Support at Home vs NDIS: Key Differences 2026

Note: Support at Home replaced Home Care Packages on 1 November 2025 under the new Aged Care Act 2024. This page refers to Support at Home, with Home Care Package figures noted as history where relevant.

Support at Home and NDIS are two completely different Australian government programs. The main difference is age and eligibility:

• Support at Home (replaced Home Care Packages): For older Australians (usually 65+) needing aged care support
• NDIS: For people under 65 with permanent disability or functional impairment

You cannot use NDIS and aged care supports at the same time. Existing NDIS participants approaching 65 should get individual guidance before choosing whether to remain in the NDIS or move to aged care.

Quick Comparison

What is Support at Home?

Support at Home is government funding for older Australians who need support at home. It replaced Home Care Packages on 1 November 2025.

Support at Home Eligibility

To qualify you must:

• Be 65+, or meet a published lower-age pathway for First Nations people or people who are homeless or at risk of homelessness
• Have aged care needs (difficulty with daily living)
• Want to stay living at home (not residential aged care)
• Be approved through the Single Assessment System

NOT eligibility:

• Having a disability (that’s NDIS, not Support at Home)
• Being below the applicable aged care entry age

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Support at Home Classifications

Support at Home has 8 funding classifications based on your care needs, with annual budgets from about $11,031.56 to $80,294:

Classification 1: about $11,031.56/year

• Basic care needs
• Help with housework, shopping, transport

Classifications 2 to 3: about $16,483.55 to $22,580.93/year

• Low-level care needs
• Personal care assistance, more frequent help

Classifications 4 to 6: about $30,528.15 to $49,461.91/year

• Intermediate care needs
• Regular personal care, nursing, therapies

Classifications 7 to 8: about $59,776.80 to $80,294/year

• High care needs
• Intensive support, dementia care, complex needs

Your classification is set by the Single Assessment System based on your needs.

History: Before 1 November 2025, the program was Home Care Packages, which had 4 levels: Level 1 (about $10,271), Level 2 (about $17,346), Level 3 (about $38,454) and Level 4 (about $62,589). These were replaced by the 8 Support at Home classifications.

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What Support at Home Covers

Typical services:

• Personal care (showering, dressing)
• Domestic assistance (cleaning, laundry)
• Meal preparation
• Transport to appointments
• Social support and companionship
• Nursing care
• Allied health (OT, physio)
• Respite care
• Equipment and home modifications (limited)

What Support at Home does NOT usually cover:

• ✗ Gardening and home maintenance (limited)
• ✗ Full-time live-in care
• ✗ Hospital-level medical care
• ✗ Accommodation costs

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What is NDIS?

NDIS (National Disability Insurance Scheme) is government funding for people with permanent disability.

NDIS Eligibility

To qualify you must:

• Be under 65 when you first apply
• Have permanent disability or functional impairment
• Disability significantly impacts daily life
• Need support now and likely throughout life
• Be Australian citizen/permanent resident

NOT eligibility:

• Temporary injuries (NDIS is for permanent disability)
• Normal aging (that’s Support at Home)
• Being over 65 for first application

Note: If you’re already on NDIS when you turn 65, you can stay on NDIS.

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NDIS Funding Levels

NDIS funding is individualized:

• No “levels” like Support at Home
• Funding based on YOUR specific needs
• No reliable standard plan amount applies across participants

Your funding depends on:

• Your goals
• Level of functional impairment
• Supports needed
• Evidence from assessments

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What NDIS Covers

The NDIA describes 4 support budgets:

Core Supports (daily assistance):

• Support workers
• Personal care
• Transport
• Community participation

Capacity Building (building skills):

• Therapies (OT, physio, speech)
• Support coordination
• Psychology
• Employment support

Capital Supports (equipment):

• Assistive technology
• Home modifications
• Vehicle modifications
• Specialist Disability Accommodation (SDA)

Recurring Supports:

• Regular payments such as eligible recurring transport support

NDIS is much more flexible than Support at Home and can fund a wider range of supports.

