Support At Home Program

What Is the Support at Home Program?

Support at Home is the Australian Government's aged care funding program that helps older Australians keep living in their own homes. It started on 1 November 2025 and replaced Home Care Packages, bringing ongoing in-home aged care under a single framework administered through My Aged Care.

If you were already receiving a Home Care Package when the program started, you moved across automatically. You did not need to reapply, and you are on the equivalent Support at Home classification with no reduction to your funding.

Who is eligible. Support at Home is for people aged 65 and over, or 50 and over for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. You access it by applying through My Aged Care and completing a My Aged Care assessment, carried out using the Integrated Assessment Tool. That assessment determines both the level of funding you receive and the services your support plan approves.

Eight classification levels. The four Home Care Package tiers have been replaced by eight ongoing classification levels. Your assessment places you in one of them, and that classification sets the size of your quarterly budget. Every level has access to the same list of services: what changes is how much funding you have to spend, and which services your support plan specifically approves.

Support At Home Program: At A Glance 🔎

Started: 1 November 2025, replacing Home Care Packages.
Who it is for: Australians aged 65 and over, or 50 and over for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
Funding levels: Eight ongoing classification levels, replacing the former four HCP levels.
Budget cadence: Paid quarterly. Roll over up to $1,000 or 10% of the quarter, whichever is greater.
What you contribute: Nothing for clinical supports, 5% to 50% for independence support, 17.5% to 80% for everyday living.
Lifetime cap: $140,652.80 in non-clinical contributions, or four years, whichever comes first. Indexed each March and September.
Equipment and home changes: Funded separately through AT-HM, in tiers of under $500, up to $2,000, and up to $15,000.
Short-term pathways: Restorative Care and End-of-Life. Separate programs with their own assessment and funding, not drawn from your quarterly budget. Short-Term Restorative Care closed on 1 November 2025.
Provider model: One registered provider manages all your services.
Capped pricing: In effect since 1 July 2026 for most services on the service list.
CHSP: The Commonwealth Home Support Programme has been extended to 30 June 2029 and continues to operate separately until then.

When Does the Support at Home Program Start? 🗓️

The Support at Home (SAH) start date is locked in for 1 November 2025. From this day, the new SAH program officially replaces both the Home Care Packages (HCP) and Short-Term Restorative Care (STRC) programs.

If you or a loved one are receiving care through either of these services, there’s no need to reapply – you’ll move straight into the new system. This automatic transition is designed to be smooth, with no gap in services or support. You should have received communication from your current provider outlining what these changes mean for you It’s all part of the broader aged care reform timeline, which aims to simplify in-home care and ensure it better matches the real needs of older Australians.

The staggered approach to keep CHSP operational until up to July 2027 gives the sector time to adjust and helps maintain continuity of care for those receiving lower-level supports. Whether you’re a client, a carer, or just trying to understand what’s ahead, this timeline can help you keep track of several upcoming changes.

If You Had A Home Care Package

Home Care Packages ended on 1 November 2025, when Support at Home replaced them. If you were receiving a package at that point, you moved across automatically. You did not need to reapply, you kept any unspent funds, and you were placed on the Support at Home classification equivalent to your old package level, with no reduction to your funding.

The main practical differences are that the four package levels became eight classification levels, funding is now released quarterly rather than accumulating indefinitely, and what you contribute depends on the category of service rather than on a single means-tested fee.

If you want the detail, including how each old package level maps to its new classification and what happens to your contributions, we have set out what changed and why in full.

