the Service Agreement.
Cooling off period
If you notify us (verbally or in writing) that you wish to withdraw from this Service Agreement within 14 days after the date of entry into this Service Agreement and before the Start Day, this Service Agreement has no effect and we must refund any amount you have paid under this Service Agreement.
Review of this Service Agreement
We will review this Service Agreement at least once every 12 months and upon your request.
As part of any review of this Service Agreement, we will give you an opportunity to participate in the review, consider whether any updates need to be made to the Service Agreement and, if necessary, vary the Service Agreement in accordance with clause 29.1.
Key Terms
Part one – rights and responsibilities
1 - Your rights and responsibilities
1.1 You will receive Services from us under the terms of this Service Agreement until this Service Agreement ends under clause 18.
1.2 You, your Legal Authorised Representative, any Supporter(s) or other persons involved in your care as notified to us, can be involved in decisions relating to your Funded Aged Care Services.
1.3 You must follow the terms of this Service Agreement. This includes that you agree to pay any applicable fees or contributions referred to in the Aged Care Act (Division 1 of Part 3 of Chapter 4), which are detailed below.
1.4 If you elect to self-manage your Support at Home Services, you agree to comply with the responsibilities as outlined in the Self Management How-To Guide.
1.5 We will give to you, within 7 days of a request by you, the following information and documents:
(a) a clear and simple presentation of our financial position; and
(b) a copy of the most recent statement of the audited accounts of the Service Delivery Branch or, if the Service Delivery Branch is operated as part of our broader organisation, the most recent statement of the audited accounts of our aged care service component (that includes the Service Delivery Branch).
1.6 In addition to any other responsibilities you have under this Service Agreement, you will:
(a) respect the rights and freedoms of other individuals, including our Aged Care Workers and other individuals accessing Funded Aged Care Services;
(b) treat us and our Aged Care Workers with respect and without experiencing exploitation, abuse, discrimination or harassment, including sexual harassment;
(c) ensure anyone who is present when your Services are provided, or otherwise involved in your Services, provides the same respect and treats us and our Aged Care Workers in the same way as we ask you to, as set out in this Service Agreement;
(d) let us know prior to any audio or visual surveillance being used in or around your home or any other place where you receive Services from us;
(e) give us enough current, correct and relevant information to enable us to partner with you to develop, deliver and review your Help Plan and Budget;
(f) give us enough current, correct and relevant information to enable us to claim funding for the Services delivered or proposed to be delivered, including any prescriptions or assessments required under government guidelines;
(g) allow safe and reasonable access for Aged Care Workers at the times specified in your Help Plan or otherwise by agreement;
(h) talk to us if you have any questions, concerns or problems;
(i) pay your Contributions and Fees in full, and on time;
(j) accept responsibility for your own actions, including where you have made a decision which may expose you to risk;
(k) let us know when your needs change so that we can discuss this with you and make changes to your Services, as appropriate;
(l) tell us straight away if you want to suspend your Services for any length of time or if you are no longer approved for Support at Home funding;
(m) let us know if you are changing providers and if so, the date you plan to end the Services with us.
2 - Supporters and Legal Authorised Representatives
2.1 If you have a Supporter, this person can support you to make decisions. However, being a Supporter does not give the Supporter rights to make decisions on your behalf.
2.2 Only a Legal Authorised Representative can make decisions on your behalf. A Legal Authorised Representative will only be able to make decisions to the extent they are authorised under the instrument or order giving them those powers.
2.3 If you have a Legal Authorised Representative, we will ask you for the person's details, a copy of the document evidencing their authority to make decisions on your behalf, and, where necessary, evidence from a health practitioner that the document has been enacted.
2.4 You can nominate a Legal Authorised Representative to make decisions about your Services. You can withdraw, limit or change your consent for this nominated Legal Authorised Representative at any time.
2.5 We may also ask your Supporter and/or your Legal Authorised Representative for reasonable evidence to confirm their identity and contact details, such as 100 points of identification.
2.6 If there are any changes to your decision making or Supporter arrangements, you need to let us know otherwise we will continue to rely on any information you have previously given us.
3 - Restrictions in relation to dealing with Helpers
3.1 You must not (without our prior written consent) do any of the following for the No Dealing Period:
(a) solicit, canvass, entice away or accept any approach from any Helper who has provided Services to you or had any dealings with you in the last 6 months;
(b) employ or solicit any Services (except through us) of any Helper who has provided Services to you or had any dealing with you in last 6 months; or
(c) encourage or otherwise assist any person or entity to do any acts referred to in this sub-clause.
3.2 You acknowledge and agree that these restrictions are reasonably necessary to help us protect our legitimate business interests and that the No Dealing Period is reasonable.
4 - Our rights and responsibilities
4.1 We will provide the Services under the terms of this Service Agreement and in accordance with our obligations as a Registered Provider.
4.2 We will facilitate your access to our App to access information, Services, visits and communication across the Five Good Friends community.
4.3 We will take reasonable steps to prevent damage being caused to your property by us, or our Aged Care Workers, in delivering Funded Aged Care Services to you.
4.4 We have a right to receive payment for the Services, in the form of your Contributions, any Fees, any Default Interest and applicable government funding, in accordance with the Prices, payment method(s) and timeframes set out in this Service Agreement.
4.5 If any Associated Providers are involved in the delivery of Funded Aged Care Services to you under this Service Agreement, we will remain responsible for ensuring the Services are delivered in accordance with the Aged Care Act and the Aged Care Quality Standards.
