Level 2 Home Care Package: Funding and Hours (2026)
A Level 2 home care package was the second of the four Home Care Package levels, worth $52.93 a day (about $19,319 a year) when the program closed. If you held one on 1 November 2025, you are now a transitioned Support at Home participant with a Transitioned Level 2 budget of $19,860.56 a year. New applicants receive one of eight classifications instead. The nearest by budget are Classification 2 ($16,483.55) and Classification 3 ($22,580.93).
Key points
- Home Care Packages closed to new entrants on 1 November 2025, when Support at Home started
- Transitioned Level 2 budget: $19,860.56 a year, or $4,965.14 a quarter, indexed each 1 July
- 10% of each quarterly budget goes to care management
- Hours are not fixed. A typical mix at median prices is about 3.5 hours a week
- Clinical supports, including nursing and personal care, have no participant contribution
- If you were approved for a package on or before 12 September 2024, the no worse off principle applies to what you pay
- New applicants need an aged care assessment through My Aged Care
What was a Level 2 home care package?
Level 2 was the Home Care Package level for people with low-level care needs. It sat above Level 1 (basic needs) and below Level 3 (intermediate needs).
The program closed on 1 November 2025. Support at Home replaced it on the same day. Nobody can be assessed for Level 2 now.
| Your situation on 31 October 2025 | What you have now |
|---|---|
| Receiving a Level 2 package | A Transitioned Home Care Package Level 2 budget under Support at Home |
| Approved for Level 2 but still waiting | A place in the Support at Home Priority System. You receive the Transitioned Level 2 budget when funding is allocated |
| Not yet assessed | A new assessment and one of the eight Support at Home classifications |
You keep the transitioned budget until you are reassessed. If a reassessment finds higher needs, you move to a Support at Home classification (Department of Health, Disability and Ageing, 2026).
What are Support at Home Classifications 2 and 3?
Classifications 2 and 3 are the second and third of the eight Support at Home funding classifications for ongoing services. They are what a new applicant with similar needs is most likely to compare with Level 2.
| Budget | Annual amount |
|---|---|
| Classification 2 | $16,483.55 |
| Transitioned Home Care Package Level 2 | $19,860.56 |
| Classification 3 | $22,580.93 |
This is a comparison by dollars. The department does not publish a conversion from Level 2 to a classification. Your assessor decides the classification from your needs.
How much funding do you get?
A Transitioned Level 2 budget is $19,860.56 a year, released as $4,965.14 each quarter. Classification 2 is $16,483.55 a year and Classification 3 is $22,580.93. All of these amounts include the 10% set aside for care management.
Budgets are indexed on 1 July each year, and the department can adjust them at other times. It did so on 1 October 2026 after a Nurses Award increase. The Schedule of Subsidies and Supplements for Support at Home shows the amount that applies today.
What the old package paid
| Date | Level 2 daily subsidy | Annual equivalent |
|---|---|---|
| From 1 July 2024 | $51.02 | About $18,622 |
| At 1 October 2025 (final rate) | $52.93 | About $19,319 |
Source: Department of Health, Disability and Ageing, Schedule of Subsidies and Supplements for Aged Care (Before 1 November 2025).
Unspent package funds and carryover
If you had unspent Home Care Package funds, you kept them. No carryover limit applies to those funds, and they move with you if you change provider. You must use them first for assistive technology and home modifications.
Your ongoing quarterly budget can carry over up to $1,000 or 10% of the quarterly budget, whichever is greater.
Before you choose a provider, ask for:
- The full price list (every provider must publish one)
- Weekend, evening and public holiday prices
- How travel is charged
What services do Classifications 2 and 3 cover?
A Transitioned Level 2, Classification 2 or Classification 3 budget pays for services on the Support at Home service list that are in your support plan. The list has three contribution categories.
Clinical supports
- Personal care: showering, dressing, eating, hygiene, non-clinical continence support and help to self-administer medication
- Nursing care
- Allied health, such as podiatry, physiotherapy, occupational therapy and dietetics
- Care management
Independence
- Transport, with a driver and car or through taxi and rideshare vouchers
- Social support, accompanied activities and cultural support
- Respite in your home or in the community
- Therapeutic services such as remedial massage in a prescribed treatment plan
Everyday living
- Domestic assistance: cleaning, laundry and shopping help
- Home maintenance, repairs and essential light gardening
- Meal preparation and meal delivery
Funded separately
- Assistive technology and home modifications, through the AT-HM scheme. The tiers are $513, $2,052 and $15,390
A budget at this level will not stretch to daily visits or frequent nursing. If you need those, ask My Aged Care about a reassessment. For what is out of scope, see our guide to Support at Home inclusions and exclusions.
How many hours per fortnight?
There is no set number of hours for Level 2. Providers set their own prices, so the same budget buys different hours with different providers.
Here is a worked example for a Transitioned Level 2 budget. It uses the department’s indicative national median prices, which came from a provider survey and are not price caps.
Step 1. Budget: $19,860.56 a year.
