Support at Home Funding
Complete guide to classifications, amounts and quarterly budgets
The 8 Support at Home funding classifications
- Amounts and quarterly budgets
Support at Home funding is delivered through eight classification levels, with annual budgets ranging from $10,731 (Classification 1) to $78,106 (Classification 8).
Your classification is determined by an independent government assessment and defines exactly how much funding you receive each quarter to spend on approved care services.
As a registered Support at Home provider in Melbourne, Absolute Care & Health helps clients understand their funding, build an effective care plan and make the most of every dollar in their budget.
Classifications & budgets
Every Support at Home participant is assigned one of eight ongoing funding classifications based on their assessed care needs.
Your classification determines the amount of government funding you receive each year, paid to you in quarterly instalments. The table below lists all eight classifications with annual and quarterly amounts effective from 1 November 2025.
| Classification | Quarterly budget | Annual funding | Care complexity |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | ~$2,750 | ~$11,000 | Mostly independent — light occasional support |
| 2 | ~$4,000 | ~$16,000 | Regular light support — personal care and domestic help |
| 3 | ~$5,500 | ~$22,000 | Moderate structured support, multiple times per week |
| 4 | ~$7,500 | ~$30,000 | Near-daily help with personal care and household tasks |
| 5 | ~$10,000 | ~$40,000 | Intensive daily care — personal care, mobility, medication |
| 6 | ~$12,000 | ~$48,000 | High care needs — complex daily support required |
| 7 | ~$14,500 | ~$58,000 | Very high and complex needs — near-continuous support |
| 8 | ~$19,500 | ~$78,000 | Highest level — complex, intensive, multi-service care |
*Approximate annual values as at November 2025 from myagedcare.gov.au. Amounts for each classification are indicative and are subject to indexation.
All amounts listed above include the 10% care management allocation. This is the portion set aside by law for your care plan development, service coordination and My Aged Care reporting. The remaining 90% of your quarterly budget is available for your direct care services. See the care management cap section below for a breakdown of your usable service budget at each level.
Your classification is not fixed permanently. If your care needs increase over time, you can request a reassessment through My Aged Care, and your classification and funding can be adjusted to reflect your changed circumstances.
What does your quarterly budget actually cover?
Your annual Support at Home funding is divided into four equal quarterly budgets, released at the start of each quarter: July, October, January and April. You receive your full quarterly amount at the beginning of each quarter and can allocate it across your approved care services as your needs require. If you begin the program part-way through a quarter, your first budget is pro-rated from your start date to the end of that quarter.
Your quarterly budget covers services in two categories:
- Independence Support (such as personal care, transport, social participation and mobility aids)
- Everyday Living (such as domestic cleaning, meal preparation, gardening and home maintenance).
The exact mix of services you receive is set out in your personalised care plan, developed with your provider.
Clinical Care services do not come out of your quarterly budget at all. Nursing, physiotherapy, occupational therapy, podiatry, speech therapy, dietitian support and other allied health services are fully funded separately by the Australian Government. You receive these services at no cost to yourself, and they do not reduce the amount available for your independence and everyday living supports.
This is one of the most significant improvements over the old Home Care Package system, where clinical services competed with domestic help and personal care for the same pool of funding. Under Support at Home, your quarterly budget stretches further because clinical care has its own separate funding stream.
For a complete breakdown of what you may be asked to contribute toward independence and everyday living services, and how income testing works, see our guide on participant contributions and lifetime caps.
The 10% care management cap
This 10% covers your provider’s cost of developing your care plan, coordinating your services, conducting regular reviews and managing your My Aged Care reporting. The remaining 90% of your quarterly budget goes directly to your care services.
This is a marked improvement on the old Home Care Package system, where some providers charged up to 35% in management and administration fees, substantially reducing the funding available for actual care. The 10% legal cap under Support at Home means more of your government funding reaches you as services.
The table shows your usable service budget at each classification after the 10% care management deduction.
| Classification | Quarterly budget (total incl. care mgmt) | Available for your services (90%) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $2,683 | $2,415 |
| 2 | $4,009 | $3,608 |
| 3 | $5,554 | $4,999 |
| 4 | $7,744 | $6,970 |
| 5 | $9,934 | $8,941 |
| 6 | $13,218 | $11,896 |
| 7 | $16,337 | $14,703 |
| 8 | $19,527 | $17,574 |
Unspent funds: the rollover rules explained
If you don’t spend your full quarterly budget, you can carry over a portion to the next quarter.
Unspent HCP funds if you transitioned from a Home Care Package
What if funding isn’t available yet?
After your assessment, you are placed on the national priority system while full funding becomes available.
If the wait is longer than expected, you may be allocated interim funding, set at 60% of your approved classification budget. This allows you to access critical care services immediately rather than waiting for your full allocation.
If you are placed on interim funding, your provider will be notified and your care plan will be developed within the interim budget. When your full funding is released, your care plan can be updated to reflect the additional services your complete budget allows.
How interim funding works?
- You are allocated 60% of your quarterly classification budget from your start date.
- You can find a registered provider and begin services right away under interim funding.
- The remaining 40% of your budget is released when full funding becomes available.
- The gap period is NOT backdated. You simply receive your full quarterly budget going forward from the point of release.
- Not all participants receive interim funding. Allocation depends on demand relative to available funding at the time of your assessment.
The priority system and expected wait times are explained in detail at My Aged Care (myagedcare.gov.au). If your circumstances change while you are waiting, for example, a carer becomes unavailable or your health deteriorates, contact My Aged Care to request a reassessment. A changed priority status can affect how quickly your full funding is released.
Short-term pathway funding
- extra support when you need it most
In addition to your ongoing quarterly classification budget, Support at Home includes three short-term funding pathways for specific circumstances.
