The Support at Home Program: A Complete Guide for Older Australians and Their Families

A New System for In-Home Aged Care

The Support at Home program delivers government-funded aged care services that help older people stay living independently in their own home for longer. It covers everything from help with everyday tasks and personal care through to clinical nursing and allied health.

From 1 November 2025, Support at Home replaced two earlier programs: the Home Care Packages (HCP) Program and the Short-Term Restorative Care (STRC) Programme. The long-running Commonwealth Home Support Programme (CHSP) is scheduled to move into Support at Home at a later date.

The goal of the change is to make funding more consistent, reduce waiting times, and give older people clearer choice over the services they receive and who provides them.

What Changed From Home Care Packages

• Eight levels replace fourFour package levels became eight ongoing classification levels, so funding maps more closely to real needs.
• Quarterly budgetsFunding is released as a quarterly budget rather than accumulating as a large unspent balance.
• Three service categoriesServices are grouped into clinical care, independence, and everyday living.
• Separate equipment fundingA new Assistive Technology and Home Modifications scheme funds equipment and home changes separately.
• Contributions by service typeContributions are set by service type and your means, not by a single income-tested care fee.

The Basic Eligibility Criteria

To be eligible for Support at Home you generally need to be:

65 years or older (or 50 years or older for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people), and needing help to keep doing the everyday things you have always done because of changes that come with ageing, illness or reduced mobility.

Younger people in specific circumstances may also access support while other arrangements are made. Meeting the age criteria does not automatically grant funding. It makes you eligible for an assessment, which decides your classification level.

The Single Assessment System

Your needs are assessed through the government's single assessment system, arranged after you register with My Aged Care. An assessor talks with you, usually in your home, about your health, daily tasks, safety, and the support you already have.

The assessment determines which of the eight ongoing classification levels you are approved for, or whether a short-term pathway such as restorative care is more appropriate. It is a conversation, not a test, and it helps to have a family member present and any relevant medical information ready.

How the Quarterly Budget Works

Once you are approved at a classification level, the government provides a quarterly budget for your services. This is a change from Home Care Packages, where funds could build up into a large unspent balance.

You can carry a limited amount of unspent funds between quarters, which gives flexibility for services that vary month to month, but the program is designed so funding is used for care rather than banked. Your provider manages the budget with you and reports on how it is spent.

From Entry Level to Complex Care

The eight levels range from a modest entry level of support for people with lower needs through to substantial funding of around $78,000 per year at the highest ongoing level for people with complex care needs. The additional levels between the old package tiers mean funding steps up more gradually and matches individual circumstances more closely.

Because the figures are indexed and reviewed over time, always confirm the current amount for your approved level with My Aged Care or your provider before you plan.

Short-Term and Specialist Pathways

• Restorative Care PathwayIntensive, time-limited support (up to around 12 weeks) to help you regain function after illness, a fall or a hospital stay.
• End-of-Life PathwayHigher, faster funding for people who wish to remain at home in their final months.
• Assistive Technology and Home ModificationsSeparate funding for equipment such as mobility aids and for changes like grab rails or ramps.

The Three Service Categories

Every approved service sits within one of three categories:

Clinical care covers services delivered or overseen by health professionals, such as nursing, allied health, physiotherapy, occupational therapy and care management.

Independence covers support that helps you keep doing daily activities, including personal care, showering and dressing, mobility support, and respite for your carer.

Everyday living covers practical help around the home, such as domestic assistance, meal preparation, gardening, home maintenance and transport.

Common Services People Use

• Personal careHelp with showering, dressing, grooming and getting around the home.
• Nursing and clinical careWound care, medication support, continence care and health monitoring.
• Allied healthPhysiotherapy, occupational therapy, podiatry and dietetics.
• Domestic helpCleaning, laundry, meal preparation and shopping.
• Social support and companionshipHelp to stay connected to your community and interests.
• RespitePlanned support so a family carer can take a break.

Inclusions and Exclusions

How Contributions Are Set

Your contribution is worked out by service category and by a means assessment of your income and assets:

Clinical care is fully funded by the government. You do not contribute toward nursing, allied health or care management.

Independence and everyday living services carry a contribution that varies with your means. Full pensioners contribute the least, part-pensioners more, and self-funded retirees the most. Everyday living services generally attract a higher contribution than independence services.

What the Cap Means for You

There is a lifetime cap on contributions of $86,185.23 (indexed over time), carried across from the Home Care Package arrangements. Once your total contributions reach this cap, you do not pay further non-clinical contributions. The cap protects people who need care for many years from open-ended costs.

Because contribution rates and the cap are indexed and can change, use My Aged Care's fee estimator and confirm your position before making financial decisions.

Provider-Managed vs Self-Managed Support

Most people use a provider-managed arrangement, where your provider coordinates services, manages your budget and handles the administration. Some people prefer a self-managed approach, taking on more of the coordination themselves to gain flexibility and choice of workers.

Self-management can suit confident, organised families, but it involves more responsibility. A good provider will be transparent either way about fees, budgets and what you are paying for.

What to Look For in a Provider

• Transparent pricingClear, itemised pricing with no hidden management or exit fees.
• Consistent workersCare workers who get to know you, rather than a rotating roster of strangers.
• Local knowledgeReal familiarity with your community and local services.
• Responsive coordinationA real person you can reach when something changes.
• A plan built around youA care plan shaped by your goals, not a one-size-fits-all package.

Switching Providers

If your provider is not meeting your needs, you can switch. Your classification level and approval stay with you, so you keep your funding. You give notice under your service agreement, choose a new registered provider, and your funding transfers across.

It is worth asking a prospective provider how they handle transfers and how quickly they can have your services running so there is no gap in care.

Why Local Care Matters

Support at Home works best when the people delivering it understand your area, can respond quickly, and build a genuine relationship with you and your family. A Brisbane-based provider can match you with consistent local care workers and coordinate services around your suburb and routine.

Heather Senior Care supports older people across Brisbane to live well and independently at home, from personal care and companionship through to coordinating clinical support under your Support at Home budget.

How Heather Senior Care Can Help

• Start with a conversationTalk through your situation before you have everything worked out.
• Understand your budgetWe explain your classification level and budget in plain language.
• Consistent local workersWe match you with consistent, local Brisbane care workers.
• Coordinated supportWe coordinate independence, everyday living and clinical support around your needs.