Key points

  • Support at Home classification 6 is for older Australians with high care needs
  • Annual funding of approximately $48,114 ($12,028 per quarter)
  • 10% care management deduction leaves roughly $43,303 for services per year
  • Clinical services (nursing, allied health) are fully funded with no participant contribution
  • From 1 October 2026, personal care also becomes a clinical support and is fully government funded (until then contributions applied)
  • Independence services attract contributions of 5% to 50% depending on income
  • Everyday living services attract contributions of 17.5% to 80% depending on income
  • The highest of the intermediate classifications, sitting between classification 5 and the complex care levels (7-8)
  • Provides enough funding for intensive daily support across clinical, personal, and domestic needs

What is Support at Home classification 6?

Classification 6 is the highest of the intermediate care levels in Australia’s eight-level Support at Home program. It is designed for people with high care needs who require intensive daily support but do not yet need the complex, near-residential level of care covered by classifications 7 and 8.

At this classification, you need significant help every day. You likely require twice-daily personal care, nursing visits several times per week, multiple allied health sessions, daily meal preparation, and regular domestic support. You may have complex chronic conditions, moderate cognitive decline, or significant mobility limitations.

Classification 6 sits at the top of the intermediate group. For how it compares to classifications 4 and 5, see our guide to Support at Home levels 4-6. For information about the highest classifications, see Support at Home levels 7-8. For a full overview of the program, see the Support at Home Program complete guide.

Funding breakdown

Classification 6 provides a set annual budget paid in quarterly instalments. The government deducts 10% for care management before the remaining amount goes toward your services.

ItemAmount
Quarterly budget$12,028.58
Annual total$48,114.30
Care management deduction (10%)$4,811.43
Available for services (annual)$43,302.87

Source: Australian Government Department of Health

How quarterly budgets work

Your funding arrives in four instalments each year, released in July, October, January, and April. If you do not use your entire quarterly allocation, unspent funds can roll over to the next quarter. The rollover cap is $1,000 or 10% of your quarterly budget, whichever is greater. For classification 6, that means you could carry over up to $1,202.86 per quarter. Amounts above the cap are returned to the government.

Care management deduction

The 10% care management deduction covers care plan development, coordination of services, regular reviews, and My Aged Care reporting. At classification 6, this amounts to $4,811 per year. Under the old HCP system, providers charging 35% on a Level 3 package ($38,454) took over $13,400 in fees. The fixed 10% cap at classification 6 means only $4,811 goes to administration, even though your total budget is higher.

Three service categories and what you pay

Under Support at Home, services fall into three categories with different contribution rules.

Clinical services (0% contribution)

Clinical services include nursing, physiotherapy, occupational therapy, speech pathology, podiatry, dietetics, and other allied health. These are fully funded by the government. From 1 October 2026, personal care (showering, dressing, grooming, non-clinical continence, eating, hygiene, and help self-administering medication) also becomes a clinical support and is fully government funded, with no participant contribution. Until 1 October 2026, personal care sat in the independence category and attracted a contribution.

At classification 6, clinical services are a major component of your care. You might access nursing visits 3 to 5 times per week, multiple allied health sessions weekly, complex medication management, and specialist clinical assessments. None of these cost you anything out of pocket.

Independence services (5% to 50% contribution)

Independence services cover assistive technology, home modifications, and mobility support. Your contribution ranges from 5% to 50% depending on your financial circumstances. (Personal care was previously an independence service, but from 1 October 2026 it becomes a fully government funded clinical support.)

At this level, you likely need twice-daily personal care, substantial home modifications (bathroom renovation, ramp installation, widened doorways), and various assistive technology items.

Everyday living services (17.5% to 80% contribution)

Everyday living services include domestic assistance, gardening, meal preparation, social support, and transport. Contribution rates range from 17.5% to 80% based on income and assets.

Classification 6 provides enough for regular domestic help several times per week, daily meal preparation, ongoing transport, and social support to prevent isolation.

Contribution rates by income group

Financial circumstanceClinical servicesIndependence servicesEveryday living services
Full pension recipient0%5%17.5%
Part pension recipient0%Up to 25%Up to 50%
Self-funded retiree (with CSHC)0%Up to 25%Up to 50%
Self-funded retiree (no CSHC)0%Up to 50%Up to 80%

Source: My Aged Care

What this means in practice

Consider a full pension recipient at classification 6 with $43,303 available for services. If they use $15,000 on clinical services (nursing, physio, OT, podiatry, speech pathology), they pay nothing. For $17,000 of independence services (equipment, home mods), they contribute 5%, which is $850. For $11,303 of everyday living services (cleaning, meals, transport, garden, social support), they contribute 17.5%, which is $1,978. Total annual contribution: approximately $2,828. (Before 1 October 2026 personal care sat in the independence category; from that date it is fully government funded, which reduces contributions for people who use a lot of personal care.)

