You’ve Been Allocated Support at Home Funding – What Comes Next?

Receiving your Support at Home (SAH) Funding Assignment Notice Letter is an important milestone. It means government funding is now available to help you or your loved one receive care at home. Your quarterly budget is accruing in your Services Australia account, but there’s one crucial step before you can access these funds: you need to sign a service agreement with a registered provider.

You have 56 days from your assignment date to choose a provider and start receiving support. This is where CareAbout’s free service comes in. We match you with registered Support at Home providers in your area who have current availability and can meet your specific care needs – at no cost to you.

What Does ‘Allocated’ Mean?

When you’re allocated funding under the new Support at Home program, Services Australia has moved your application from approved to funded. This annual funding sits in your Services Australia account on behalf of the Australian Government and is divided into four equal parts. The full three-month budget is available at the start of each quarter. Here, you will need to utilise the quarterly budget in full, if not, you will only be able to carry over either $1,000 or 10% of the unspent funds into the next quarter (whichever is higher).

For most families, this is the third key step in the Support at Home journey, after the initial approval and needs assessment. Your SAH funding assignment notice letter confirms your classification level, your annual budget amount, and the date your funding started. From this point, you have access to government-funded in-home aged care support – but only once you’ve chosen a provider and signed a service agreement.

Why You Need to Act Within 56 Days

You have 56 calendar days from the date on your SAH funding assignment notice letter to choose a registered provider and enter into a service agreement. If you need more time, you can request a 28-day extension through My Aged Care.

This timeline matters because the system operates on a ‘use it or lose it’ basis. If you don’t find and sign up with a provider within 56 days, you risk losing access to your government funding.

CareAbout can help by connecting you with providers who have current availability and meet your specific care requirements – completely free of charge.

How the Funding Works Once You’re Assigned

Your Support at Home funding is allocated quarterly. Each quarter, your budget is based on your classification level, care needs, and any supplements you’re eligible for, excluding your required participant contribution.

Once you’ve signed up with a provider, they’ll deliver the services outlined in your care plan and then claim payment directly from Services Australia. You don’t handle the government funding – it flows between Services Australia and your provider.

Any unspent funds at the end of a quarter can carry over to the next quarter, up to $1,000 or 10% of your quarterly budget (whichever is greater). This gives you flexibility if care needs change or the full budget isn’t used in a given period.

Tip: It helps to monitor your budget to ensure you’re making the most of your funds.

How To Choose (And Sign) With A Provider

Finding the right provider means checking who operates in your area, what services they offer, and whether they have current availability.

These steps can help you get started with finding a provider:

• Review your notice of decision letter and support plan to confirm your budget and approved Support at Home services
• Contact CareAbout to be matched with a suitable provider who has current availability
• Meet with a provider in your home (CareAbout will match you with the right provider based on your needs and preferences, and coordinate an in-person home visit on your behalf)
• Sign the service agreement within 56 days of your SAH funding assignment notice letter

Your provider will work with you to finalise a care plan that uses your quarterly budget effectively to meet your needs; services can commence shortly after the agreement is signed.

What Will It Cost?

Support at Home services fall into three categories with different contribution requirements:

• Clinical Care: This includes nursing and select allied health services, which are fully funded by the government under your SAH funding. You don’t pay any fees out of your own pocket for these services.
• Independence: These include personal care, social support (like companionship and group activities), and some assistive technology and home modifications (AT-HM). Your contribution is based on your income level. Full pensioners pay lower contributions, while self-funded retirees pay higher contributions. Contributions range roughly from 0% up to 50%.
• Everyday Living: This covers domestic assistance, meal preparation, and gardening. Contributions vary by income, typically between 0% and 80%.

There’s a lifetime contributions cap of $135,318.69 for non-clinical services, ensuring you won’t pay more than this amount over your lifetime. Those who were approved or assessed for Home Care Packages before 12 September 2024 are ‘grandfathered’ under the older fee structure and benefit from a ‘no worse off’ principle, meaning their fees will remain the same or lower.

Your provider must give you a complete schedule of fees before you sign a service agreement, so you know exactly what to expect. The government subsidy covers the rest, ensuring you receive the care you need within your budget.

For more pricing information regarding Support at Home, please see our Contributions’ guide here.

What Happens After You Sign Up?

The first step after signing the service agreement is working with your chosen provider to create a detailed care plan. This plan outlines the exact services you’ll receive across the three service categories, based on your allocated budget and care needs.

Once the care plan is finalised, your provider can begin delivering the agreed support. This may include personal care, nursing, allied health services, transport, cleaning, and gardening.

After delivering services, your provider will send invoices to Services Australia, while you pay your participant contribution directly to the provider based on a payment cadence you mutually agree upon, which could typically be weekly, fortnightly, or monthly. You’ll also receive regular monthly statements showing what services have been delivered and how your quarterly budget is tracking.

Your care plan isn’t locked in forever. Reviews should happen at least annually, though your provider should work with you to adjust your care plan sooner if your needs change before this. And if the provider isn’t the right fit, you can switch to a different registered provider at any time.

How We CareAbout You

You’re never alone when seeking quality aged care, we’re here to CareAbout you. We exist to help you navigate your aged care journey with confidence.

CareAbout has helped over 135,000+ Australian families to find vetted, suitable, and trusted Support at Home providers. Our service is 100% free, 100% independent, and 100% personal. We match you with providers based on location, care needs, budget, and personal preferences.

If you’ve been assigned, we can help you find the right provider well within your 56-day deadline. Simply get in touch today and significantly reduce the time, stress, and uncertainty of organising Support at Home, connect with CareAbout at 13 13 00 or visit here to get started.