Support at Home Eligibility
Who qualifies, how you're assessed and what happens next
The three Support at Home eligibility criteria
- age, residency and care needs
Eligibility for Support at Home is determined by three criteria: age, residency and care needs. To qualify, you must meet all three. Meeting only one or two is not sufficient.
- Over 65 years old (or lower in some circumstances)
- Must live in Australia and hold an approved visa or citizenship
- Must have assessed care needs that benefit from coordinated in-home support
Income and assets do not affect your eligibility. Whether you are a full pensioner, a part-pensioner, or a self-funded retiree makes no difference to whether you qualify for the program. Income is assessed separately by Services Australia to calculate your participant contribution for some services but that is a separate process that only begins after eligibility is confirmed.
Aged requirements
| Who | Minimum age | Additional requirement |
|---|---|---|
| Most older Australians | 65 years | No additional requirement beyond care needs and residency criteria |
| Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples | 50 years | Recognises significantly different life expectancy and health outcomes for First Nations Australians. No additional requirement. |
| People at risk of, or experiencing, homelessness | 50 years | Must be on a low income AND currently experiencing homelessness or at genuine risk of it. This criterion protects some of the most vulnerable older Australians. |
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples face significantly different life expectancy and health outcomes compared to the broader Australian population. The reduced eligibility age of 50 acknowledges this reality and ensures First Nations Australians can access government-funded in-home aged care when they need it, not years after the point when support becomes essential.
Why is the age lower for First Nations Australians?
The homelessness eligibility pathway is designed to protect older Australians in some of the most vulnerable circumstances. To qualify under this criterion you must be aged 50 or over, on a low income, and either currently experiencing homelessness or at genuine risk of losing stable housing. A person renting in insecure accommodation, couch-surfing, or facing eviction with no alternative housing options may qualify under this criterion.
Residency and visa requirements for Support at Home
To be eligible for Support at Home, you must be living in Australia at the time of your assessment and services, and you must hold an approved residency status. The following groups meet the residency requirement:
- Australian citizens — no further residency requirement
- Permanent residents — holders of an Australian permanent visa
- Holders of certain protected visas — as specified under the Aged Care Rules 2025
- Certain special category visa holders — some New Zealand citizens living in Australia under an SCV may qualify
Temporary visas including tourist visas, student visas and most bridging visas generally do not qualify. If you are unsure whether your visa type meets the requirement, contact My Aged Care directly on 1800 200 422 or visit myagedcare.gov.au for the current list of eligible visa subclasses under the Aged Care Rules 2025.
How is your eligibility assessed?
This is called the Single Assessment System, and it uses an assessment tool called the Integrated Assessment Tool (IAT) to build a picture of what you need help with and how much support is required. The assessment determines not only whether you qualify, but also which of the eight funding classifications you are assigned.
Who conducts it
An independent assessor from the government's Single Assessment System (not Absolute Care & Health, not your GP, not a hospital). The assessor is appointed by the Australian Government and has no financial connection to any provider. Their role is to understand your needs and recommend the right level of support.
What the IAT evaluates
The assessor uses the Integrated Assessment Tool to look at six areas: your daily routines and how you manage them; your health and functional status; your living situation (who is home with you and the condition of your home); your goals and what matters most to you; your social connections and community involvement; and your informal support network, including family, friends and neighbours.
Where it happens
The assessment is usually conducted in your own home, the environment that gives the assessor the clearest picture of your daily life. If attending in person is not possible, phone or video assessments are available in some circumstances.
Who can be present
You can have a family member, trusted friend, carer or formal advocate with you during the assessment. This is encouraged. Someone who knows your daily life well can help fill in details you might forget or understate and having support in the room often makes the conversation easier.
How to prepare
Before the assessment, write down the tasks you struggle with. Not just on a good day, but on a difficult one. Include the things you avoid doing because they've become too hard or too risky. Be specific: instead of 'I have trouble getting around', say 'I cannot stand in the shower for more than two minutes without feeling unsafe'. Bring a current medications list, any recent specialist letters and written notes from your GP about relevant diagnoses. The more concrete detail you provide, the more accurately the assessor can capture your real situation.
The assessment is free and there is no cost to you regardless of the outcome.
The assessor has no financial relationship with any provider and cannot influence which provider you choose. Their only role is to determine your care needs and recommend the appropriate level of support.
What happens after your Support at Home assessment?
Being assessed as eligible for Support at Home does not mean services begin immediately.
Once your assessment is complete and your classification confirmed, you are placed on a national priority system while funding becomes available.
Understanding how this system works and what you can do to navigate it is one of the most practical things you can know before you begin.
| Priority level | Who this applies to | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Higher priority | Assessed as unsafe at home; recently discharged from hospital needing urgent support; experiencing carer breakdown; First Nations Australians (recognised priority group) | Funding becomes available sooner. If any of these circumstances apply to you, make sure the assessor is aware. They are documented in the assessment and affect placement. |
| Standard priority | People with assessed care needs that are stable and not immediately placing them at risk at home | Funding becomes available in turn, as places open up. There is no fixed timeframe. Starting the process as early as possible is the most practical step you can take. |
There is no guaranteed timeframe for when funding becomes available. The wait can be days, weeks, or longer depending on your priority level and the availability of places in the program. The single most effective thing you can do is start the process as early as possible. The clock starts the day you contact My Aged Care, not the day your assessment is conducted.