A self-funded retiree without a Commonwealth Seniors Health Card at the same classification would pay nothing for clinical services, up to 50% for independence services ($8,500), and up to 80% for everyday living services ($9,042). Total annual contribution: up to approximately $17,542. To work through your own numbers, you can estimate your Support at Home budget and contributions based on your classification and income.

Lifetime contribution cap

Your total contributions across all aged care services are capped at $130,000 (as of November 2025, subject to annual indexation). For people at classification 6 with higher contribution rates, this cap becomes relevant over time and provides protection against indefinite out-of-pocket costs.

Hardship provisions

If your contributions create genuine financial hardship, you can apply for a reduction through the Department of Health. Provisions exist to ensure that nobody is denied necessary care because they cannot afford the contribution.

What services are covered at classification 6

With approximately $43,303 available for services, classification 6 provides enough funding to manage quite complex care situations at home.

Typical services include:

  • Nursing visits 3 to 5 times per week (wound care, chronic disease management, complex medication management, catheter care)
  • Multiple allied health sessions per week (physiotherapy, occupational therapy, speech pathology)
  • Twice-daily personal care assistance (morning and evening)
  • Daily meal preparation
  • Regular domestic assistance (2 to 3 sessions per week)
  • Complex medication management and monitoring
  • Continence management and supplies
  • Substantial home modifications (bathroom renovation, ramp, stair rails, widened doorways)
  • Assistive technology (hospital bed, mobility aids, monitoring systems)
  • Regular social support and community access
  • Planned respite care for family carers
  • Care coordination across multiple providers and disciplines
  • Transport to medical, allied health, and social appointments

At classification 6, you could receive 18 to 25 hours of support per fortnight. This level allows for genuinely intensive care that addresses chronic disease management, post-surgical recovery, progressive conditions, and complex daily needs. Across families using Carevo, the most requested services line up closely with this list, with personal care, domestic assistance and transport among the most commonly arranged through the platform.

A typical week at classification 6

Monday: Morning and evening personal care, nursing visit (medication management, wound care), domestic help (2 hours) Tuesday: Morning and evening personal care, physiotherapy, meal preparation Wednesday: Morning and evening personal care, nursing visit (chronic disease monitoring), occupational therapy, social support outing Thursday: Morning and evening personal care, meal preparation, domestic help (2 hours), garden maintenance Friday: Morning and evening personal care, nursing visit (catheter care or wound review), physiotherapy, meal preparation Saturday: Morning personal care, respite care for family carer Sunday: Morning personal care, family carer support

This is illustrative. Your actual schedule will depend on your assessed needs, your preferences, and provider availability.

Nursing at classification 6

Nursing care at this classification is intensive and covers complex clinical needs:

  • Complex wound management. Multiple wound sites, surgical wounds, pressure injuries
  • Medication management. Multiple medications with complex interactions, dose adjustments, monitoring for side effects
  • Chronic disease management. Regular monitoring of diabetes, heart failure, COPD, kidney disease
  • Catheter and stoma care. Regular changes, infection monitoring, troubleshooting
  • Post-hospital recovery. Intensive monitoring after surgery or acute illness
  • Palliative symptom management. Pain control, comfort care, symptom monitoring for progressive conditions
  • Health assessments. Regular vital signs, weight monitoring, skin integrity checks, fall risk assessment

Because all nursing is classified as a clinical service, the full cost is covered by the government regardless of your income.

How many hours of care can you get?

Classification 6 provides approximately $12,028 per quarter. After the 10% care management deduction, you have roughly $10,825 per quarter to spend on services. How far that goes depends on the types of services you use, your provider’s rates, and when you schedule visits.

Indicative hourly rates

ServiceWeekday RateSaturdaySundayPublic Holiday
Domestic assistance~$120/hr~$157/hr~$195/hr~$227/hr
Personal care~$120/hr~$157/hr~$195/hr~$227/hr
Registered nurse~$210/hr~$270/hr~$330/hr~$390/hr
Allied health (physio, OT)~$180/hr~$230/hr~$280/hr~$330/hr
Transport~$50-80/tripVariesVariesVaries

Rates are indicative and vary by provider and region. Clinical services have no participant contribution regardless of rate.

Worked example: Arthur, 79, self-funded retiree with multiple chronic conditions

Arthur has type 2 diabetes, a chronic leg wound, and heart failure. He needs daily personal care, regular nursing for wound management and chronic disease monitoring, and meal preparation to manage his diabetic diet.