Step 2. Take off 10% for care management. About $17,840 a year is left for services, or about $343 a week.
Step 3. Divide by the price of the services you use.
| Service | Assumed weekday price | Hours a week | Weekly cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Personal care | $100 an hour | 2 | $200 |
| Domestic assistance | $95 an hour | 1.5 | $142.50 |
| Total | 3.5 | $342.50 |
That is 7 hours a fortnight. A dearer provider, weekend visits or allied health sessions all reduce the hours.
Who are Classifications 2 and 3 for?
Level 2 was for people with low-level care needs. Under Support at Home, similar needs often lead to Classification 2 or 3. That usually means someone who:
- Needs help with showering or dressing a few times a week
- Cannot manage all the housework
- Has one or two conditions that need monitoring
- Needs transport to regular appointments
- Is at some risk of falls at home
Your assessor decides the classification. If you only need occasional help, read about the Level 1 home care package. If you need regular nursing or help most days, read about Level 3 and Level 4.
How to apply
You cannot apply for Level 2 any more. New applicants apply for an aged care assessment and receive a Support at Home classification.
- Check you meet the requirements. You need care needs and must be 65 or older, or 50 or older if you are an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander person or are homeless or at risk of homelessness.
- Apply for an assessment. Use the form at myagedcare.gov.au or call My Aged Care on 1800 200 422.
- Have the assessment. An assessment organisation contacts you, usually within 2 to 6 weeks, and visits you at home.
- Read your Notice of Decision. It lists your classification, your priority category and your support plan.
- Wait for funding. Funding is allocated through the Support at Home Priority System.
- Choose a provider. You have 56 days from your funding letter to sign a service agreement and start services. My Aged Care can give you 28 more days.
While you wait, ask about the Commonwealth Home Support Program for basic services.
Not sure which classification you need? Take our free care level quiz to estimate your care needs.
Already on a Transitioned Level 2 budget? You do not need to reapply. More detail is in our guide to home care package eligibility.
Costs and contributions
Under Support at Home you only pay a contribution on services you receive. The percentage depends on the type of service and on your income and assets.
| Your assessment outcome | Clinical supports | Independence | Everyday living |
|---|---|---|---|
| Full pensioner | 0% | 5% | 17.5% |
| Part pensioner or Commonwealth Seniors Health Card holder | 0% | Between 5% and 50% | Between 17.5% and 80% |
| Self-funded without a Seniors Health Card, or means not disclosed | 0% | 50% | 80% |
Personal care has counted as a clinical support for contributions since 1 October 2026. You pay nothing for it if it is in your support plan.
No worse off principle. If you were receiving or approved for a Home Care Package on or before 12 September 2024:
- If you were assessed as having to pay an income-tested care fee at 31 October 2025, you pay the same or less under Support at Home
- If you were assessed as not having to pay one, you will never be asked to pay contributions under Support at Home
Lifetime cap. Contributions stop once you reach the lifetime cap. The standard cap is $140,652.80. If the no worse off principle applies to you, the cap is $88,934.57. Both figures are as at 20 September 2026 and are indexed each 20 March and 20 September.
Services Australia works out your rates. See Services Australia or use the fee estimator on My Aged Care.
Classifications 2 and 3 vs other classifications
| Budget | Annual amount |
|---|---|
| Classification 1 | $11,031.56 |
| Transitioned Level 1 | $11,294.22 |
| Classification 2 | $16,483.55 |
| Transitioned Level 2 | $19,860.56 |
| Classification 3 | $22,580.93 |
| Classification 4 | $30,528.15 |
| Classification 5 | $40,809.27 |
| Transitioned Level 3 | $43,233.21 |
| Classification 6 | $49,461.91 |
| Classification 7 | $59,776.80 |
| Transitioned Level 4 | $65,543.98 |
| Classification 8 | $80,294 |
For what each classification suits, read our Support at Home complete guide.
From Level 2 to Support at Home
Support at Home replaced the Home Care Packages Program on 1 November 2025.
Level 2 mapping to Support at Home classifications
There is no automatic mapping. Level 2 recipients were not moved to Classification 2 or 3. They were given a separate Transitioned Level 2 classification with a budget that matches their package.
| Before 1 November 2025 | Now |
|---|---|
| Level 2 package, $52.93 a day | Transitioned Level 2, $19,860.56 a year |
| Assessed for Level 2, waiting | Transitioned Level 2 when funding is allocated |
| New applicant | Classification 1 to 8, set by assessment |
How the transition worked
- Your funding level stayed equivalent to your package
- You kept your unspent package funds
- Your provider could continue as a registered Support at Home provider
- If you are reassessed at a higher need, you move to a Support at Home classification
Key features of Support at Home
1. Service categories. Services sit in three contribution categories: clinical supports, independence and everyday living. You pay nothing for clinical supports.
2. Provider choice. You choose your provider and can change. Providers cannot charge entry or exit fees.
3. Contributions, not fees. You pay a percentage of each service you receive, up to a lifetime cap.
4. Flat care management. 10% of each quarterly budget.
For more, see the Support at Home program guide.