The Two New Short-Term Care Pathways

The government has introduced two new short-term care options into Support at Home:

The Restorative Care Pathway	The End-of-Life Pathway
Goal-oriented care: Intensive allied health and nursing for up to 12 weeks (16 weeks in Regional) to improve strength, balance, mobility, and wellbeing.	For people with a life-limiting illness, the End-of-Life pathway coordinates specialised support so that you can remain at home with comfort and dignity, supporting you and your family.
Preventative focus: Restore independence and delay higher levels of care.	Enhanced support: Significant time-limited budget (often ~12 weeks) focused on comfort and dignity at home.
Common scenarios: After a fall, injury or surgery (e.g. hip replacement).	Comprehensive services: Symptom management plus emotional, social, and spiritual support services.
Supports: Physio, OT, exercise physiology, dietetics, speech pathology.	Coordination: Works alongside specialist palliative care.
Immediate access: Funding allocated on approval.	Rapid access: Fast-tracked entry when needs are urgent.
Approximately $6,000 for 6 weeks, increasing to around $12,000 once eligible.	Family & carer support: Practical daily help and respite. Approximately $25,000 for 12 weeks.

Services Available Under Support at Home

Support at Home services are organised into three main categories, each designed to support a different aspect of independent living. Your assessed classification determines which categories you access and how funding is allocated across them. Together, these categories cover the full spectrum of home care needs — from medical support through to help with daily routines. For the complete list of covered services, download the official Support at Home service list.

Clinical Care Support

Clinical Care covers medical and health-related services delivered in your home by qualified professionals. This category is fully government-funded under Support at Home — no participant contribution applies to clinical services. Included supports are: nursing (wound care, medication management, health monitoring), allied health (physiotherapy, occupational therapy), therapeutic services (podiatry, speech pathology), nutrition support (dietary planning and delivery), and care management (coordinating your overall care plan). Clinical Care is the highest-priority category because it directly addresses medical needs that keep you safely at home.

Independence Support

Independence Support helps you maintain mobility, connection, and self-directed living. Unlike Clinical Care, this category requires means-tested participant contributions based on your income and pension status. Included supports are: personal care (bathing, dressing, continence management), social support and community access, therapies for independent living (exercise programs, balance and falls prevention), respite care (short-term support for you and your carer), and transport (to medical appointments and community activities). From October 2026, showering, dressing, and continence care will move to fully-funded status under Clinical Care.

Everyday Living

Everyday Living supports the practical tasks that keep your home functional and comfortable. Like Independence Support, this category applies means-tested contributions. Included supports are: domestic assistance (cleaning, laundry, ironing), home maintenance and repairs (safety-related repairs, gardening, minor home upkeep), and meal preparation and delivery (cooked meals brought to your home, or hands-on meal preparation in your kitchen). Everyday Living is designed to reduce the physical strain of household tasks so you can focus energy on the activities you enjoy.

Service Category	Service Types	Full Pensioner	Part Pensioner	Self-Funded Retiree
Clinical Support	Nursing care, Occupational therapy, Allied heath, Nutrition, Care management, Restorative care management	0%	0%	0%
Independence Services	Personal care, Social support and community engagement, Therapeutic services, Transport, Assistive technology and home modifications	5%	5–50%	50%
Everyday Living Services	Domestic assistance, Meals, Home maintenance and repairs	17.5%	17.5–80%	80%

Support at Home Classifications

Support at Home introduces eight funding classifications ranging from $11,031.56 to $80,294 per year to replace the former four Home Care Package levels. The top classification also includes access to two short-term care pathways. Your level is set by assessment, and if you already receive a Home Care Package or are in the National Priority System, your approved HCP funding continues until you’re reassessed into a Support at Home classification.

Support at Home funding level	Annual funding	Quarterly funding
Level 1	$11,031.56	$2,757.89
Level 2	$16,483.55	$4,120.89
Level 3	$22,580.93	$5,645.23
Level 4	$30,528.15	$7,632.04
Level 5	$40,809.27	$10,202.32
Level 6	$49,461.91	$12,365.48
Level 7	$59,776.80	$14,944.20
Level 8	$80,294.00	$20,073.50

Already Have A Home Care Package?

When the Support at Home program begins, you’ll automatically transition to a classification that matches your current package level to continue your services without interruption.

