Home Care Packages Are Now Support at Home: What Changed (2026)
Andre Smith
Co-founder & CEO
Key points
- Support at Home provides government-funded support for older Australians to stay living at home
- Eight funding classifications, with annual budgets from $10,731 (Classification 1) to $78,106 (Classification 8)
- You need an assessment under the Single Assessment System through My Aged Care to qualify
- Support at Home replaced Home Care Packages on 1 November 2025 under the new Aged Care Act 2024
- There is no basic daily fee. You contribute toward services based on your means, and a lifetime contribution cap of around $130,000 applies
- You can choose and change your provider at any time, and you have 56 days to choose once a place is released
What happened to Home Care Packages?
Home Care Packages were the government-funded program that helped older Australians get the care and support they needed to keep living at home. On 1 November 2025 the Support at Home program replaced Home Care Packages, so the old packages are no longer offered to new applicants. If you knew the HCP system, the help itself is similar: you still receive services in your own home instead of moving into residential aged care, but the funding, fees, and assessment have changed. This page is for people who understood the old packages and want to see exactly what is different. For the full breakdown of how the new program works end to end, see the full Support at Home program guide.
The Australian Government pays a registered provider to coordinate your care. The amount of funding depends on which classification you are assessed for, from basic help with housework and transport through to complex nursing care and personal support.
Support at Home replaced the old Home Care Packages program on 1 November 2025, the same day the new Aged Care Act 2024 commenced. The program sits within the broader aged care system managed by the Department of Health and Aged Care, with My Aged Care acting as the central access point.
If you were already on a Home Care Package before 1 November 2025, you transitioned across and the government has guaranteed you are “no worse off”. If you are applying for the first time, you enter the Support at Home system directly. For step-by-step help moving across, see switching from a Home Care Package to Support at Home.
Support at Home vs Home Care Packages
If you knew the old Home Care Packages, this side-by-side shows what changed when Support at Home replaced it on 1 November 2025.
| Feature | Home Care Packages (old) | Support at Home (new) |
|---|---|---|
| Funding tiers | 4 package levels | 8 classifications |
| How funding is set | Notional annual package amount | Quarterly budgets (annual budget split across the year) |
| Fee structure | Basic daily fee plus income-tested care fee | Three contribution categories by service type |
| Clinical care (nursing, allied health) | Paid from your package budget | Fully government funded, no contribution for anyone |
| Care management | Charged from your package, varied by provider | Capped at 10% of your budget |
| Assessment | ACAT or RAS (separate tools) | Single Assessment System |
How your old level maps across:
| Old HCP level | New Support at Home classification |
|---|---|
| Level 1 | Classification 1 |
| Level 2 | Classification 2 to 3 |
| Level 3 | Classification 4 to 6 |
| Level 4 | Classification 7 to 8 |
No worse off: if you were on, or approved for, a Home Care Package on or before 12 September 2024, you keep contributions no higher than under your old package and retain the HCP lifetime cap of $86,185.23.
To estimate your own classification budget and contributions, use the Support at Home calculator. For a deeper read, see the full Support at Home program guide, the no worse off principle explained, and how to go about switching from a Home Care Package to Support at Home.
From 4 package levels to 8 classifications
Support at Home uses eight funding classifications instead of the four Home Care Package levels that existed before 1 November 2025. The classification you receive is set by the Single Assessment System, and each one comes with an annual budget. The budgets below are the government contributions before any personal contributions.
| Classification | Approximate annual budget |
|---|---|
| Classification 1 | $10,731 |
| Classification 2 | $16,034 |
| Classification 3 | $21,966 |
| Classification 4 | $29,696 |
| Classification 5 | $39,697 |
| Classification 6 | $48,114 |
| Classification 7 | $58,148 |
| Classification 8 | $78,106 |
Budget figures are indicative and current as of June 2026. Confirm current amounts at health.gov.au and myagedcare.gov.au.
Lower classifications (1 to 3): basic and low-level needs
Classifications 1 to 3 suit people who need a small to moderate amount of help to stay independent. This might mean housework, transport, help getting to appointments, regular check-ins, and some personal care.