5 - Statement of Rights
The Statement of Rights (set out in Schedule 2) outlines the rights of individuals accessing Funded Aged Care Services. As a Registered Provider, we must take all reasonable and proportionate steps to act compatibly with the Statement of Rights in the delivery of Funded Aged Care Services, taking into account that limits on rights may be necessary to balance:
(a) competing or conflicting rights;
(b) the rights and freedoms of other individuals, including our aged care workers and other individuals accessing Funded Aged Care Services;
(c) compliance with other laws of the Commonwealth, or of a State or Territory, including the Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (Cth).
6 - Complaints and feedback
6.1 We encourage Members, Legal Authorised Representatives, Supporters, Aged Care Workers and any other relevant individuals to give us feedback. You are entitled to make complaints about your Services without fear of reprisal. We will handle any complaints fairly and promptly according to our Feedback, Complaints and Whistleblowing Policy.
6.2 You have a right to be supported by an advocate or other person of your choice, including when exercising or seeking to understand your rights.
6.3 You can make a complaint or give feedback to us directly:
(a) By phone: 1300 787 581
(b) Online: www.fivegoodfriends.com.au/complaints-and-feedback
(c) In writing by addressing your letter to:
Five Good Friends
Level 8, 154 Melbourne Street
South Brisbane, QLD 4101
6.4 If you need an interpreter, you can phone the Translating and Interpreting Service on 131 450 and ask them to put you through to Five Good Friends on 1300 787 581. If you are hearing or speech impaired, you can contact the National Relay Service on 133 677, then ask for 1300 787 581.
6.5 Making a complaint to the Aged Care Complaints Commissioner
The Aged Care Complaints Commissioner receives complaints about aged care services under the Act. Complaints can be made:
(a) Online: www.agedcarequality.gov.au/contact-us/complaints-concerns/what-do-if-you-have-complaint.
(b) By phone on 1800 951 822.
If you need an interpreter you can phone the Translating and Interpretation Service on 131 450 and ask them to put you through to the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission on 1800 951 822.
(c) For hearing or speech impaired TTY users phone 1800 555 677 then ask for 1800 951 822.
(d) For speak and listen users phone 1800 555 727 then ask for 1800 951 822.
(e) For internet relay users connect to the National Relay Service at https://internet-relay.nrscall.gov.au/ and enter 1800 951 822.
(f) In writing to:
Aged Care Complaints Commissioner
GPO Box 9819
Your Capital City
7 - Aged Care Advocacy
If you need someone to support you or speak up for you, you can get help from the Older Persons Advocacy Network. Each state operates an information and advice line available between 6am-10pm 7 days a week. Free call: 1800 700 600. You can also fill out a General Enquiry Form on the OPAN website: https://opan.org.au/contact-us/.
8 - Incidents
Five Good Friends has a documented incident management system. Any incidents that happen in connection with your Services are taken seriously and all applicable laws and rules are applied in the management of incidents. Our Incident Management Policy is available on our website or you can contact us if you would like a copy of our policy.
9 - Code of Conduct for Aged Care Services
The Code of Conduct describes how aged care providers, their governing persons (eg board members) and Aged Care Workers, must behave and treat people receiving Funded Aged Care Services. The Code of Conduct is in Schedule 3.
10 - Aged Care Quality Standards
As a Registered Provider, we must conform with the Aged Care Quality Standards, as they relate to the Funded Aged Care Services we provide. You can find out more about the Aged Care Quality Standards by visiting the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission's website: www.agedcarequality.gov.au/older-people
Part two – receiving services
11 - Available services
11.1 The List of available services in Schedule 4 details each service that is specified in the Aged Care Service List. The information in the List of available services in Schedule 4 is general in nature. The Services you receive will be based on your assessed needs and your Access Approval (including any approved Service Type(s). Details of the Services you will receive will be set out in your Help Plan or Goal Plan (as relevant), including a description of the Services.
11.2 If you request a Service from us that is not set out in your Help Plan or Goal Plan (as relevant), or which exceeds your available funding, if we agree to provide the Service you will need to pay for it as an Additional Service.
11.3 There are certain circumstances in which we may decline your request for a Service, including where:
(a) the Service is not included in the Service List or it is an excluded service, and either we do not offer it as an Additional Service or you do not wish to purchase the Service as an Additional Service;
(b) the Service is not in accordance with your assessed needs or your Access Approval;
(c) we have not been able to obtain sufficient evidence to support the suitability of the Service for you, for example a relevant health practitioner assessment; or
(d) the Service would place the health, safety or wellbeing of you or another person at risk or would result in us not being able to comply with our responsibilities under any law.
11.4 Your Access Approval is attached to this Service Agreement as Schedule 6 (unless you are a Transitioned HCP Recipient, in which case you will not have an Access Approval unless and until you are re-assessed under Support at Home). If your Access Approval is revoked, you must let us know immediately and we will consider that you no longer need Support at Home Services and may terminate this Service Agreement under clause 18.4(a)(ii)(A).
12 - Additional Services
12.1 From time to time you may request and we may agree to provide Additional Services.
12.2 If you request Additional Services, we will agree with you the scope of the Additional Services including the duration of the Additional Services and the Additional Services Fee.
12.3 Details of the Additional Services, including the Additional Services Fee, will be included in your Help Plan and/or your Budget as relevant.
13 - Your Help Plan or Goal Plan
13.1 We will engage with you (and your Legal Authorised Representative, Supporters and other relevant people you tell us are involved in your care) to develop a Help Plan (or Goal Plan for Restorative Care Services) on or before your Start Day, unless an exception applies. Your Help Plan (or Goal Plan) will include relevant information, including details of your care needs, goals and preferences and the Services you will receive.
