What Is the Support at Home Program and How Does It Work?
What Is the Support at Home Program and How Does It Work?
If you have been looking into aged care support and keep reading about Home Care Packages, stop. That program no longer takes new applicants. Support at Home is the current pathway, and it started on 1 November 2025.
Here is how it works and what it means for you.
The Basics
Support at Home is the government’s home care program for people aged 65 and over (or 50 and over for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people). It is built around one idea: you should be able to stay in your own home, on your own terms, for as long as you want to.
Your funding is managed as a quarterly budget. You decide, with your provider, how to spend it on the supports that matter most to you.
Source: myagedcare.gov.au/support-at-home
Eight Levels, Eight Budgets
The old Home Care Package system had four levels. Support at Home has eight. Your level is determined through a comprehensive assessment in your home, a conversation about your daily life, your health, and your goals.
- Level 1: $2,682.75 per quarter
- Level 2: $4,008.61 per quarter
- Level 3: $5,491.43 per quarter
- Level 4: $7,424.10 per quarter
- Level 5: $9,924.35 per quarter
- Level 6: $12,028.58 per quarter
- Level 7: $14,537.04 per quarter
- Level 8: $19,526.59 per quarter
Unspent budget carries over automatically each quarter, up to $1,000 or 10% of your quarterly amount, whichever is more. No paperwork needed. It just rolls over.
While you are waiting for your full allocation, you receive interim funding at 60% of your approved level so support can start sooner.
Source: myagedcare.gov.au/managing-your-support-home-budget
What You Can Use Your Funding For
Support at Home covers a wide range of services: personal care, domestic help, nursing care, allied health, transport, home modifications, assistive technology, and social support. Clinical care is already fully government-funded. From 1 October 2026, personal care follows suit, so your own budget goes even further.
The New Aged Care Act
The Aged Care Act 2024 also commenced on 1 November 2025. It is rights-based, your rights as an older person are at the centre of everything. Providers must meet strengthened Quality Standards and operate under a Code of Conduct and Statement of Rights. You are not a passive recipient of services. You are a person with rights.
Source: health.gov.au: Aged Care Act 2024
Your Lifetime Contribution
For new Support at Home participants, there is a lifetime contribution cap of $135,318.69. If you were receiving a Home Care Package on or before 12 September 2024, your cap is $86,185.23, and a “no worse off” protection applies to your situation.
Frequently Asked Questions
When did Support at Home start?
Support at Home officially started on 1 November 2025. It replaced the Home Care Packages Program. If you were receiving a package, you have been transitioned automatically.
How much does Support at Home cost?
Most people contribute a portion of the cost based on their income. The government subsidises the majority. My Aged Care can give you an estimate based on your specific situation.
Can I choose my own Support at Home provider?
Yes. You have the right to choose your provider and change if you are not happy. Greater Support offers personalised Support at Home services across Brisbane, Logan, Ballina, Lismore, and the Northern Rivers.
How to Get Started
Contact My Aged Care on 1800 200 422 (Monday to Friday, 8am to 8pm; Saturday, 10am to 2pm) or visit myagedcare.gov.au. A comprehensive assessment will be arranged in your home, and from there you choose your provider.
Greater Support provides Support at Home services across Brisbane, Logan, Sydney, Ballina, Lismore, and the greater Northern Rivers region. If you want to talk through what your support could look like, we are here. No obligation.