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Support at Home vs NDIS: Key Differences

Difference 1: Age and Eligibility

Support at Home: Aged care program for older Australians (65+)

• Based on aging needs
• Don’t need to have disability
• Just need support to stay home instead of aged care facility

NDIS: Disability program for people under 65

• Must have permanent disability
• Disability must significantly impact life
• Age cutoff: must apply before 65

Example: Sarah (68) has mobility issues from aging. She needs help with showering and housework. → Support at Home

Example: David (45) has cerebral palsy and needs daily support. → NDIS

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Difference 2: Funding Amount

Support at Home: 8 classifications (about $10.7k - $78k/year)

• Cannot get more than Classification 8 (about $80,294)
• Classification set by the Single Assessment System
• Less flexibility in funding amount

NDIS: Individualised (anything from $5k to $500k+/year)

• No maximum limit
• Based on your specific needs
• High support needs can receive much more funding

Example: If you need 24/7 support in SIL, NDIS can fund $200k-$400k/year. Support at Home maxes out at about $80,294.

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Difference 3: Scope of Supports

Support at Home: Aged care focus

• Basic to moderate support
• Cannot fund specialist disability accommodation
• Cannot fund extensive employment support
• Limited assistive technology funding

NDIS: Comprehensive disability support

• Can fund SDA (specialist housing)
• Can fund significant home modifications
• Can fund high-cost assistive technology
• Can fund employment supports
• Can fund behavior support
• Much broader range

Example: Need ceiling hoist for transfers? NDIS can fund it ($20k+). Support at Home has very limited funding for this.

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Difference 4: Philosophy

Support at Home: Aging-in-place support

• Help you stay at home longer
• Alternative to residential aged care
• Practical daily assistance

NDIS: Capacity building and independence

• Build skills and independence
• Choice and control
• Achieve your life goals
• Mainstream community participation

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Can You Have Both Support at Home and NDIS?

Generally NO. You must choose one.

The Rule

If you’re under 65:

• Apply for NDIS if you have permanent disability
• Cannot access Support at Home

If you’re 65+ and:

• Already on NDIS: You can stay on NDIS (don’t switch to Support at Home)
• Not on NDIS: Apply for Support at Home (too late for NDIS)
• Applied for NDIS before 65: If approved after 65, you get NDIS

Rare Exceptions

You might have both if:

• You’re transitioning from Support at Home to NDIS (temporary overlap)
• You have NDIS for disability + Support at Home for aged care needs (very rare, requires approval)

In practice: NDIS and Support at Home don’t want to duplicate funding. If you qualify for both, you’ll be asked to choose.

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Which Should You Choose (If Eligible for Both)?

If you’re 64 and qualify for both NDIS and Support at Home, which is better?

Choose NDIS if:

• ✓ You have significant disability support needs
• ✓ You need more than about $78k/year funding
• ✓ You need specialist disability supports (SDA, complex AT)
• ✓ You want to build skills and independence
• ✓ You’re likely to need high-level support long-term

NDIS advantages:

• Much higher potential funding
• Broader range of supports
• More individualised
• Better for complex needs

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Choose Support at Home if:

• ✓ Your needs are modest (a classification budget would cover you)
• ✓ You mainly need personal care and household assistance
• ✓ You don’t have significant permanent disability (just aging)
• ✓ NDIS eligibility is borderline/unclear

Support at Home advantages:

• Easier to qualify (no “permanent disability” test)
• Simpler system
• Adequate for most aged care needs

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Default Recommendation

If you qualify for NDIS and need substantial support: Choose NDIS.

• More funding potential
• More comprehensive supports
• Better long-term

If your needs are modest and aging-related: Support at Home is fine.

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Transitioning Between Support at Home and NDIS

Support at Home → NDIS (Uncommon, but possible)

Scenario: You’re on Support at Home but develop permanent disability requiring NDIS.

Example: You’re 60, on Support at Home. You have a stroke causing permanent disability.