13.2 We will give you a copy of your Help Plan (or Goal Plan) once it is developed, any time it is updated and upon your request. The Help Plan will be provided in the App, which all Members, Legal Authorised Representatives, and Supporters are able to access via a smart device, or via the internet.
13.3 For Ongoing Services, we will review your Help Plan at least once every 12 months. Based on identified risk factors (such as clinical safety risks), we may review your Help Plan on a more regular basis;
14 - Care Management, care team and wraparound/coordination Services
14.1 If you are receiving Ongoing Services or End-of Life Services we will:
(a) provide Care Management to you at least once in each month where we also deliver other Services to you. Care Management may be direct (eg speaking or meeting with you, your Legal Authorised Representative, or your Supporter) or indirect (eg completing certain activities on your behalf) and will be paid for out of the Care Management Account;
(b) allocate one or more members of the Five Good Friends team to you to deliver Care Management. Your care team will partner with you to discuss your assessed needs and decide what services you want to receive to meet those needs.
14.2 If you are receiving Restorative Care Services we will provide Restorative Care Management to you as set out in your Goal Plan.
14.3 If you are receiving Assistive Technology or Home Modification Services, we may provide wraparound/coordination services as needed, which will be paid for from your Assistive Technology or Home Modification funding.
15 - Our remote care monitoring model
Five Good Friends uses a unique technology to ensure Members have high quality care and oversight. We encourage all Members to have regular check-ins at least once a month from a Helper in addition to your ongoing Care Management service. By joining Five Good Friends, you acknowledge that we recommend at least one visit (physical or virtual) per month from a Helper to check in on your well-being.
16 - Change of Services, Late Cancellations and No Shows
16.1 We ask that you provide reasonable notice, at least 48 hours’ notice, for a change or cancellation of any scheduled Service.
16.2 We will try to tell you at least one day before a Service needs to be changed or cancelled. This may not always be possible, for example, if there is an emergency or something happens that we are not able to control.
16.3 If the Helper cancels the scheduled Service with less than 24 hours' notice, we will take reasonable measures to reschedule the Service if you agree or to source an alternative Helper. You agree that if an alternative Helper cannot be sourced despite reasonable endeavours, we will reschedule the Service as soon as possible.
16.4 If we have committed to deliver any Services under this Agreement and we are prevented, at no fault of our own, from delivering the Service, due to a Late Cancellation or No Show, we may charge the full Contribution and/or Fees and claim any government funding for the Service.
16.5 If you feel that you have reasonable grounds for a Late Cancellation or No Show, you can give us evidence in writing to substantiate your claim and we will consider this on a case by case basis. If we agree there were reasonable grounds for a Late Cancellation or No Show, we may agree to vary our claim for the Service and waive or refund a Contribution or Fee, at our discretion.
17 - Temporarily stopping Services
17.1 You may wish to temporarily stop receiving the Services, for example if you are in hospital or accessing residential respite care. If you wish to temporarily stop receiving the Services, we ask that you give us 48 hours' notice, where possible.
17.2 If you temporarily stop receiving the Services, we will still provide Care Management Services to you, unless you decline to receive Care Management.
17.3 If you do not receive any Services for an extended period (one year and 60 days), the government will reduce your funding to zero and we will consider that you no longer need Support at Home Services and may terminate this Service Agreement under clause 18.4(a)(ii)(A).
18 - Permanent ceasing of Services
18.1 When will this Service Agreement end?
This Service Agreement will end on the Exit Date, or on the last Exit Date if there is more than one. Clauses 18.2 to 18.5 below explain how the Exit Date is determined in different circumstances.
18.2 Automatic ending of Services
(a) If you are receiving Restorative Care Services, AT-HM Services and/or End-of-Life Services, the Exit Date for the relevant Services will be the Exit Date set out in the Key Terms, or any other Exit Date we agree in writing from time to time.
(b) If you permanently exit the Support at Home Program:
(i) to move into ongoing residential aged care, you must notify us in writing as soon as possible (and at least before the date you enter ongoing residential aged care), including the date you intend to enter ongoing residential aged care, which will be your Exit Date for all categories of services;
(ii) due to your death, your Exit Date will be the date of your death.
18.3 If you want to end your Services with us
(a) You can end any of your Services with us at any time by giving us 14 days' notice in writing.
(b) If you notify us that you are ending your Services, the Exit Date for your Services will be the day your notice expires, which will be 14 days from the date of your notice, or you and we agree another Exit Date in writing.
18.4 If we want to end your Funded Aged Care Services
(a) We may only cease the delivery of Funded Aged Care Services to you in the following circumstances:
(i) you cannot be cared for in the home or community with the resources available to us;
(ii) your condition has changed to the extent that:
(A) you no longer need the Funded Aged Care Services delivered by us or;
(B) your needs, as assessed by an approved needs assessor, can be more appropriately met by other types of Funded Aged Care Services;
(iii) you have:
(A) intentionally caused serious injury to an Aged Care Worker; or
(B) intentionally infringed the right of an Aged Care Worker to work in a safe environment;
(iv) you:
(A) have not paid, for a reason within your control, any fee or contribution specified in this Service Agreement;
(B) have not negotiated an alternative arrangement with us for payment of the fee or contribution; and
(C) have no application for the fee reduction supplement in place;
(v) you notify us in writing that you wish to move to a location where we do not deliver Funded Aged Care Services; or
(vi) you notify us in writing that you no longer wish to receive Funded Aged Care Services from us.
