Support at home explained: a simple guide for older Australians and families
If you or someone you care for needs help to continue living safely and independently at home, you may have come across the Support at Home program.
Support at Home is the Australian Government’s main program for providing coordinated in-home aged care to older Australians with more complex or ongoing care needs. It replaced the Home Care Packages Program and Short-Term Restorative Care Programme on 1 November 2025.
But understanding what Support at Home actually means for you can be another matter.
How much support can you receive? What services are covered? How does funding work? Do you have to contribute towards the cost? And, once you’ve been approved, how do you choose the right provider?
This guide breaks down the essentials.
What is the Support at Home program?
Support at Home is designed to help older Australians remain independent at home for longer.
Rather than moving into residential aged care when you begin needing assistance, you may be able to receive services in your own home and community.
Depending on your assessed needs, these could include help with personal care, cleaning, transport, meals, nursing, allied health and other supports.
Support at Home provides both ongoing care and short-term support pathways.
For people receiving ongoing care, there are eight funding classifications. The classification you’re assigned depends on the level of support identified through your aged care assessment.
Who is Support at Home for?
Support at Home may be appropriate when you need a coordinated range of services to continue living at home.
For example, you might need help showering and getting dressed, preparing meals and keeping your home safe. Or your needs may be more complex and include nursing or allied health services.
If you only need a small amount of assistance with one or two everyday tasks, the Commonwealth Home Support Program (CHSP) may be more appropriate. CHSP currently provides entry-level support, while Support at Home is intended for people with more complex or intensive care needs.
An aged care assessment determines which government-funded aged care services you are eligible to receive.
How do you get approved for Support at Home?
The first step is an aged care assessment.
During your assessment, an assessor will talk with you about your current situation, health, daily activities, goals and the areas where you may need assistance.
The assessment isn’t simply about identifying what you can’t do. It’s also an opportunity to discuss what’s important to you and what support could help you remain independent.
If you’re eligible for Support at Home, you’ll receive information explaining the services and funding you’ve been approved for. Depending on your needs, this may include ongoing support, a short-term pathway, or both.
Once funding for an approved service becomes available, you can choose a provider and arrange your services.
How do the eight Support at Home classifications work?
If you’re approved for ongoing Support at Home services, you’ll be assigned one of eight classifications.
In simple terms, the classifications represent different levels of care need. Higher classifications provide larger budgets for people who have more significant or complex needs.
As of 1 July 2026, the annual government funding amounts range from approximately $11,010 for Classification 1 to $80,137 for Classification 8. These amounts are indexed annually, so they can change over time.
Your classification isn’t something you choose yourself. It’s determined through your aged care assessment based on your needs.
If your circumstances change and your existing funding is no longer sufficient, you may need to be reassessed.
How does your Support at Home budget work?
Support at Home funding for ongoing services is allocated as a quarterly budget, rather than providing your entire annual amount at once.
You then work with your provider to decide how to use that budget across the services you’ve been approved to receive.
You don’t necessarily need to spend exactly the same amount on every service each quarter. Your mix of services can be adjusted as your needs change, provided the services are consistent with your assessed needs and approvals.
There are limits on how much unused funding you can carry forward. Currently, you can carry over up to $1,000 or 10% of your quarterly budget, whichever is greater, into the following quarter.
This makes understanding your budget – and planning how to use it – particularly important.
What services can you receive through Support at Home?
Support at Home services fall broadly into three categories.
Clinical supports
These are services related to your health and clinical care and can include nursing, physiotherapy, occupational therapy and podiatry.
Independence
These services help you manage everyday activities and maintain your independence. They can include personal care, help taking medications, transport and respite care.
Everyday living
These services help you manage your home and everyday life and can include cleaning, gardening, shopping and meal preparation.
The services you can access depend on what has been approved as part of your assessment and support plan. This means having Support at Home funding doesn’t automatically mean you can spend it on any service you choose.
Do you have to pay for Support at Home services?
Potentially.
The amount you contribute depends on the type of service you receive and, where applicable, your financial circumstances.
Under the current system:
Clinical supports are fully funded by the Australian Government, so participants don’t make a contribution towards these services.
Independence services generally require a moderate contribution.
Everyday living services generally require a higher contribution.
Your individual contribution may depend on an income and assets assessment.
There is also an important change approaching: from 1 October 2026, the Australian Government will fully fund personal care services for participants who have personal care approved in their support plan.
Because contribution rates and aged care rules can change, check the latest government information when working out your likely costs.
What are the Support at Home short-term pathways?
Support at Home isn’t limited to ongoing care.
There are also three short-term pathways designed for particular situations.
Restorative Care Pathway
The Restorative Care Pathway provides short-term, intensive support aimed at helping you regain or maintain your independence.
For example, after an illness or injury you might benefit from coordinated allied health or nursing services to help rebuild your strength and confidence.
The pathway can provide services for up to 16 weeks.
Assistive Technology and Home Modifications scheme
The Assistive Technology and Home Modifications scheme provides separate funding for approved equipment and changes that can make your home safer or easier to navigate.
Depending on your assessed needs, this could help you access appropriate products, equipment or home modifications. Funding is generally available for 12 months.
End-of-Life Pathway
The End-of-Life Pathway provides additional in-home aged care support for people with three months or less to live who want to remain at home.
It is designed to work alongside state and territory palliative care services rather than replace specialist palliative care.
I’ve been approved for Support at Home. What happens next?
Approval is a significant step, but it doesn’t automatically organise your care.
Once your funding becomes available, you’ll need to choose a Support at Home provider.
Your provider will work with you to organise the services you’ve been approved for and determine how those services fit within your available budget.
This is where it’s worth taking some time to understand your options.
You might want to ask potential providers:
Do you provide all the services I’ve been approved for?
Are those services available in my area?
How quickly can services begin?
Will I have consistent care workers?
What are your prices for each service?
How much of my budget will go towards care management?
What happens if I want to change my services?
How will you keep me informed about my remaining budget?
What happens if my needs increase?
How easy is it to change providers later?
The provider that’s right for one person won’t necessarily be right for another.
Can you choose your own Support at Home provider?
Yes.
Once your funding is available, you can choose a provider that suits your needs.
That choice matters.
Availability, service offerings, pricing, communication and how care is delivered can differ between providers. The best fit may also depend on where you live, the particular services you’ve been approved for and what’s important to you personally.
Instead of simply choosing the first provider you find, it can help to compare your options and understand what you’re agreeing to before signing a service agreement.
Can you change your services if your needs change?
Your care doesn’t have to stay exactly the same.
You can discuss changing the mix of services you receive with your provider. If your care needs have changed significantly, you can also ask for a reassessment.
For example, someone who initially needs help with household tasks may later require more personal care, mobility support or clinical services.
The important thing is to raise changes in your circumstances rather than assuming you have to continue with a care arrangement that no longer meets your needs.
Feeling confused about what to do next?
That’s understandable.
Support at Home gives older Australians more options for receiving care at home, but there are still a lot of decisions to make.
You may need to understand your assessment, work out what your funding actually allows, compare providers, consider service costs and decide which combination of support is right for you.
Care & Co Match can help you navigate those decisions.
Our Care Concierges can help you understand your options, identify suitable providers and work through the practical next steps, so you and your family can make a more informed decision about care.
Whether you’re just starting to explore aged care or you’ve already received your Support at Home approval, you don’t have to work everything out on your own.
Need help understanding your Support at Home options? Talk to a Care & Co Match Care Concierge on 1300 585 759 or click here to contact us.