Typical services:
- Light housework and laundry
- Transport to medical appointments
- Social support and companionship
- Simple meal preparation
- Personal care (help with showering, dressing) at the higher end
- Basic allied health (podiatry, physiotherapy)
Middle classifications (4 to 6): intermediate needs
Classifications 4 to 6 are for people with more complex needs who require a coordinated mix of services.
Typical services:
- More hours of personal care
- Nursing care (wound care, catheter management)
- Allied health services (physiotherapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy)
- Home modifications for safety
- Assistive technology and equipment
- Respite care for family carers
These classifications suit people managing chronic health conditions, recovering from hospital stays, or living with moderate cognitive decline.
Higher classifications (7 and 8): high-level needs
Classifications 7 and 8 are the highest budgets, for people who would otherwise need residential aged care. They provide intensive, coordinated support across multiple service areas.
Typical services:
- Daily personal care assistance
- Regular nursing visits
- Complex health management
- Extensive home modifications
- Equipment and assistive technology
- Regular respite care
These classifications allow people with serious health conditions, advanced dementia, or significant physical disabilities to remain at home with comprehensive care.
How the former package levels map across
If you are looking for the old Home Care Package levels, here is how the historic funding compares with the current Support at Home classifications. This is provided as history only. New entrants are assessed against the eight classifications, not the four levels.
| Former HCP level (before 1 Nov 2025) | Former annual funding | Closest current classification |
|---|---|---|
| Level 1 | about $10,271 | Classification 1 ($10,731) |
| Level 2 | about $17,346 | Classification 2 or 3 ($16,034 / $21,966) |
| Level 3 | about $38,454 | Classification 4 or 5 ($29,696 / $39,697) |
| Level 4 | about $62,589 | Classification 7 or 8 ($58,148 / $78,106) |
Read more: former Level 1 explained and former Level 2 explained
Former funding amounts reflect the 2024-25 Home Care Packages schedule that applied before 1 November 2025. Source: Department of Health and Aged Care
Who is eligible?
To qualify for Support at Home, you need to meet these requirements:
Age: Generally 65 years or older (50 or older for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people). There is no strict cutoff and younger people with complex needs may also qualify.
Residency: Australian citizen, permanent resident, or holder of a special category visa.
Care needs: You must have care needs that can be met through home-based services. This is determined through an assessment under the Single Assessment System.
Preference for home care: You need to want to stay living at home rather than enter residential aged care.
The assessment is the main gateway. An assessor visits your home, uses the Integrated Assessment Tool to evaluate your physical, cognitive, and social needs, and recommends a funding classification. Higher-needs applicants receive a comprehensive assessment and lower-needs applicants a home support assessment.
Read our full guide: Support at Home eligibility requirements
How to apply
Getting Support at Home funding involves several steps. Here is the process from start to finish.
1. Contact My Aged Care
Call 1800 200 422 or visit myagedcare.gov.au. You will go through an initial screening that takes about 15 to 20 minutes. Have your Medicare card handy.
Anyone can make this call. You, a family member, your GP, or a hospital social worker can all start the process on your behalf (with consent).
2. Get your assessment
If the screening identifies that you may need home care support, you will be referred for an assessment under the Single Assessment System. An assessor (usually a nurse or allied health professional) visits you at home and uses the Integrated Assessment Tool.
The assessment covers:
- Your daily routine and what you can manage independently
- Health conditions and medications
- Home safety and environment
- Social connections and emotional wellbeing
- Cognitive function
Tips from people who have been through it:
- Do not downplay your difficulties. Be honest about what you struggle with.
- Have a family member or friend present. They can add context the assessor needs.
- Show the assessor your worst days, not your best. If you have pain in the mornings, book a morning assessment.
Not sure which classification you might qualify for? Try our free care level quiz to get an estimate based on your care needs.
3. Receive your approval
After assessment, My Aged Care confirms whether you have been approved and which classification you qualify for. This usually arrives within 2 to 4 weeks of the assessment.