(b) If we decide that we are ending your Funded Aged Care Services, we will give you at least 14 days' notice in writing. The Exit Date for your Services will be the day our notice expires, unless you and we agree another Exit Date in writing.
18.5 If we want to end your Additional Services
We may end your Additional Services at any time for any reason by giving you at least 14 days' notice in writing. The Exit Date for your Services will be the day our notice expires, unless you and we agree another Exit Date in writing.
18.6 What happens when this Agreement ends?
When this Service Agreement ends:
(a) we will issue you a final monthly statement and invoice for Contributions and Fees;
(b) you will remain responsible for paying any Contributions or Fees you owe us for Services you received from us up to and including the Exit Date;
(c) if you are moving to another Registered Provider:
(i) you need to let us know who the new provider is and the date you enter into a service agreement with them;
(ii) we will, within 28 days of the date you notify us that you have entered into a service agreement with another Registered Provider, provide a notification to your new provider;
(iii) if you have any Unspent HCP Funds:
(A) we will, within 28 days of your Exit Date, issue a notice to you (or to your Legal Authorised Representative, or your estate if you have died);
(B) if you are moving to another Registered Provider, we will pay any Member Portion of Unspent Funds to you within 70 days of the Exit Date;
(C) if you are leaving the Support at Home Program, we will transfer any Member Portion of Unspent Funds to you or your estate, as appropriate;
(D) we will return any Commonwealth Portion of Unspent HCP Funds to Services Australia.
Part three – financial terms
19 - Your funding
19.1 Funding amount
(a) The amount of funding the government will contribute to your Services will depend on the type of Services you receive, your financial status, your Classification, your funding level, your funding tier, any applicable supplements and the Services you receive.
(b) If there are any changes to your funding amount, we will consult with you about varying this Service Agreement and your Budget to reflect your new funding amount.
19.2 Notional home support accounts and transitional accounts
(a) The government will establish one or more notional home support accounts to allocate your funding. The notional home support account(s) will be credited with your applicable funding amounts and debited when we make claims for Services delivered.
(b) In addition to a home support account(s), if you are a Transitioned HCP Recipient, you may also have a Home Care Account which records the Commonwealth Portion of any Unspent HCP Funds, which may be debited for Services delivered.
19.3 Care management account
(a) All Members will have 10% of their funding for Ongoing Services deducted from their funding and credited to our Care Management Account.
(b) Certain Members may be eligible for an additional care management supplement. If this applies, the additional amount will be credited to our Care Management Account.
(c) We draw on the pooled funds in our Care Management Account to deliver Care Management to all Members we support.
(d) If you are receiving Restorative Care Services we will provide Restorative Care Management to you and this will be paid for out of your Budget not the pooled funds in our Care Management Account.
19.4 Unspent HCP Funds
Transitioned HCP Recipients who had Unspent HCP Funds as of 31 October 2025 retain these funds for use under Support at Home. This includes any Member Portion of Unspent HCP Funds we hold on your behalf and any Commonwealth portion of Unspent HCP Funds, which may be held by the Commonwealth, by us, or both).
20 - Your Budget
20.1 Preparation and review of your Budget
(a) We will partner with you, your Legal Authorised Representative, and/or your Supporter to develop your Budget, having regard to your goals and assessed needs, preferences, the resources available and the Services you wish to select. We will help you, your Legal Authorised Representative, and/or your Supporter to understand your Budget.
(b) Your Budget will outline the funding available, the costs of your Services, your Contributions and any Fees.
(c) We will review and, if necessary, revise, your Budget if there is a change (or proposed change) to your Funded Aged Care Services or their associated costs or your Individual Contribution Rate, or if you ask us to do so.
(d) We will give you your Budget as soon as practicable after we have all the necessary information to complete it or, if you have asked us to revise your Budget, within 14 days of your request. Your Budget will be available in the App; it can also be sent to you if requested.
(e) If you are receiving Restorative Care Services, your Budget will be included with your Goal Plan.
20.2 Interim funding
(a) While you are waiting for your Support at Home funding, the government may allocate Interim Funding to you at a rate of 60% of the total funding for your Classification.
(b) If you have been allocated Interim Funding, we will partner with you to discuss your Interim Funding allocation and develop a Budget that aligns with the Interim Funding and your assessed needs.
(c) When your full funding becomes available:
(i) the remaining 40% of your funding for the approved classification will be allocated to you going forward (this will not be backdated);
(ii) we will review your Budget and Help Plan to include further Services to utilise the full funding amount.
20.3 Rollover of funding
We will encourage you to fully utilise your funding.
(a) For Ongoing Services:
(i) if you do not fully utilise your funding for a quarter, unspent funding will automatically roll over up to the greater of $1,000 or 10% of your quarterly budget, including any Supplements;
(ii) rolled over funding will not be available immediately – it can take up to 61 days after the last day of the previous quarter for the funds to become available.
(b) For the Restorative Care Pathway, End of life Pathway and the AT-HM Scheme, your funding only applies for the duration of the Services and there is no rollover of funding after the Services end.
21 - Prices
21.1 You will pay your Individual Contribution Rate for each Service you receive based on our Prices. The published Prices for services we deliver, as current at the date of this Service Agreement, are in Schedule 5.
21.2 Service Price
The parties acknowledge that the Service Price is the overall hourly or unit price in respect of the Service delivered to a Member, inclusive of other costs such as Five Good Friends’ associated administration and business costs and a profit margin.