Daily personal care, morning and evening (clinical support from 1 October 2026, fully government funded):

  • Morning: 1 hour, evening: 45 minutes, 7 days per week
  • Weekday: 1.75 hrs x $120 = $210/day x 5 = $1,050
  • Saturday: 1.75 hrs x $157 = $275
  • Sunday: 1.75 hrs x $195 = $341
  • Weekly total: $1,666 x 13 weeks per quarter = $21,658

Nursing for wound care and chronic disease monitoring (clinical service):

  • 4 visits per week, 45 minutes each at $210/hr = $157.50/visit x 4 = $630/week
  • $630 x 13 weeks per quarter = $8,190

Meal preparation (everyday living service):

  • 1 hour per day, 5 days per week at $120/hr = $600/week
  • $600 x 13 weeks per quarter = $7,800

Cleaning (everyday living service):

  • 3 hours per week at $120/hr = $360/week
  • $360 x 13 weeks per quarter = $4,680

Total quarterly service cost: $42,328

Arthur’s contribution as a self-funded retiree (no CSHC), from 1 October 2026:

  • Personal care (clinical support, 0%): $0
  • Nursing (clinical, 0%): $0
  • Meal preparation (everyday living, up to 80%): $7,800 x 80% = $6,240
  • Cleaning (everyday living, up to 80%): $4,680 x 80% = $3,744
  • Total out of pocket per quarter: up to approximately $9,984

Arthur’s contributions still reflect the everyday living services he uses, but from 1 October 2026 his personal care and nursing both cost him nothing because they are clinical supports. (Before 1 October 2026, personal care was an independence service and a self-funded retiree without a Commonwealth Seniors Health Card could pay up to 50%.) His nursing care ($8,190 per quarter) costs him nothing at all. This is one of the biggest advantages of the Support at Home program for people with complex clinical needs. Arthur’s total contributions are also subject to the lifetime cap of $130,000, which provides long-term protection.

In practice, Arthur would work with his provider to scale services to fit his budget. Reducing personal care to weekdays only and relying on family or private support on weekends would bring personal care costs down significantly. He could also reduce meal preparation to 3 days per week while batch-cooking on those days.

These figures are indicative. Your actual hours depend on your provider’s rates, the services you choose, and when you receive them. Weekend and public holiday rates reduce your available hours.

Tips for stretching your funding

  • Schedule services on weekdays when rates are lowest, this is especially important at higher contribution rates
  • Bundle tasks in one visit (for example, meal prep and cleaning in the same session)
  • Use clinical services freely since they are fully funded by the government, even self-funded retirees pay 0% on nursing and allied health
  • Track spending quarterly and adjust your care plan if you are underspending or overspending
  • Request a reassessment if your needs have increased and your current funding is not enough

Who qualifies for classification 6

To qualify, you must meet the basic eligibility criteria and be assessed as having high care needs.

Eligibility requirements

  • Aged 65 years or older (50 years or older for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples)
  • An Australian citizen, permanent resident, or hold a special category visa
  • Not already receiving equivalent government-funded aged care services
  • Assessed as having care needs that require support

What assessors look for at classification 6

The single assessment workforce evaluates your needs across multiple domains. For classification 6, assessors are looking for people who:

  • Need twice-daily assistance with personal care
  • Require frequent nursing visits for complex clinical needs
  • Have multiple chronic health conditions requiring regular monitoring
  • Experience significant mobility limitations
  • May have moderate cognitive decline affecting daily functioning
  • Cannot maintain any aspect of their home environment independently
  • Need daily meal preparation assistance
  • Have family carers who need planned respite support
  • Require care coordination across multiple service types

The difference between classification 6 and higher levels

Classification 6 is for people with high care needs who can still live at home with intensive support. Classifications 7 and 8 are for the most complex situations where the level of care begins to approach what a residential facility provides. If your needs include 24-hour monitoring, very complex clinical interventions, or severe cognitive decline requiring constant supervision, you may qualify for a higher classification.

How to get assessed

  1. Contact My Aged Care on 1800 200 422 or visit their website
  2. Complete the initial phone screening
  3. Have your comprehensive assessment completed in your home (1 to 2 hours)
  4. Receive your classification level and support plan
  5. Choose a provider and begin services

Bring a letter from your GP or specialist, recent hospital discharge summaries, medication lists, and any specialist reports. The more evidence the assessor has about your care needs, the more accurate the classification will be.

If you disagree with your assessment

The Independent Assessment Tool (IAT) has been criticised for underestimating care needs. If you believe your classification does not reflect your actual situation, request a reassessment. Contact the Older Persons Advocacy Network (OPAN) on 1800 700 600 for independent support. An aged care advocate can attend your reassessment and help ensure your needs are properly documented.

Comparison with the old Home Care Package system

Classification 6 sits above the old Level 3 HCP and below the old Level 4 HCP in terms of funding.