If you disagree with the outcome, you can request a review or apply for reassessment.
4. Wait for a place to be released
Once approved, you are placed in the national priority system, which ranks people as Urgent, High, Medium or Low. Places are released according to priority. While you wait, you may be able to access services through the Commonwealth Home Support Programme (CHSP).
Waiting times before a place is released vary by classification and demand. For current waiting list information, see myagedcare.gov.au.
5. Choose a provider
When a place at your classification is released, you have 56 days to select a registered provider, with a possible 28-day extension if you need more time. This is your choice and it matters. Providers charge different fees, offer different services, and vary in quality.
Things to compare:
- Administration and care management fees (these come out of your package funding)
- Range of services offered
- Flexibility in scheduling
- Exit fees (if any)
- Reviews from other clients
You can browse and compare home care providers through Carevo’s provider network to find the right fit.
6. Start your services
Work with your chosen provider to create a care plan. This plan sets out what services you will receive, when, and how your funding will be spent. Services begin once you sign the service agreement.
You can change providers at any time if you are not happy. Your unspent funds transfer with you.
How to choose a provider
Choosing the right Support at Home provider is one of the most important decisions in this process. Your provider manages your funding, coordinates your services, and is your main point of contact.
Watch out for high fees. Some providers charge administration fees of 30% to 40% of your package, leaving less money for actual care. Others charge under 20%. Ask for a full fee schedule before signing up.
Check what services they actually provide. Some providers deliver all services in-house. Others subcontract. Neither is necessarily better, but you should know what you are getting.
Ask about flexibility. Can you change your care plan easily? Can you bank unused hours? What happens if you need to cancel a session?
Read reviews and ask around. Talk to other families. Check the My Aged Care provider finder for quality ratings.
Consider self-management. Some providers offer self-managed or partly self-managed arrangements, giving you more control over who delivers your care and how your funding is spent. Read more about self-managed Support at Home.
Through Carevo, you can browse provider profiles, compare fee structures, and connect with aged care providers in your area. Get matched with the right provider.
Costs and contributions
Support at Home is mostly government-funded, but you may contribute toward some services based on your means. There is no basic daily fee under Support at Home. The old basic daily fee and income-tested care fee that applied to Home Care Packages were removed on 1 November 2025.
Service-based contributions
Instead of a single fee, your contribution depends on the type of service. Services fall into three groups, and your rate within each group depends on your financial situation.
| Service group | Full pensioner | Part pensioner | Self-funded retiree |
|---|---|---|---|
| Clinical care (nursing, allied health) | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| Independence (personal care, assistive technology, home modifications) | 5% | rising scale | up to 50% |
| Everyday living (cleaning, meals, transport, social support) | 17.5% | rising scale | up to 80% |
Clinical care is fully government funded for everyone. The government pays the rest of each service cost on top of your contribution.
Lifetime contribution cap
Your total contributions across Support at Home and any later residential care are capped over your lifetime at around $130,000 (indexed). Once you reach the cap, you do not contribute further. The value of your home is not counted toward your contributions.
For current contribution rates, thresholds and the cap, visit Services Australia and myagedcare.gov.au.
What the government pays
The government contribution goes directly to your provider. The exact amount depends on your classification budget and your assessed contribution rates. It covers care services and care management.
From Home Care Packages to Support at Home
Support at Home replaced Home Care Packages on 1 November 2025, the same day the new Aged Care Act 2024 commenced. This was the biggest change to home care in over a decade.
What changed
- 8 classifications replaced 4 levels. Instead of Levels 1 to 4, the system uses classifications 1 to 8, allowing for more precise matching of funding to needs.
- The assessment system changed. The Single Assessment System, introduced on 9 December 2024, replaced the separate ACAT, RAS and ACAS arrangements. Assessors use the Integrated Assessment Tool.
- The fee model changed. The basic daily fee and income-tested care fee were removed. Contributions are now service-based, and a lifetime contribution cap of around $130,000 applies.