21.3 Helper Rate
(a) The Helper Rate forms part of, but is not all of, the overall Service Price.
(b) The Helper Rate will be charged by the Helper to the Member for the provision of Services. This rate will be agreed upon between the Member and the Helper and is documented in the contract between the Helper and the Member, and the Helper Rate will be visible in the Five Good Friends App;
(c) If you agree a new Helper Rate with your Helper, this will be reflected in an updated Service Price and in your Budget balance, which will supersede the price in Schedule 5.
(d) You can decline any Helper at any time for any reason, including their Helper Rate.
(e) The agreed Helper rate will be incorporated into your Service Price that appears on your statement.
21.4 Charges for Services provided by Helpers will be invoiced and charged against your funding by your Helper weekly in arrears.
21.5 Extra expenses, such as entrance fees, tickets, or meals incurred during Services are not included and will be your personal responsibility.
21.6 Generally, we will charge you for Services at the Prices in Schedule 5. The Price we will charge you for the Services you will receive will be in your Budget. If your Services change from time to time, the Prices will be based on our published Prices at the time, and we will update your Budget and Help Plan in consultation with you.
21.7 However, from time to time we may agree a different Price to our published Prices if the preferred supplier has increased their usual price, or a different supplier had to be used to deliver the service. If we need to charge you a higher amount to the published Price for a particular Service, for example if you have a particular request or need, we will agree the relevant Price with you (after explaining the reason for the higher Price) and record the agreed Price in your Budget as relevant.
21.8 Our Prices may be subject to regular increases to account for indexation and other cost increases.
21.9 We will increase our Prices on or around 1 July each year. We have chosen this date to align with the financial year.
21.10 The method we will use is the following pricing variation method. The increase to the amount payable in the previous year to be the greater of:
(i) 10%; or
(ii) the CPI for the relevant period.
CPI data is to be sourced from www.abs.gov.au and is to be based on Table 6401.0 - Consumer Price Index, Australia: All Groups - Weighted Average of Eight Capital Cities.
We have adopted this method to ensure we can attract and retain high quality staff and suppliers to ensure continuity of services across the life of this agreement.
21.11 It is anticipated that the government will set price caps for Support at Home Program from 1 July 2026. Our prices charged to your funding will not exceed any prices caps imposed by the government. For clarity though, if you want to pay a higher price for a preferred service provider, you will be able to contribute to that via an Additional Service Fee.
22 - Contributions, Fees and interest
22.1 Your Contributions
(a) You must pay a Contribution for Services you receive based on your Individual Contribution Rate for the relevant Service and the Price of the Service. There are no Contributions payable for Clinical Supports. You will only pay a Contribution for Services you receive (or you are taken to receive under clause 16).
(b) Your Individual Contribution Rate, if known at the time of entering this Service Agreement, will be set out in the Key Terms.
(c) The Contribution payable by the Member is determined by Services Australia in accordance with applicable aged care legislation and government policy. If Services Australia notifies Five Good Friends at any time that a different Individual Contribution Rate applies to the Member, then:
(i) Five Good Friends will adjust and invoice the revised Contribution as advised by Services Australia; and
(ii) the Member will be liable to pay the revised Contribution, effective from the date specified by Services Australia.
(d) If your Individual Contribution Rate has not been determined (or we have not received this information) at the time of entering this Service Agreement, once we receive detail of your Individual Contribution Rate, we will calculate any:
(i) underpayment of Contributions, for which we will issue an invoice that you must pay; and
(ii) overpayment of Contributions, which we will repay to you.
(e) We may charge an Interim Contribution on the Services you receive at the Interim Contribution Rates until your Individual Contribution Rate has been determined, at which time any amounts paid will be adjusted as necessary under clause 22.1(d).
(f) If you do not provide your income and assets information to Services Australia, you will be a Means Not Disclosed Member and your Individual Contribution Rate will be set at the maximum level.
(g) There are lifetime caps that apply to Contributions, which differ depending on your circumstances and change over time with indexation. If you reach the lifetime cap relevant to you, Services Australia will notify you and us we will not charge you any further Contributions once we receive that notice.
22.2 Your Fees
In addition to your Contributions, you must pay:
(a) a Compensation Payment Fee, if a Compensation Payment Reduction applies to you;
(b) the Fee for any Additional Services you receive from us, which will be agreed between you and us before you receive the Additional Services.
22.3 Unpaid Contributions and Fees
If your account balance with Five Good Friends is less than zero dollars, Five Good Friends will generate an invoice for the amount in arrears and you must pay the amount within 14 days to restore your account to a positive balance.
22.4 Interest on unpaid Contributions and Fees
If any Contribution or Fee payable by you under this Service Agreement is not paid on the due date, we may charge default interest on the outstanding amount at the Default Interest Rate, accruing daily and compounding monthly.
22.5 Payment terms
You must pay Contributions and any Fees and Default Interest payable under this Service Agreement, invoiced monthly in arrears by direct debit under the terms of the Direct Debit Agreement or such other method notified by us in writing from time to time.
You must give us your Direct Debit information before you commence receiving Services. If the Direct Debit Agreement is executed by your Legal Authorised Representative, we will require evidence that the person is authorised to execute the Direct Debit Agreement on your behalf.
22.6 Financial hardship
(a) If you are experiencing financial hardship, or there has been a change to your financial circumstances that you are concerned may affect your ability to pay our Fees, please let us know and we will give you further information and guidance.
(b) You may apply via Services Australia for a fee reduction supplement using the approved Services Australia form. You must let us know if you have applied for a fee reduction supplement.
