Optional extra funds
Voluntary Contributions
Some people choose to put in extra money of their own towards their care. These voluntary contributions are completely optional and give you more flexibility to buy services beyond your government-funded budget.
What they are
Voluntary contributions are payments you make directly into your own care budget. They sit alongside your government funding and can be used to buy additional approved services and supports. Unlike income-tested fees that Services Australia may apply to your care, voluntary contributions are not mandatory — you decide:
- Whether to make a contribution
- How much to contribute
- When to contribute
Why people choose to contribute
People often make a voluntary contribution when they:
- Want more services than their government funding allows
- Need extra support during a temporary period
- Wish to preserve government funding for future needs
- Prefer a higher frequency of services
- Want services not fully covered by their available budget
Common examples include additional cleaning visits, extra social support, more frequent gardening, additional personal care visits, or increased transport.
How they work
A voluntary contribution is simply added to your available funding balance. It doesn't replace government funding — it's an extra source of money that can be drawn on when you pay for services.
What you'll see in the Trilogy App
Voluntary contributions are shown separately from government funding, so you can clearly see your government funding received, voluntary contributions made, services delivered, and remaining balances.
Where they fit in the funding order
Voluntary contributions are generally used after your available government funding has been applied. The exact order depends on the type of service.
Care services
For services like personal care, domestic assistance, nursing, social support and allied health, funding is typically applied in this order:
- The relevant government funding stream
- HCP unspent fundsWhere applicable
- Voluntary contribution
- Provider-funded shortfall (where required)
Assistive technology and home modifications
For equipment and home changes — such as wheelchairs, hospital beds, grab rails, ramps and bathroom modifications — funding is typically applied in this order:
- HCP unspent funds
- AT-HM funding allocation
- Voluntary contribution
- Client private payment (if applicable)
The benefits
A voluntary contribution can help you access additional services, increase how often you receive support, respond to changing needs, reduce interruptions to your care, and supplement your government funding.
Good to know
Contributions are optional and government funding stays your primary source. They don't increase your government allocation, don't affect your eligibility for Support at Home funding, and are tracked separately.
Working example
Susan adds weekly cleaning
Susan's government funding covers two cleaning visits a month, but she'd prefer weekly cleaning.
She adds a voluntary contribution
She chooses to make a voluntary contribution to fund two extra cleaning visits a month. As a result she receives weekly cleaning, while keeping full visibility of both her government funding and her contributions in the Trilogy App.
Common questions
- Do I have to make voluntary contributions?
- No — they're completely optional.
- Will they increase my government funding?
- No. They provide additional funds alongside your government funding.
- Can I stop making them?
- Yes. They can be changed or stopped at any time, subject to your service agreement.
- Will I see them in the Trilogy App?
- Yes — they're shown separately so you can clearly see how your funding and contributions are being used.