Assistive Technology and Home Modifications (AT-HM)
Access up to $15,000 in funding for assistive technology and/or home modifications (AT-HM) to help you live more independently and safely. This can include mobility aids or home adjustments such as grab rails or ramps.
Restorative Care Pathway
Designed for people who have experienced a decline in function following an illness, injury or significant health event and need intensive allied health support to regain independence. It provides up to $6,000 over 16 weeks, focused on physiotherapy, occupational therapy and other reablement services.
End-of-Life Pathway
Provides up to $25,000 over up to 12-16 weeks to support a person with a prognosis of three months or less to remain at home with dignity and comfort. Funding covers additional personal care, nursing and palliative support over and above the person’s ongoing classification budget. You don’t need to save up your quarterly budget for these items.
Maximising your Support at Home budget
Here are six practical ways to stretch your quarterly budget further:
Schedule services on weekdays.
Most providers charge lower rates for weekday services than for weekends or public holidays. If your care needs are flexible, scheduling cleaning, domestic help and transport during business hours can significantly increase the number of service hours your budget covers.
Use clinical services freely — they cost nothing
Nursing visits, physiotherapy, occupational therapy and all other allied health services under Clinical Care are fully government funded and do not reduce your quarterly budget. If you have clinical needs, make sure your care plan includes them. Leaving clinical entitlements unused is leaving value on the table.
Review your care plan at the start of each quarter
Your needs and priorities can shift. A quarterly review with your care manager ensures your plan reflects your current situation and that your budget is allocated to the services that matter most right now.
Track your rollover
Monitor your quarterly spending and understand how much you’re carrying over. Consistent underspending may mean your care plan isn’t capturing your full range of needs or that a reassessment at a higher classification is worth considering.
Ask your provider for a written fee schedule
All Support at Home providers are required to publish their prices. Before committing to a service mix, ask for a clear, written breakdown of what each service costs under your plan. From 1 July 2026, government price caps will make this comparison even more straightforward.
Plan AT-HM Scheme items separately
If you need assistive technology (a walking frame, shower chair, hospital bed) or home modifications (grab rails, a ramp, bathroom changes), these are funded through the AT-HM Scheme, separately from your quarterly budget. Discuss these needs with your care manager so they are assessed and funded without using your regular care budget.
Frequently asked questions (FAQs) about Support at Home funding
These are some of the most common questions, answered for you.
How much funding does Support at Home provide?
What are the 8 Support at Home classification funding amounts?
The eight ongoing classification annual amounts are:
- Classification 1 — $10,731
- Classification 2 — $16,034
- Classification 3 — $22,216
- Classification 4 — $30,975
- Classification 5 — $39,734
- Classification 6 — $52,870
- Classification 7 — $65,346
- Classification 8 — $78,106.
All amounts include the 10% care management allocation, are paid quarterly, and are indexed on 1 July each year.
How does the quarterly budget system work?
Your annual Support at Home funding is divided into four equal quarterly budgets, released at the start of each quarter: July, October, January and April. You receive the full quarterly amount at the beginning of each quarter and can spend it across approved care services. If you join mid-quarter, your first budget is pro-rated from your start date to the end of that quarter.
What is the 10% care management cap?
What happens to unspent Support at Home funds at the end of each quarter?
You can carry over unspent funds up to $1,000 or 10% of your quarterly budget, whichever is greater. Any unspent amount above this cap is returned to the government at the end of the quarter. If you regularly have funds left over, discuss your care plan with your provider. You may be entitled to more services than you’re currently accessing.
What is interim funding under Support at Home?
Interim funding is 60% of your approved classification budget, allocated while you wait for full funding to become available through the national priority system. It allows you to begin essential care services immediately rather than waiting for your full allocation. When full funding is released, it is not backdated — you simply receive your full quarterly budget going forward from that point.
How much funding do transitioned Home Care Package clients receive?
Transitioned HCP clients retain their former funding level:
- Level 1 — $10,986.50/year
- Level 2 — $19,319.45/year
- Level 3 — $42,055.30/year
- Level 4 — $63,758.20/year
These are equivalent to previous HCP funding amounts and are indexed on 1 July each year. Unspent HCP funds are retained in full with no rollover cap and transfer to a new provider if you switch.
Does clinical care come out of my quarterly budget?
What funding is available under the Restorative Care Pathway?
The Restorative Care Pathway provides up to $12,000 (two $6,000 units) over up to 16 weeks for short-term allied health and reablement services. This funding is separate from and in addition to your ongoing quarterly budget. It is designed for people who need intensive support to regain function following an illness, injury or significant health event.
What funding is available for assistive technology and home modifications?
The AT-HM Scheme provides three tiers of upfront funding: approximately $500 for low-cost items (e.g. shower chair, non-slip mat), approximately $2,000 for mid-range aids and minor modifications and $15,000 or more for major home modifications such as bathroom renovations or stair lifts. This funding is assessed and allocated separately from your quarterly budget and does not reduce it.
When are Support at Home funding amounts updated?
All Support at Home funding amounts are indexed on 1 July each year in line with government indexation, typically reflecting CPI and wages growth. This means amounts increase slightly each year. Always verify current figures against the Schedule of Subsidies and Supplements at health.gov.au, or ask your registered provider for the latest confirmed amounts before making care planning decisions.
What are the Support at Home price caps and when do they start?
From 1 July 2026, the Australian Government will introduce maximum regulated prices for all services on the approved Support at Home service list. Providers will not be able to charge above the government-set cap for any service type. For participants, this means your quarterly budget will stretch further and comparing providers will become simpler and more transparent.
Find out more about Support at Home
Download our information pack for more information about our Support at Home services. Our information pack has everything new clients and their families need to get started.
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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