(c) If you apply via Services Australia for a fee reduction supplement:
(i) while the application is processing we will not charge you any Contributions;
(ii) if the application is approved, we will continue to not charge you any Contributions while the fee reduction supplement applies to you;
(iii) if it is decided that you are not entitled to a fee reduction supplement, we will collect your unpaid Contributions for the period beginning on the day your application was made.
22.7 Invoices and statements
(a) We will provide you and your Legal Authorised Representative, in your Five Good Friends online account and App, your weekly schedule in advance, individual weekly Helper invoices and a summary of Services delivered in that week.
(b) Monthly statements
(i) We will give you a monthly statement for each calendar month you receive Services from us no later than the last day of the following month.
(ii) For Ongoing Services, the Restorative Care Pathway and/or the End-of-Life Pathway, we will issue a final statement after the Exit Date for the relevant Services.
23 GST
If any supply made by us or on our behalf under this Service Agreement or any variation to it is a taxable supply for the purposes of the GST Act, then in addition to any amount of payable to us elsewhere in this Service Agreement, we will be entitled to recover from you an additional amount on account of GST, an amount of our GST liability in respect of each supply which will be recoverable at the same time as the amount payable for any supply.
Part four – general terms
24 - Privacy
24.1 Under section 168 of the Aged Care Act, we must ensure the protection of Personal Information relating to you. You and we will comply with our privacy, confidentiality and Personal Information obligations, as set out in Schedule 7.
24.2 We ask that you or your Legal Authorised Representative sign Schedule 7 when you sign this Agreement.
24.3 While we respect your privacy and autonomy, there may be occasions where we or one of our Aged Care Workers consider it necessary to enter your home or any other place where Services are being delivered, or take other action with your safety and wellbeing in mind (such as contacting emergency services), without speaking with you first. You consent to us taking reasonable steps as necessary in an emergency or situation where we reasonably believe your safety or wellbeing is at significant risk.
25 - Workplace health and safety
25.1 Your home or any other place where Services are delivered will be a workplace for our Aged Care Workers and subject to relevant workplace health and safety laws.
25.2 We may need to consult with you about conducting inspections of your home or any other place where Services are delivered to assess any risks.
25.3 You must take reasonable steps to identify and notify us of any risks associated with our Aged Care Workers delivering Services to you. You are responsible for taking reasonable steps to ensure that any risks are rectified and addressed at your own cost.
25.4 We may at any time suspend Services where there is a risk to health and safety of our Aged Care Workers or any other person. If we do so, we will consult with you about continuity of care while your Services are suspended.
26 - Equipment
26.1 If your Services include the provision (loan or purchase) of equipment we may agree terms with you about the use, maintenance and ownership of the equipment.
26.2 The following general terms apply any equipment provided (loan or purchase) in connection with your Services, unless you and we agree otherwise in writing:
(a) We will ensure that the equipment is safe and meets your needs at the time the Service is delivered to you.
(b) You are responsible for maintaining the equipment in good repair in line with the manufacturer's instructions, including paying the costs of any servicing reasonably required. You agree to have these costs included in your Budget where you have funding approval.
(c) When the relevant Services connected with the equipment end, or the loan arrangement ends (whatever happens sooner), you will retain ownership of any equipment you have paid for in full, however you will not have any ownership of, or ongoing rights to use, any equipment that was on loan to you.
(d) You will be responsible for any loss, damage, costs of repairs and/or replacement of equipment we provide under this Agreement, except where:
(i) the equipment has been damaged as a result of a cause independent of human control;
(ii) the equipment has been lost or damaged as a result of an act, default or omission by one of our Aged Care Workers;
(iii) at the time the equipment is supplied to you, it is not of acceptable quality within the meaning of section 54 of the Australian Consumer Law.
27 - Independent contractors and insurance
27.1 We recommend that you acquire and maintain home and contents insurance and legal liability insurance through a reputable insurer at your place of residence.
27.2 If you request transportation Services from a Helper as part of your Services using your vehicle, you must ensure your vehicle is registered, covered by relevant third-party personal insurance in the relevant jurisdiction, and fully comprehensively insured and roadworthy for driving in Australia. If requested, you must provide Five Good Friends with documentation confirming these arrangements are in place.
27.3 You acknowledge that independent contractors deliver most of the Services by Five Good Friends. If you are matched with a Helper who is an independent contractor:
(a) it is important that you have appropriate insurance in place, including home and contents, legal liability and vehicle insurance as specified above;
(b) should a claim arise you agree to assist with facilitating a claim against any insurance you hold and participating in any investigation or other process that may be required to facilitate the claim.
28 - Indemnity
28.1 You agree to indemnify us and our Workers against any Loss or damage suffered or incurred by a third party to the extent that the Loss arises directly from:
(a) your breach of this Agreement; or
(b) any negligent, unlawful, or wilful act or omission by you, your Legal Authorised Representative, or your visitors.
This indemnity does not apply to any Loss caused or contributed to by us or our Workers.
28.2 Proportionate liability
If a Loss is caused by both parties, each party’s liability will be limited to the proportion of the Loss that was directly caused by that party’s acts or omissions.
28.3 Australian Consumer Law
Nothing in this Agreement excludes, restricts, or modifies any rights or remedies you may have under the Australian Consumer Law (ACL). Where our liability cannot be excluded but can be limited under the ACL, our liability is limited, at our sole discretion, to one or more of the following:
(a) in respect of goods:
(i) the replacement of the goods or the supply of equivalent goods;
(ii) the repair of the goods;
(iii) the payment of the cost of replacing the goods or of acquiring equivalent goods; or
(iv) the payment of the cost of having the goods repaired.