If your circumstances change while you are waiting, for example, if a carer becomes unavailable, if you have a fall or a hospital admission or if your health deteriorates, contact My Aged Care and request a reassessment. A reassessment can change your priority classification and move you up the system. Do not wait for the program to contact you if your situation changes.
What if you're already on a Home Care Package
If you were receiving a Home Care Package before 1 November 2025, your transition to Support at Home happened automatically.
You do not need to reapply and you are not required to go through a new eligibility assessment. Your funding is maintained at an equivalent level under a Transitioned HCP classification and your services continued without interruption.
What transitioned automatically?
- Your place in the program — no new application required
- Your funding level — maintained at the equivalent of your old HCP level
- Your unspent Home Care Package funds — carried over in full, with no expiry
- Your existing provider relationship — you can stay with your current provider or switch
Do I need a new assessment?
No, unless your care needs have changed. If you feel your current funding level no longer reflects your actual support requirements because your health has declined, your circumstances have changed, or a carer who was supporting you is no longer available, you can request a reassessment through My Aged Care. A reassessment can result in a higher classification and a larger quarterly budget if your needs have genuinely increased.
If you were on a Home Care Package with a different provider and are considering switching to Absolute Care & Health, you can do so at any time with no exit fees. Our team can help manage the transition.
What if your assessment result doesn’t feel right?
If you receive your assessment outcome and believe it does not accurately reflect your care needs, you have the right to request a formal review.
Requesting a review does not put your current services at risk. If you are already receiving services, they continue during the review process.
If you feel you need independent support to navigate the review, the Older Persons Advocacy Network (OPAN) provides free, independent advocacy for people going through the aged care system. They can be reached on 1800 700 600.
How to request a review
Step 1 - Contact My Aged Care
Step 2 - Gather supporting documentation
Step 3 - Submit your review request
Submit your review request with as much specific supporting evidence as possible. Vague descriptions are harder to act on. Concrete examples, ‘I fell twice in the shower last month because I cannot balance safely’ rather than ‘I have balance problems’ carry more weight in a review.
How to apply: your next steps
Applying for Support at Home is a straightforward three-step process managed through My Aged Care. Here is what to expect.
Contact My Aged Care
Call 1800 200 422 (Monday to Friday, 8am–8pm; Saturday, 10am–2pm) or visit myagedcare.gov.au to register online. A family member or carer can make the first contact on your behalf if needed. This initial call creates your record in the national system and starts the process.
Your assessment is arranged
My Aged Care will connect you with an independent assessor from the Single Assessment System. The assessor will contact you to arrange a convenient time, usually at your home. Bring your medications list and any relevant medical documents to the appointment.
Approval and funding are assigned
Based on your assessment, you'll be given a classification (1 through 8) and placed in the national priority system. Once funding becomes available for your priority level, you choose a registered provider, develop your care plan, and services begin.
If you would like help preparing for the process or if you are not sure whether now is the right time to apply, our team at Absolute Care & Health can guide you through the steps at no cost. Call us on 1300 030 032 for a no-obligation conversation, or see our full step-by-step application guide for more detail.
Getting help with your eligibility check in Melbourne
We understand that the eligibility and assessment process can feel overwhelming, particularly for families navigating the system for the first time, or for people who have been through the old Home Care Package system and are uncertain about what the change means for them.
- Understanding your eligibility: We can discuss your situation and give you a clear sense of which eligibility criteria apply to you and what to expect from the assessment process before you contact My Aged Care.
- Preparing for your assessment: We can help you document your care needs clearly and specifically so your assessment accurately reflects your real situation, reducing the risk of an outcome that underestimates your needs.
- Navigating the process: From contacting My Aged Care through to choosing a care plan once funding is approved, we provide guidance at every step.
Frequently asked questions (FAQs) about Support at Home eligibility
These are some of the most common questions, answered for you.
Who is eligible for the Support at Home program?
Do I have to be a certain age to qualify for Support at Home?
Do I need to be an Australian citizen to get Support at Home?
Does income affect my eligibility for Support at Home?
No. Your income and assets have no bearing on whether you qualify for Support at Home. Eligibility is determined by age, residency status and assessed care needs only. Income is assessed separately by Services Australia after eligibility is confirmed to calculate what participant contribution you may be asked to make toward some services but it does not affect your right to access the program.
How is my eligibility assessed?
An independent assessor from the government’s Single Assessment System visits you at home and evaluates your care needs using the Integrated Assessment Tool (IAT). The assessment covers your daily routines, health and functional status, living situation, goals, social connections and informal support network. It is free, government-funded and arranged through My Aged Care. You can have a family member or advocate present.
How long does it take to receive Support at Home funding after approval?
If I’m already on a Home Care Package, do I need to reapply for Support at Home?
What if my Support at Home assessment result doesn’t seem right?
Can I still get Support at Home if I travel overseas?
How do I start the Support at Home eligibility process?
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
“My daily carers are kind, warm, friendly, hard workers who have a broad job description and willingly assist me with any tasks I can no longer manage myself. Their support and companionship is invaluable.
If I have concerns I can contact a member of the Co-ordination Team. Without exception this group consists of patient, understanding, helpful, very kind personnel who are skilled listeners. They respond promptly and never fail to provide a fast positive outcome.”
- Bev, Melbourne
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