Q: How do I know whether the Commonwealth Home Support Program or Support at Home funding is right for me?

Once you apply for an assessment , an assessor will come to your house to check your eligibility. If you’re eligible for the CHSP, the assessor will tell you right away. If they think Support at Home funding is more suited to your needs, they’ll review your situation and My Aged Care estimate that the assessor will send you a letter within 2 to 6 weeks to let you know what Support at Home classification you’re eligible for.

Question 1

What is the Support at Home program?

Accepted Answer

The Support at Home program is the new Australian Government program that launched on 1 November 2025 to replace the Home Care Packages program and Short-Term Restorative Care program. It’s all about creating a flexible, personalised and more supportive system for in-home aged care so older people can live independently at home for longer.

Question 2

What if I already have a Home Care Package?

Accepted Answer

If you currently have a Home Care Package, you do not need to reapply for a package under the new Support at Home scheme.

If you received or were assessed as eligible for a Home Care Package before 12 September 2024, your new budget under Support at Home will be ‘no worse off’ than the budget you receive under your current Home Care Package. This is commonly referred to as a ‘grandfathering arrangement’. Any unspent funds you have will also move across.

If you had to pay an Income Tested Care Fee (ITCF) prior to 12 September 2024, you will likely need to pay a contribution fee under Support at Home. If you did not pay an ITCF, you will not be required to pay the contribution under Support at Home.

Question 3

How do I apply for Support at Home?

Accepted Answer

If you are already receiving care, no action is needed. If you are new to aged care, apply through My Aged Care.

Website: myagedcare.gov.au

Phone: 1800 200 422

Question 4

Will I need to reapply for in-home aged care funding?

Accepted Answer

No, if you are currently receiving home care through a Home Care Package, your services will continue under Support at Home. However, if your needs have changed, you or your provider (with your consent) can request a Care Plan Review through My Aged Care.

Question 5

How long is the wait for Support at Home funding?

Accepted Answer

Support at Home funding is prioritised using information collected during the assessment process. Assessments for Support at Home funding are managed by the government. Applicants will be allocated one of the following priority categories:

Urgent
High
Medium
Standard.

A higher priority applicant will receive their funding sooner.

Once a Support at Home classification has been determined, My Aged Care estimates a medium priority individual may expect to wait up to 8 to 9 months for funding. The Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care aims to reduce this to 3 months by July 2027.

Question 6

Will ACAT assessments still exist under Support at Home?

Accepted Answer

The Aged Care Assessment Team (ACAT) has now been merged with the other assessment teams into a Single Assessment System. Aged care assessments continue under Support at Home, but the assessment is completed by the Single Assessment System workforce. Learn more about the Single Assessment System workforce.

Question 7

Will I get a Support at Home approval letter and referral code to activate my funding like I did with my Home Care Package?

Accepted Answer

If you are approved for Support at Home funding, the assessment organisation will send you a Notice of Decision letter. This letter will include:

Information about the services you’re approved to receive.
A copy of your support plan, which will include your referral code.
Approval for any short-term support, if applicable.
The reasons and evidence supporting the assessor’s decision.
Your rights to have the decision reviewed if you disagree with it.

Question 8

How do I know whether the Commonwealth Home Support Program or Support at Home funding is right for me?

Accepted Answer

Once you apply for an assessment, an assessor will come to your house to check your eligibility. If you’re eligible for the CHSP, the assessor will tell you right away. If they think Support at Home funding is more suited to your needs, they’ll review your situation and My Aged Care estimate that the assessor will send you a letter within 2 to 6 weeks to let you know what Support at Home classification you’re eligible for.

Question 9

How does Support at Home improve my care?

Accepted Answer

The Support at Home program is all about creating a flexible, personalised and more supportive system for in-home aged care. It comes with improvements such as:

More funding levels for tailored support.
Mandatory care management with monthly check-ins.
Faster access to short-term care options.
More flexibility in choosing care that fits your lifestyle.

Question 10

How could HomeMade help me get more support from my funding compared to other providers?

Accepted Answer

As Australia’s best-value home care provider, we make quality care affordable.

Choose our Fully Managed option to access cheaper set rates for the services you need, allowing you to get more out of your funding with no surprise costs. Or choose to self-manage with HomeMade and pick the providers that best suit your budget. Learn more about HomeMade’s pricing.

Question 11

Can I use my Support at Home funding for social and domestic tasks?

Accepted Answer

Yes, you can if it forms part of your Care Plan. These services are included under the Support at Home categories, Independence, and Everyday Living. You will need to check if your Support at Home funding includes a budget for these categories.