Steps:

1. Apply for NDIS (provide evidence of permanent disability)
2. If approved, NDIS notifies the aged care system
3. Support at Home ends when NDIS starts
4. No gap in funding

Note: Applying for NDIS after 65 is difficult but possible in rare cases (e.g., acquired disability after 64).

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NDIS → Support at Home (More Common)

Scenario: You’ve been on NDIS since before 65. You turn 65+.

Options:

1. Stay on NDIS (most people do this)

   • You can remain on NDIS after 65 if already receiving it
   • NDIS usually provides more funding than Support at Home
   • Recommended if you have ongoing disability support needs

2. Switch to Support at Home (rare)

   • Only if NDIS funding is very low (under $15k/year)
   • AND your needs are purely aged care (not disability)
   • Usually not worth it (lose benefits)

Default: Stay on NDIS if you’re already on it.

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Applying for Support at Home

Step 1: Get assessed under the Single Assessment System

• Call My Aged Care: 1800 200 422
• Book your aged care assessment (the Single Assessment System uses the Integrated Assessment Tool)
• Assessor visits your home

Step 2: Wait for approval and your classification

• The assessment determines your classification (1 to 8)
• You’re placed in the national priority system (Urgent, High, Medium or Low)

Step 3: Wait for a place to be released

• When a place is released, you have 56 days to choose a provider (plus a possible 28-day extension)
• Waiting times vary by priority and demand

Step 4: Choose provider

• Once a place is released, you choose a registered provider
• Provider manages funding

Timeline: varies. The assessment usually takes 2 to 6 weeks, then the time before a place is released depends on your priority ranking and demand.

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Applying for NDIS

Step 1: Call NDIS and request Access Request Form

• Phone: 1800 800 110
• Or apply online: ndis.gov.au

Step 2: Gather evidence

• Medical reports showing permanent disability
• Functional capacity assessments
• Evidence of how disability impacts daily life

Step 3: Submit Access Request

• NDIS decides if you’re eligible
• Decision within 21 days

Step 4: If approved, planning meeting

• Discuss your goals and needs
• NDIS creates your plan and budget

Step 5: Start using funding

• Find providers
• Start services

Timeline: 3-6 months from application to receiving services

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Frequently Asked Questions

I’m 64 with disability. Should I apply for NDIS now? Yes. Apply before 65. After 65 it’s much harder (near impossible) to enter NDIS.

I’m on NDIS and turning 65. What happens? Nothing. You stay on NDIS. Don’t switch to Support at Home (you’ll lose funding).

Can I have Support at Home and NDIS for different things? Rarely. Generally you must choose one. Exceptions require special approval and are uncommon.

Which is easier to get: Support at Home or NDIS? Support at Home is generally easier (less strict eligibility). NDIS requires proving permanent disability with significant functional impact.

Which has more funding? NDIS can provide much more (no maximum). Support at Home maxes at about $80,294/year (Classification 8).

I’m 66 with new disability. Can I get NDIS? Usually no. NDIS is for people who apply before 65. You’d access Support at Home instead.

Which is better quality? Both give you choice of providers. NDIS has broader supports and often more funding. Quality depends on providers you choose, not the program.

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Find Providers for Support at Home or NDIS

Browse aged care and NDIS providers on Carevo.

Call 1800 953 253 for help understanding which program suits your needs and finding providers.

Commercial disclosure: Families never pay Carevo. Providers can list for free, but need a monthly or annual subscription to connect with a family and receive their contact details. Carevo charges no commission, per-connection fee or success fee, and nothing a provider pays buys a higher position. Confirm program eligibility with the NDIA and My Aged Care.

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Key Takeaways:

• Support at Home replaced Home Care Packages on 1 November 2025 and funds eligible in-home aged care
• NDIS funds eligible disability-related supports for people who meet its access rules
• You cannot use NDIS and aged care supports at the same time
• Existing NDIS participants approaching 65 should compare the published options before choosing
• Lower aged care entry ages apply in specified circumstances, including some First Nations and homelessness pathways

Related Guides:

• NDIS Funding Categories Explained
• Home Care Package Spending Guide
• How to Apply for NDIS