(b) In respect of Services:
(i) the supplying of the Services again; or
(ii) the payment of the cost of having the Services supplied again.
28.4 This clause will survive expiration or termination of this Agreement.
29 - General
29.1 Variation
This Service Agreement may be varied
(a) by us if the variation is necessary to implement the GST Act, we have given you reasonable notice in writing about the variation and the variation is not inconsistent with the GST Act or the Aged Care Act; or
(b) by mutual consent of the parties if there has been adequate consultation about the variation between us and you, we have obtained your consent to make the variation and the variation is not inconsistent with the GST Act or the Aged Care Act.
29.2 Electronic signing and counterparts
(a) We each consent to the use of electronic signature, which identifies the person signing and indicates their intention to sign this Service Agreement.
(b) We can each sign a copy of this Service Agreement and together the two copies will form one agreement. Each part can be signed using an electronic signature, by electronic acceptance via an app or platform, or by delivering a scanned copy of the signed Agreement to the other party electronically.
29.3 Notices
Any notice required to be given in writing under this Service Agreement:
(a) by us to you, may be given to you, your Legal Authorised Representative and/or your Supporter;
(b) by you to us, may be given to us or your care team;
using the details in the Key Terms or any updated details we give each other in writing from time to time.
29.4 Costs
(a) We won't charge you any legal fees or administrative costs for preparing this Service Agreement.
(b) If you choose to engage a lawyer, financial advisor, advocate or any other service to assist you with this agreement, you will pay the costs of those services yourself. You must also pay for any administrative costs such as internet usage and postage.
29.5 Governing law and jurisdiction
(a) This Service Agreement is governed by and is to be interpreted in accordance with the laws applicable in the Australian State or Territory in which the Services are delivered.
(b) Each party accepts the non-exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of the Australian State or Territory in which the Services are delivered and any courts which have jurisdiction to hear appeals from any of those courts.
29.6 Assignment
(a) This Service Agreement is personal to you and cannot be assigned to any other person.
(b) We may assign our rights and obligations under this Service Agreement by giving you notice in writing.
29.7 Severance
If any provision of this Service Agreement is found to be unenforceable, illegal or void, the remaining provisions of this Service Agreement will continue to be enforceable to the greatest extent permitted by law.
29.8 Interpretation
In this Service Agreement, unless the context otherwise suggests:
(a) a reference to a time in which something needs to happen is a reference to that time in the state, territory or other place where that obligation is to be performed;
(b) words and expressions defined in the Aged Care Act, if not already defined in this Service Agreement have the meanings given to them in the Aged Care Act.
Signing page
Executed as an agreement
I, the Member, acknowledge by signing this Service Agreement that:
· I have received information to enable me to make informed decisions about my Funded Aged Care Services, including information about fees and contributions;
· I have been given the time I need to consider and review my options and seek external advice if I wish to do so;
· I have been involved in the development and negotiation of this Service Agreement;
· if requested by me, a supporter, family member, carer or advocate of mine, or any other person significant to me, was present during the development and negotiation of this Service Agreement; and
· I have been helped to understand the terms of this Service Agreement.
Signed for and on behalf of FiveGoodFriends Pty Ltd by its authorised agent
Signature: ________________________________________________________
Print full name: ___________________________________________________
Signed by Member
Signature: _________________________________________________________
Print full name: ____________________________________________________
Signed by Legal Authorised Representative for and on behalf of the Member
Signature: ________________________________________________________
Print full name: ___________________________________________________
Schedule 1 – Definitions
Schedule 2 – Statement of Rights
Independence, autonomy, empowerment and freedom of choice
1 An individual has a right to:
(a) exercise choice and make decisions that affect the individual’s life, including in relation to the following:
(i) the funded aged care services the individual has been approved to access;
(ii) how, when and by whom those services are delivered to the individual;
(iii) the individual’s financial affairs and personal possessions; and
(b) be supported (if necessary) to make those decisions, and have those decisions respected; and
(c) take personal risks, including in pursuit of the individual’s quality of life, social participation and intimate and sexual relationships.
Equitable access
2 An individual has a right to equitable access to:
(a) have the individual’s need for funded aged care services assessed, or reassessed, in a manner which is:
(i) culturally safe, culturally appropriate, trauma-aware and healing-informed; and
(ii) accessible and suitable for individuals living with dementia or other cognitive impairment; and
(b) palliative care and end-of-life care when required.
Quality and safe funded aged care services
3 An individual has a right to:
(a) be treated with dignity and respect; and
(b) safe, fair, equitable and non-discriminatory treatment; and
(c) have the individual’s identity, culture, spirituality and diversity valued and supported; and
(d) funded aged care services being delivered to the individual:
(i) in a way that is culturally safe, culturally appropriate, trauma-aware and healing-informed; and
(ii) in an accessible manner; and
(iii) by aged care workers of registered providers who have appropriate qualifications, skills and experience.
4 An individual has a right to:
(a) be free from all forms of violence, degrading or inhumane treatment, exploitation, neglect, coercion, abuse or sexual misconduct; and
(b) have quality and safe funded aged care services delivered consistently with the requirements imposed on registered providers under this Act.
Respect for privacy and information
5 An individual has a right to have the individual’s:
(a) personal privacy respected; and
(b) personal information protected.
6 An individual has a right to seek, and be provided with, records and information about the individual’s rights under this section and the funded aged care services the individual accesses, including the costs of those services.