Transitioned Home Care Package level	Daily subsidy rates	Quarterly budget	Annual budget
1	$30.94	$2,823.55	$11,294.22
2	$54.41	$4,965.14	$19,860.56
3	$118.45	$10,808.30	$43,233.21
4	$179.57	$16,385.99	$65,543.98

How Support at Home Changes May Affect You

Your experience differs slightly depending on when your Home Care Package was approved:

	Grandfathered Participants In My Aged Care system before 12 Sept 2024 (approved or assigned HCP)	Transitional Participants Approved for HCP between 12 Sept 2024 – 31 Oct 2025	New Participants Assessed and entering after Nov 2025
Funding	Continue under existing Home Care Package funding arrangements.	Start with the approved Home Care Package funding amount.	Move to the new eight-tier classification funding model.
Contributions	No contributions required if not already contributing to care or support costs.	Contributions required on Independence and Everyday Living services. No contributions on Clinical Supports.	Contributions required on Independence and Everyday Living services. No contributions on Clinical Supports.

Quarterly Budgets & Unspent Funds

Under Support at Home, you’ll receive a quarterly budget to use for the care and services that best meet your needs. Each quarter, you can carry over up to 10% of your quarterly budget or $1,000 (whichever is greater). If you are an existing Home Care Package customer, your current unspent funds will transition with you.

Participant Contribution

Support at Home directs government funding to services that keep you healthy at home. You contribute toward everyday items and services you have typically managed yourself. Your percentage depends on income and the type of service. Read our full Support at Home Contributions guide.

Support at Home Capped Care Management

There’s a lifetime cap of $140,652.80, on participant contributions for non-clinical services. That cap protects self-funded retirees and higher contributors from open-ended costs. It also supports long-term planning if your support needs increase over time.

Support at Home Fee Calculator

Estimate your co-contribution rates under Australia's Support at Home program.

Step 1 of 6

Pension status

Your pension status determines how your contribution rates are calculated.

What is your current pension status?Full Age PensionI receive the maximum Age Pension from Centrelink.Part Age PensionI receive a reduced Age Pension from Centrelink.Commonwealth Seniors Health Card onlyI hold a CSHC but do not receive an Age Pension.Self-funded retiree (no CSHC)I do not receive a pension or hold a CSHC.I'm not sureWe'll estimate your status based on your financial information.

Assistive Technology and Home Modifications (AT-HM)

Assistive Technology and Home Modifications (AT-HM) gives eligible participants a separate funding stream for assistive technology and home modifications, approved through your assessor. If you have any unspent Home Care Package funds, those must be used first before accessing additional AT–HM funds. See the full list of approved products and services on the Government website.

AT–HM at a glance 🔎

Eligible items: Ramps, grab rails, walkers, adjustable beds, communication devices, and hearing/vision technology. Full list here.
Access: Via your assessor or provider within a personalised care plan.
Use existing funds first: Unspent HCP funds may be redirected to eligible AT–HM purchases.
Priority: High/complex needs and rural/remote residents.
Reviews: Ensure funding tracks your health, safety, and independence goals.

*Higher AT amounts may be approved with a valid prescription.

Home Modifications Funding Tier	Funding allocation cap	Time allocated to expend funding
Low	$500	12 months
Medium	$2,000	12 months
High	$15,000 (lifetime cap)**	12 months (extendable)

Need Help With Support at Home?

Switching to Support at Home is a big change, but you’re not alone. If you’re unsure or wanting to explore your available options, please contact our friendly team here at CareAbout or call 13 13 00 . We offer free, 1:1 personalised advice to help you navigate these changes and find the right care for you.

“Support at Home is the biggest change to home care in Australia in over a decade. For families, the most important thing is to understand your classification level, what funding it provides, and how to choose a provider who will deliver genuine value. The system is new, but the principle is the same — you deserve care that fits your needs, not the other way around.”

— Calum Buchanan, Chief Operating Officer, CareAbout

10+ years in Australian aged care | Helping senior Australians navigate the aged care system

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