How DVA funding works
DVA household services rates and weekly limits in 2026
DVA's standard hourly rate for 2026, the weekly limits, and what you pay above them.
Veteran Home Help is an independent private business. We are not part of, endorsed by or acting for the Department of Veterans' Affairs (DVA) or any government agency. DVA decides what you are approved for.
How much does DVA pay for household services in 2026?
In 2026, DVA's standard maximum rate for household services is $79.90 an hour including GST. The rate is set for each calendar year, and the next one is expected from 1 January 2027. Your provider can charge up to the published rate without asking DVA again. There is also a weekly limit on what DVA can pay for all your household services together: from 1 July 2026 it is $633.47 a week, or $609.74 a week if you are still on a DRCA approval, until its renewal date. The week runs Monday to Sunday and counts when the services are delivered, not when they are invoiced. On top of those limits, your approval sets a maximum cost for each service. Anything above your approved amount per service, or above the weekly limit, is yours to pay. That's why we check your approval and your home before booking, and tell you upfront if any part of a job would cost more than DVA pays.
DVA's figures for 2026
The figures DVA publishes, in one table.
| How DVA writes your approval | A number of services per year and a maximum cost per service, for a set period, with a start and end date |
|---|---|
| DVA's standard maximum rate in 2026 | $79.90 an hour, including GST |
| Weekly limit DVA can pay, from 1 July 2026 | $633.47 a week for all your household services |
| If you're still on a DRCA approval | $609.74 a week, until your renewal date |
| What you pay | Anything above your approved amount per service, and anything above the weekly limit. We tell you before we book. |
Checked against DVA's website on 25 October 2026.
What the hourly rate adds up to
Approvals give a maximum cost per service, which often matches a number of hours at DVA's rate. These amounts are an example only: your approval sets your own amount per service.
| Time per service | Up to, including GST |
|---|---|
| 1 hour | $79.90 |
| 2 hours | $159.80 |
| 3 hours | $239.70 |
| 4 hours | $319.60 |
Example only, at $79.90 an hour.
When would I pay something?
Only above DVA's limits: when a service costs more than the maximum on your approval, or when your services in one week add up to more than the weekly limit. A larger home can take longer than an approved amount covers, for example. We tell you before we book, so the choice is yours.
Where this comes from
Every fact on this page comes from DVA's own website and documents.
- DVA: Household services compensation (rate and weekly limits)
- DVA policy manual 1.4: approving household services
Checked against DVA's website on 25 October 2026. DVA decides what you are approved for; if anything here differs from your own letter, your letter is what counts.