An example of the social and domestic tasks covered by Support at Home are:

Social support and community engagement (social activities, digital education, maintaining personal affairs, etc.)
Respite
Transport (engaging a driver, or rideshare or taxi service, etc.)
Assistive technology and home modifications
Domestic assistance (house cleaning, laundry, etc.)
Home maintenance and repairs (gardening, changing light bulbs, cleaning gutters, etc.)
Meals (meal preparation, meal delivery).

Review the full list of Support at Home services.

Question 12

Can Support at Home participants access the Commonwealth Health Support Program (CHSP)?

Accepted Answer

Generally not, however there are some limited circumstances where a Support at Home participant can access additional services through the CHSP.

For more information, refer to the Commonwealth Home Support Program manual.

Question 13

Can you help with the End-of-Life Pathway or the Restorative Care Pathway?

Accepted Answer

Currently, we are unable to help with the short-term Restorative and End-of-Life pathways.

Question 14

Can you help me with Assistive Technology and Home Modifications (AT-HM) funding?

Accepted Answer

The Assistive Technology and Home Modifications (AT-HM) scheme refers to separate supports under Support at Home, with separate funding tiers and rules.

‘Assistive technologyʼ refers to equipment or items that can help you perform tasks more easily or that you cannot do independently, such as a walking stick or frame.

‘Home modifications’ refer to changes to a home environment that make it safer and more accessible, such as grab rails in the shower.

If you have a Home Care Package and:

You were approved for AT-HM, you can use your unspent funds for items on the AT-HM list when you transition to Support at Home.
You are required to use the unspent HCP funds on AT-HM items before accessing Support at Home AT-HM funding.
You were approved for AT-HM but have no unspent funds, with your permission, we can complete an AT-HM survey for you or refer you for a care plan review.
You were not approved for AT-HM, but think you would benefit from AT-HM support, we can assist you in completing a care plan review.

If you have Support at Home funding:

Your eligibility for the AT-HM scheme will be determined in your aged care assessment or during a care plan review. If assessed as eligible, you will be assigned a funding tier. For more information on AT-HM funding, refer to section 12.1 of the Support at Home manual.

Question 15

Can I keep my current provider?

Accepted Answer

Yes, you can continue with your current provider. However, you will need one provider to manage all services under the new Single Provider Model.

Question 16

How do I know if I will be grandfathered?

Accepted Answer

‘To be grandfathered’ means that your arrangement under the current Home Care Package program will be ‘carried over’ to the Support at Home Program, and your current services and funding will stay the same. If you received, or were assessed as eligible, for a Home Care package before 12 September 2024, you will be ‘grandfathered’ into Support at Home.

You will move to a transitional level, which will provide the same level of funding you are already on. The government’s ‘no worse off’ principle means you will not receive less funding.
If grandfathered, your contribution fees will also stay the same. This means if you previously did not pay an Income Tested Care Fee (ITCF), you will not need to contribute under Support at Home. If you did pay an ITCF, you may have to contribute to the services you receive. This assessment will be done by Services Australia. A ‘no worse off’ principle applies, so you will not pay more for contributions than you do now.

Question 17

Will there be changes to my fees?

Accepted Answer

As part of the Government’s “no worse off” principle, your access to care won’t be reduced, and you won’t have additional fees with this change.

If you received your Home Care Package after 12 September 2024, you may have to contribute to the services you receive if you’re able to. This contribution will be assessed by Services Australia. If you are on a low income, you may qualify for a Fee Reduction Supplement.

Contact your aged care provider for more information.

Question 18

Have care management fees changed?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Under Support at Home, registered providers can charge up to 10% for care management, down from the previous 20% cap under Home Care Package. This is a government-mandated allocation which is set aside from your funding and is given to your provider to cover care management.

Question 19

What happens if I don’t agree with changes to my care plan?

Accepted Answer

You have the right to:

Request a review of your funding level.
Dispute service changes with your provider.
Get a second opinion from another assessor.

Please contact My Aged Care directly to arrange this. Phone: 1800 200 422

Question 20

What if I want to change providers?

Accepted Answer

You can switch providers at any time and your funding will follow you. However, when you switch, you will need to enter a new service agreement.

Question 21

What is the Dignity of Risk policy?

Accepted Answer

You have the right to make informed decisions about your care, even if they involve some risk, for example, choosing to live independently despite mobility issues. Your provider must support your choices.

Question 22

Where can I get more help?

Accepted Answer

Find official updates at:

Department of Health, Disability and Ageing: health.gov.au
Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission: agedcarequality.gov.au

Get direct support at:

Aged Care Advocacy Services: 1800 700 600
National Seniors Australia: 1300 765 050

Support at Home Frequently Asked Questions

Support at Home overview

Services

Existing customers

Further information

Resources

Frequently asked questions

For older people, families and carers