- Service categories. Services are grouped into clinical care, independence, and everyday living, each with different contribution rules. From 1 October 2026, personal care (showering, dressing, grooming, eating, hygiene) moves into clinical care and becomes fully government funded with no participant contribution. Until then it sits in independence.
What stayed the same
- You still need an assessment to qualify
- You still choose your own provider
- You can still change providers
- Government funds the majority of costs
Transition for former Home Care Package recipients
If you had a Home Care Package before 1 November 2025, you transitioned to Support at Home and the government has guaranteed you are “no worse off”. You did not need to reapply, and your services should not have been disrupted.
This page stays focused on the move from Home Care Packages. For the complete program guide covering the full structure, funding, contributions, and how to access care, read the full Support at Home program guide.
Frequently asked questions
What are the Support at Home classifications?
Support at Home uses 8 funding classifications instead of the old 4 levels. Annual budgets run from $10,731 (Classification 1) to $78,106 (Classification 8): $10,731, $16,034, $21,966, $29,696, $39,697, $48,114, $58,148 and $78,106. Your classification is set by the Single Assessment System.
How much funding does Classification 5 provide?
Classification 5 provides approximately $39,697 per year. This sits in the middle of the eight classifications and suits intermediate care needs. The exact amount of care you receive depends on your provider’s fees and the mix of services you use.
How many hours of care do you get under Support at Home?
The hours depend on your classification budget and the services you use. Nursing and clinical care cost more per hour than domestic help, so the same budget buys fewer hours when used for clinical services.
How do I apply for Support at Home?
Contact My Aged Care on 1800 200 422 or visit myagedcare.gov.au. You will go through an initial screening, then be referred for an assessment under the Single Assessment System. The assessment determines which classification you qualify for.
How long is the wait for Support at Home?
Once approved, you are placed in a national priority system (Urgent, High, Medium or Low) and places are released by priority. When a place at your classification is released you have 56 days to choose a provider, with a possible 28-day extension. While waiting, you can access basic support through the Commonwealth Home Support Programme (CHSP).
What is the difference between the classifications?
Lower classifications (1 to 3, about $10,731 to $21,966) suit basic and low-level needs. Middle classifications (4 to 6, about $29,696 to $48,114) cover intermediate needs including some nursing and allied health. Higher classifications (7 and 8, about $58,148 to $78,106) cover high-level needs and act as an alternative to residential care.
Do I have to pay for Support at Home?
There is no basic daily fee under Support at Home. Clinical care is free for everyone (0%). You contribute toward independence services (5% for full pensioners up to 50% for self-funded retirees) and everyday living services (17.5% up to 80%). A lifetime contribution cap of around $130,000 applies. Your home value is not counted.
Can I choose my own provider?
Yes. You choose from any registered provider. You have 56 days to choose once a place is released, with a possible 28-day extension. You can also switch providers at any time, and your unspent funds transfer with you.
What services are covered?
Services include personal care, domestic help, meal preparation, transport, nursing care, allied health, home modifications, equipment, social support, and respite care. Higher classifications provide more funding for more complex and more frequent services.
What happens if my needs increase?
You can request a reassessment through My Aged Care at any time. If your needs have increased, you may be approved for a higher classification. Your provider can also flag that your needs have changed.
Can family members be paid carers?
In some cases, yes. Your provider must approve the arrangement and include it in your care plan. There are rules about what family members can and cannot be paid to do.
Resources
- My Aged Care - the starting point for all aged care services
- Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission - provider quality ratings and complaints
- Services Australia: aged care - means assessment and contribution information
- Department of Health: Support at Home - official program information
Find the right home care provider
Choosing a provider can feel overwhelming, especially when you are already dealing with health concerns and complicated paperwork. Carevo connects you with aged care providers across Australia so you can compare services, fees, and reviews in one place.
Get matched with the right provider or call 1800 953 253 to talk to someone who can help you find the right fit.
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Based on 938 aged care and Support at Home inquiries made through Carevo. See the full Support at Home Demand Report.
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About the author
Back to Blog Co-founder & CEO · Updated
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.