Person-centred communication and ability to raise issues without reprisal
7 An individual has a right to:
(a) be informed, in a way the individual understands, about the funded aged care services the individual accesses; and
(b) express opinions about the funded aged care services the individual accesses and be heard.
8 An individual has a right to communicate in the individual’s preferred language or method of communication, with access to interpreters and communication aids as required.
9 An individual has a right to:
(a) open communication and support from registered providers when issues arise in the delivery of funded aged care services; and
(b) make complaints using an accessible mechanism, without fear of reprisal, about the delivery of funded aged care services to the individual; and
(c) have the individual’s complaints dealt with fairly and promptly.
Advocates, significant persons and social connections
10 An individual has a right to be supported by an advocate or other person of the individual’s choice, including when exercising or seeking to understand the individual’s rights in this section, voicing the individual’s opinions, making decisions that affect the individual’s life and making complaints or giving feedback.
11 An individual has a right to have the role of persons who are significant to the individual, including carers, visitors and volunteers, be acknowledged and respected.
12 An individual has a right to opportunities, and assistance, to stay connected (if the individual so chooses) with:
(a) significant persons in the individual’s life and pets, including through safe visitation by family members, friends, volunteers or other visitors where the individual lives and visits to family members or friends; and
(b) the individual’s community, including by participating in public life and leisure, cultural, spiritual and lifestyle activities; and
(c) if the individual is an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander person—community, Country and Island Home.
2.13 An individual has a right to access, at any time the individual chooses, a person designated by the individual, or a person designated by an appropriate authority.
Schedule 3 – Code of Conduct
When delivering funded aged care services to individuals, Registered Providers, Aged Care Workers and responsible persons of Registered Providers must:
(a) act with respect for individuals’ rights to freedom of expression, self‑determination and decision‑making in accordance with applicable laws and conventions; and
(b) act in a way that treats individuals with dignity and respect, and values their diversity; and
(c) act with respect for the privacy of individuals; and
(d) deliver funded aged care services in a safe and competent manner, with care and skill; and
(e) act with integrity, honesty and transparency; and
(f) promptly take steps to raise and act on concerns about matters that may impact the quality and safety of funded aged care services; and
(g) deliver funded aged care services free from:
(i) all forms of violence, discrimination, exploitation, neglect and abuse; and
(ii) sexual misconduct; and
(h) take all reasonable steps to prevent and respond to:
(i) all forms of violence, discrimination, exploitation, neglect and abuse; and
(ii) sexual misconduct.
Schedule 4 – List of available services
Schedule 5 – Pricing Schedule
Fully Managed Pricing Schedule
Under the Support at Home Program, Service fees now include costs that were previously captured under the Package Management fee under the Home Care Packages Program, such as administration, travel, compliance, and service coordination. Common prices are used for budget planning and provide transparency on the expected cost of Services.
Where a Service is delivered by one of our own Helpers, the prices below apply. Where the same Service is delivered by an Associated Provider, the final rate will be based on the Associated Provider’s rate, plus a 25% markup (15% overhead recovery and 10% profit). In some cases, these Associated Provider Services may appear in your Budget at our common prices for planning purposes; however, the total cost may vary once the final Associated Provider is decided.
This approach ensures all costs are captured transparently and consistently, in line with Support at Home pricing requirements.
*Assumes Service is delivered by a Five Good Friends’ Helper
Self-Managed Pricing Schedule
All Services delivered to Self-Managed Members via Associated Providers are priced on the assumption they are Self-Chosen Associated Providers, plus a 10% markup.
*Assumes Service is delivered by a Five Good Friends’ Helper
Schedule 6 – Access Approval
Refer to the attached Access Approval (but not for Transitioned HCP Recipients)
Schedule 7 – Privacy, Confidentiality and Personal Information Consent
1 We are committed to the Australian Privacy Principles contained in the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) and our responsibilities relating to protection of Personal Information under the Aged Care Act.
2 We will, as much as we can legally, keep any information you provide to us confidential.
3 Personal Information we hold about you will be:
(a) protected by security safeguards that are reasonable in the circumstances to protect against the loss or misuse of the information;
(b) managed according to law, this Agreement and our Privacy Policy, which is available on our website (or you can ask for a copy any time).
4 Five Good Friends may collect, use and disclose Personal Information about you:
(a) to coordinate and provide Services,
(b) to assist with facilitating our internal business operations;
(c) as required to meet any legal and regulatory requirements;
(d) to provide you with information about us and the Services that we offer;
(e) to enable ongoing assessment of your care needs; and
(f) as otherwise authorised in our Privacy Policy and any privacy collection statement or other similar document you may sign from time to time.
5 We may collect your Personal Information from and disclose your Personal Information to:
(a) your Helper, including to assist with the provision of Services and the reporting of incidents or concerns between your Helper and Five Good Friends;
(b) your Legal Authorised Representative;
(c) your nominated emergency contact;
(d) any other person you ask us to speak to about your care or Services;
(e) our related entities and affiliated organisations and service providers, who assist us in operating our business;
(f) a court, a tribunal or an authority or person with power to require the production of documents or the answering of questions, including regulatory bodies and government agencies.
(g) other service providers involved in your care or Services;
(h) My Health Record and Government agencies;
(i) a previous service provider, if you are to move to our service from another service;
(j) your new, or prospective new service provider, if you move or propose to move from our service to another service;
(k) any other person or body as permitted at law.
6 As we provide you with Services, we may leave records about your Services at your home. You agree that you will keep these records safe and secure and that you will inform us if any event or threatened event jeopardises the safety or security of this record.