Support at Home
Better Support for Older Australians to Age at Home
What is Support at Home?
-
New Government funded
aged care at home
The Support at Home program will replace Home Care Packages and the Short-Term Restorative Care Program from 1 November 2025. The Commonwealth Home Support Program will transition to Support at Home no earlier than 1 July 2027.
The goal is to make it easier for older people to access the right services, equipment and home changes they need to stay healthy, active and connected to their community.
You may be eligible for the Support at Home program if you’re:
- Over 65 years old
- An Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander person aged 50 or over
- 50 years or older and at risk of, or currently experiencing homelessness
Services under Support At Home
The Support At Home program has a clearly defined list of services, grouped into three main categories.
Clinical Supports
- Nursing care
- Allied health
- Nutrition
- Care management
- Restorative care management
Independence
- Personal care
- Social support and community engagement
- Therapeutic services
- Respite
- Transport
- Assistive technology
- Home modifications
Everyday Living
- Domestic assistance
- Home maintenance & repairs
- Meal preparation & support
Classifications & budgets
Support at Home provides eight levels of funding up to approximately $78,000 per year*.
The budget is divided into four quarterly budgets. Participants who have not spent their budget within the quarter will be able to accrue a maximum of $1,000 or 10% of their quarterly budget (whichever is higher) from one quarter to the next.
| Classification | Quarterly budget | Annual budget |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | ~$2,750 | ~$11,000 |
| 2 | ~$4,000 | ~$16,000 |
| 3 | ~$5,500 | ~$22,000 |
| 4 | ~$7,500 | ~$30,000 |
| 5 | ~$10,000 | ~$40,000 |
| 6 | ~$12,000 | ~$48,000 |
| 7 | ~$14,500 | ~$58,000 |
| 8 | ~$19,500 | ~$78,000 |
Additional short-term funding
- Participants can receive funding under more than one pathway at the same time.
Assistive Technology and Home Modifications (AT-HM)
This scheme provides funding for helpful products or small changes to your home. The goal is to keep you mobile, safe and independent.
Restorative Care Pathway
This pathway helps you recover after an illness, injury or hospital stay or to improve your strength and function to avoid needing higher-level care in the future.
End-of-Life Pathway
This pathway supports people who wish to remain at home during their final months of life. It provides fast access to extra help so that care can be delivered safely and respectfully at home.
Fixed Care Management
A fixed 10% of your quarterly budget is automatically set aside to pay for care management.
This covers the cost of your Care Manager’s time and helps ensure you receive professional oversight of your services.
Participant contributions
You may have to pay contributions on the services you receive. Your contribution is based on an income assessment, like the one used for the Age Pension.
| The percentage of the cost of services that you will be expected to contribute | Clinical support | Independence services | Everyday living services |
|---|---|---|---|
| Full pensioner | 0% | 5% | 17.5% |
| Part pensioners and Commonwealth Seniors Health Card holders | 0% | 5% - 50% depending on income/assets | 17.5% - 80% depending on income/assets |
| Self-funded retiree | 0% | 50% | 80% |
No worse off principle
You will be no worse off under Support at Home if on 12 Sep 2024, you were either;
- receiving a Home Care Package
- on the National Priority System (Waitlist)
- had been assessed as eligible for a package
You will make the same financial contributions, or lower, than you currently do under the Home Care Package Program.
No worse off principle
You will be no worse off under Support At Home if, on 12 Sep 2024, you were either;
- receiving a Home Care Package
- on the National Priority System (Waitlist)
- had been assessed as eligible for a package
You will make the same financial contributions, or lower, than you currently do under the Home Care Package Program.
Frequently asked questions (FAQs)
These are some of the most common questions, answered for you.
No. The Support at Home program does not have a “Package Management Fee” like the current HCP system. Instead, all care recipients will pay a 10% Care Management Fee, which covers the cost of managing your care plan and services. This fee will be built into your budget and clearly outlined in your agreement.
The quarterly funding cycle will follow the fiscal quarters:
- July to September
- October to December
- January to March
- April to June
Participants will have access to the full value of their budget at the start of the quarter. Participants who join during a quarter will receive a pro-rate amount.
Any money you’ve already saved will still be available and carry over each month. However, starting 1 November 2025, you won’t be able to keep building up extra savings. Instead, you’ll be expected to use your funding regularly. You can roll over a maximum of $1,000 or 10% of your ongoing budget (whichever is greater) each quarter.
If you are a grandfathered Home Care Package recipient and are currently paying an Income Tested Fee (ITF), you will still be required to pay a contribution towards the cost of your services and goods under Support At Home. However, you cannot be asked to pay more than the total ITF you currently pay under HCP.
Services Australia will notify you and your Provider of your payment arrangements.
If you are a transitional Home Care Package recipient you will be expected to pay the contribution rates outlined above. Services Australia will tell you and your Provider your individualised contribution rate.
Yes. Grandfathering arrangements for participant contributions continue to apply even if a participant who transitions to Support at Home from the Home Care Packages Program is reassessed and reclassified at any time in the future.
The provider is responsible for collecting participant contributions. When the provider submits a claim to Services Australia for services provided to a care recipient, they will receive the subsidy amount minus the participant’s contribution. The provider must then collect that contribution directly from the participant.
Support at Home participants will have access to care management services in line with their assessed need, including clinical oversight where required.
A care partner will deliver person-centred care management services to support the participant’s wellbeing.
Care management activities include:
- care planning
- service coordination
- budget management
- monitoring, review and evaluation
- support and education
Participants can choose to manage some aspects of their care themselves, such as organising their own services and managing their budget, with support and supervision from a registered provider. This approach is similar to how it currently works in the Home Care Packages Program.
Find out more about Support at Home
For more information about how we do things, download our information pack. It has everything you need to know about who we are and what we do.
What our clients say about us
“Fantastic service and they really do care about their clients health and well-being. Couldn’t be happier knowing my Grandmother is well taken care of with Absolute Care & Health.
The communication between my Grandmother’s Case Manager, herself and me is second to none! Whenever I need a question answered or my Grandmother requires anything to assist with her health and quality of life is promptly organised and delivered.
This makes her life less stressful and makes me feel confident she is taken care of and in good hands. A special Thank you to Nancy, her Case Manager for the Fantastic work she does managing all my Grandmother’s special needs.”
- Seth, Melbourne
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