FeatureOld Level 3 HCPOld Level 4 HCPSupport at Home Classification 6
Annual funding$38,454$62,589$48,114
Care management feesProvider-set (12-45%)Provider-set (12-45%)Fixed 10% ($4,811)
Funding structureSingle flexible budgetSingle flexible budgetThree service categories
Clinical contributionsPaid from packagePaid from package$0 (fully funded)
Budget deliveryMonthlyMonthlyQuarterly
Waiting time6-12 months12+ monthsBased on assessment priority

Key differences

Fills the gap between old Level 3 and Level 4. The old system had a $24,000 gap between Level 3 ($38,454) and Level 4 ($62,589). Many people needed more than Level 3 but did not qualify for Level 4. Classification 6 at $48,114 fills this gap, providing appropriate funding for people with high but not the most complex needs.

Much more reaches actual care. If a provider charged 35% in fees on an old Level 4 package, that left roughly $40,700 for services. Classification 6 with the 10% cap leaves $43,303 for services, even though the total budget is lower. The fee savings make a real difference.

Clinical services are now free. Under the old system, nursing and allied health reduced your available budget. At classification 6, all clinical services are fully funded. If you access $15,000 or more in clinical services per year, none of that comes from your service budget.

No more years-long waiting. The old Level 4 HCP had waiting times of 12 months or more. Under the Support at Home system, access is based on assessment priority rather than a queue.

Managing your budget at classification 6

With over $43,000 available for services, classification 6 gives you a substantial care budget. Managing it well matters.

Prioritise clinical services

Clinical services are fully funded, so use them without hesitation. Regular nursing prevents hospital admissions. Physiotherapy maintains mobility and prevents falls. Occupational therapy identifies equipment and modifications that improve safety. Speech pathology supports swallowing and communication. These services cost you nothing and have the biggest impact on keeping you safely at home.

Coordinate across disciplines

At classification 6, you may work with nurses, physiotherapists, occupational therapists, personal care workers, domestic staff, and possibly speech pathologists or dietitians. Good coordination between these professionals is what turns individual services into effective care. Ask your provider how they manage communication between your care team members.

Plan for hospital transitions

People at classification 6 are at higher risk of hospital admissions. When you return home from hospital, you often need extra support for a period. Discuss with your provider in advance how they handle post-hospital care, including increased personal care, nursing visits, and medication changes.

Use respite care

Family carers supporting someone at classification 6 often carry a heavy load. Planned respite care gives them regular breaks while ensuring your care continues. Build respite into your care plan as a regular feature, not just something you use in emergencies.

Short-term pathways

In addition to your ongoing classification 6 funding, you may be eligible for:

  • Assistive Technology and Home Modifications pathway: Up to $15,000 for equipment and modifications, separate from your ongoing budget
  • Restorative Care pathway: Approximately $6,000 for focused allied health programs over 16 weeks

At classification 6, the assistive technology pathway can be particularly valuable for major home modifications (bathroom renovation, ramp installation) that would otherwise consume a large portion of your quarterly budget.

Moving between classifications

Moving up to classification 7 or 8

If your care needs increase beyond what classification 6 can support, you may qualify for classification 7 ($58,148/year) or classification 8 ($78,106/year). These provide funding for the most intensive home-based care and are designed as an alternative to residential aged care. Contact My Aged Care for a reassessment.

For full details, see our guide to Support at Home levels 7-8.

Staying at classification 6

Most people at this level remain at classification 6 for an extended period. Your provider should conduct regular care plan reviews (at least every 12 months) to ensure services match your current needs.

Moving down

If your health improves after treatment or rehabilitation, a reassessment may place you at a lower classification. This is less common at classification 6 but does happen, particularly after successful recovery from an acute condition.

Find the right provider for classification 6

At classification 6, your care is complex and involves multiple service types. Choosing the right provider is one of the most important decisions you will make. Look for providers with:

  • Direct employment of nurses and allied health professionals (not all subcontracted)
  • Experience managing high-level care plans with multiple disciplines
  • Strong staff continuity so you see the same care workers regularly
  • Transparent budget reporting across all three service categories
  • Responsiveness to urgent needs and post-hospital transitions
  • Capacity for respite care
  • Clear communication between clinical and support staff

Carevo connects older Australians with experienced aged care providers who specialise in high-level home care, drawing on a directory of 2,131 providers nationally. Whether you are transitioning from an existing package, have just been assessed, or need to change providers, we can help.

Call 1800 953 253 to find the right provider for your Support at Home classification through Carevo.

Learn more about the Support at Home Program or read our complete guide to the Support at Home Program.

All Support at Home Classifications

ClassificationAnnual FundingBest For
Level 1$10,731Very low needs, occasional help
Level 2$16,034Low needs, regular weekly help
Level 3$21,966Low-moderate, several visits per week
Level 4$29,696Moderate, daily assistance
Level 5$39,697Moderate-high, multiple daily services
Level 6$48,114High needs, complex care coordination
Level 7$58,148Very high, extensive daily support
Level 8$78,106Highest/complex, alternative to residential