What you should do now
If you are applying now: apply for an aged care assessment. You will receive a classification, not a level.
If you transitioned from Level 2:
- Check your monthly statement against your provider’s published prices
- Ask how your unspent package funds are being held
- Ask My Aged Care for a reassessment if your needs have grown
Real cost examples: what Classifications 2 and 3 buy in 2026
These examples use the department’s indicative national median prices: $100 an hour for personal care, $95 an hour for domestic assistance and $70 a trip for transport. They are assumptions, not quotes. Your provider’s prices will differ.
Example 1: Classification 2 ($16,483.55/year)
After 10% care management, about $14,800 a year is left for services, or about $285 a week.
- Personal care: 1.5 hours a week at $100 = $150
- Domestic assistance: 1 hour a week at $95 = $95
- Transport: one trip a fortnight at $70 = $35 a week
Weekly total: $280 for 2.5 hours of care plus transport.
Example 2: Classification 3 ($22,580.93/year)
After 10% care management, about $20,280 a year is left for services, or about $390 a week.
- Personal care: 2 hours a week at $100 = $200
- Domestic assistance: 1.5 hours a week at $95 = $142.50
- Transport: one trip a fortnight at $70 = $35 a week
Weekly total: $377.50 for 3.5 hours of care plus transport.
What the full pensioner pays in Example 2: nothing for personal care, 17.5% of the domestic assistance and 5% of the transport. Use the Support at Home calculator to work out your own figures.
How to choose the right provider
Prices decide how far a small budget goes. Carevo does not rate or recommend providers, so use these checks yourself.
1. Compare service prices and transparency
- Read the published price list for each provider
- Compare weekday, weekend and public holiday prices
- Ask how travel and cancellations are charged
Our guide to choosing a home care provider has a full checklist.
2. Check service flexibility
- Can you change your mix of services when your needs change?
- How much notice do you need to give to cancel a visit?
- Are evening and weekend visits available?
3. Assess staff continuity and quality
- Will you see the same worker each visit?
- Who covers when your worker is away?
4. Evaluate communication and support
- Who is your care partner and how do you reach them?
- How will you see your budget? Providers must give you a monthly statement
- How do you make a complaint?
5. Use trial periods wisely
Review your first statements closely. Check each charge against the price list and your care plan.
Switching providers
You can change provider. Tell your current provider, choose a new one and reactivate your referral code through My Aged Care on 1800 200 422. Providers cannot charge entry or exit fees.
Getting more from your funding
- Group visits. Fewer, longer visits can reduce travel charges
- Use community services. Council and community programs can cover social activities and meals
- Review your care plan. Ask your provider to change the mix when your needs change
- Ask for a reassessment. If you keep running out of budget, contact My Aged Care
Frequently asked questions
How much is a Level 2 home care package?
A Transitioned Level 2 budget is $19,860.56 a year, paid as $4,965.14 a quarter. The last Level 2 subsidy under the old program was $52.93 a day, about $19,319 a year. New applicants cannot get Level 2.
How much funding do Classifications 2 and 3 provide?
Classification 2 is $16,483.55 a year and Classification 3 is $22,580.93. A Transitioned Level 2 budget is $19,860.56. Each includes 10% for care management.
How many hours per fortnight?
It depends on your provider’s prices. At $100 an hour for personal care and $95 for domestic assistance, a Transitioned Level 2 budget buys about 7 hours a fortnight.
What is the difference between Classification 1 and Classifications 2 to 3?
The budget. Classification 1 is $11,031.56 a year. Classifications 2 and 3 are $16,483.55 and $22,580.93. The larger budgets allow personal care a few times a week as well as household help.
Can I get personal care with Classification 2 or 3?
Yes, if it is in your support plan. Personal care has had no participant contribution since 1 October 2026.
How long is the wait?
It depends on your priority category. My Aged Care’s estimates at 30 June 2026 ranged from within 1 month for urgent priority to 7 to 8 months for standard priority. The Commonwealth Home Support Program may cover basic services while you wait.
Can I switch providers?
Yes. Providers cannot charge entry or exit fees, and unspent Home Care Package funds transfer to your new provider.
What if I disagree with my assessment outcome?
You have the right to raise concerns about your classification or priority. Your Notice of Decision explains how to ask for a review. The Older Persons Advocacy Network offers free support on 1800 700 600.
Resources
- Funding classifications for Support at Home - Department of Health, Disability and Ageing
- Support at Home costs and contributions - My Aged Care
- Assessment outcome: Support at Home - wait times and priority categories
- Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission - complaints about a provider
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Andre is the co-founder and CEO of Carevo. He holds a Bachelor of Commerce, majoring in Marketing, and a Bachelor of Arts from UNSW Sydney, where his majors were International Relations, Politics, Information Systems, and Media and Communications, graduating in 2014, and went through the UNSW 10x Founders accelerator in 2023.
