What are the important changes being introduced in the new Support At Home program?
If you or someone you care for is receiving a Home Care Package, you've probably heard that big changes are coming. From 1 July 2025, the Australian Government is rolling out the Support at Home program, which will replace the current Home Care Packages.
With the introduction of the Support At Home program on the 1st July 2025, there are a number of changes to how older Australians will access and manage aged care support and funding.
We know these are big changes, so we've put together a guide to help explain what the changes are, what they mean for you or your loved ones, and where to find more information.
Join Us for an Important Info Session on the New Support at Home Program
Come along to our online information session to find out what the new Support at Home program means for you.
Register your interest by contacting the BCD Aged Care team on 1800 275 223 or email info@bcdcci.org.au.
In this blog post, you can skip to a section by clicking on the links below:
Key Features Of The New Support At Home Program
- 1. New Service Lists for Clinical, Independence and Everyday Supports
- 2. One Single Assessment System to Make the Process Easier
- 3. Quarterly Budgets for More Flexibility
- 4. Care Management Fees Capped at 10%
- 5. Co-Contribution: Only Pay for the Services You Have Received
- 6. Eight New Budget Levels (Replacing 4 Home Care Package Levels)
- 7. Additional Funds and Supports on Top of Budget Classifications
What is the Support at Home Program?
The new Support at Home Program provides funding to help older Australians live independently at home for longer, simplifying access to aged care services through a single, streamlined system.
From 1 July 2025, Home Care Packages and the Short-Term Restorative Care program will now fall under the Support At Home Program. At a later date, the Commonwealth Home Support Programme (CHSP) will also move under the Support at Home Program (no earlier than 1 July 2027).
No Worse Off Principle For Older People Receiving Aged Care
If you were receiving a Home Care Package, on the National Priority System or you have been assessed as eligible for a package as at 12 September 2024, you will be no worse off under Support at Home.You will make the same financial contributions, or lower, than you would under the Home Care Packages Program.
Here is an overview of the key features and changes under the new Support At Home Program:
1.New Service Lists For Clinical, Independence and Everyday Supports
Support at Home introduces three categories of support to make it clearer what help you can get.
The new service list covers clinical care, independence support, and everyday living tasks - from nursing and personal care to transport, cleaning, and meal preparation.
| New Service List Structure | Examples of Services | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Clinical Care: Specialised services to maintain and restore functional and cognitive abilities | Nursing, most allied health, nutrition, care management and restorative management |
| 2 | Independence: Support with daily activities and skill maintenance to support changes in ability to live independently | Personal care, special support, community engagement, therapeutic services, respite, transport, assistive technology, home modifications |
| 3 | Everyday Living: Support to keep your home in a liveable state and your independence at home | Domestic assistance, home maintenance, repairs, meals and meal prepping |
Your approved list of support services will be based on your assessment and eligibility. You can choose a mix of services within your set budget.
There will be 8 ongoing service classifications, each with a budget level for you to access services.
2. One Single Assessment System To Make The Process Easier
Support at Home brings in a new Single Assessment System to make the process easier. Once assessed, you'll get a personalised support plan to share with your chosen provider.
Approved aged care support services will be based on your aged care assessment and eligibility.
After you have been assessed for eligibility, you will receive a notice of a decision and an individual support plan for you to use with your provider.
You can find out if you are eligible by visiting the assessment tool online at myagedcare.gov.au/assessment
3. Quarterly Budgets For More Flexibility
Based on your assessment and needs, a quarterly budget is set to cover the approved care and support services. The quarterly budget covers 3 monthly periods.
This gives you more flexibility to adjust your support as your needs change.
The quarterly budget will be managed by you with your aged care provider.
Any unspent funds of $1,000 or 10% of your quarterly budget (whichever is greater) will rollover to the next quarter.
The final budget amounts for all participants will be confirmed before the start of the program.
Table 1: Support At Home Blended Budget - January to March, April to June, July to September, October to December.
| Classification Level | Annual Budget | Quarterly Budget | 10% Quarterly Management Fee | Quarterly Spending Budget | Maximum Rollover per quarter ($1000 or 10% CL whichever is higher) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Transitioned Level 1 Home Care Package | $10,833 | $2,708 | $271 | $2,437 | $1,000 |
| 1 | $11,000 | $2,750 | $275 | $2,475 | $1,000 |
| Transitioned Level 2 Home Care Package | $19,049 | $4,762 | $476 | $4,286 | $1,000 |
| 2 | $16,000 | $4,000 | $400 | $3,600 | $1,000 |
| Transitioned Level 3 Home Care Package | $41,460 | $10,365 | $1,037 | $9,329 | $1,000 |
| 3 | $22,000 | $5,500 | $550 | $4,950 | $1,571 |
| Transitioned Level 4 Home Care Package | $62,853 | $15,713 | $1,571 | $14,142 | $1,414.70 |
| 4 | $30,000 | $7,500 | $750 | $6,750 | $1,000 |
| 5 | $40,000 | $10,000 | $1,000 | $9,000 | $1,000 |
| 6 | $48,000 | $12,000 | $1,200 | $10,800 | $1,200 |
| 7 | $58,000 | $14,500 | $1,450 | $13,050 | $1,450 |
| 8 | $78,000 | $19,500 | $1,950 | $17,550 | $1,950 |
Access to additional funds and supports on top of the classification level through:
Restorative Care Pathway, up to $12,000 |
Assistive Technology and Home Modifications Scheme, up to $15,000 |
End of Life Pathway, up to $25,000*
Figures as at 24 March 2025 - please refer to the Support At Home website for the most up to date information - https://www.health.gov.au/our-work/support-at-home/features.
What's not included:
Funds for assistive technology and home modifications are not part of the quarterly budget. The Assistive Technology and Home Modifications Scheme (ATHM Scheme) provides separate funding on top of quarterly budgets which cover a longer time period.
4. Care Management Fees Capped At 10%
Care management fees are capped at 10% of the quarterly budget. That means 90% of your budget goes directly to your care and support services.
5. Co-Contribution: Only Pay for The Services You Have Received
For the first time, the Support At Home program introduces co-contributions but only if you can afford it.
Older Australians who can afford to do so will contribute towards the cost of their care. You will only pay towards services you have received.
Put simply, a co-contribution is your out of pocket expense towards your home care services, the government covers the rest of the fees.
The contribution rates are a percentage of the aged care service fees and are based on your status, income and assets as a pensioner and/or retiree.
The Age Pension means test will be used to determine the means tested percentage contribution, and Commonwealth Seniors Health Card holders will pay lower contributions than other self-funded retirees.
Clinical support services are fully covered by the government's Support At Home program so there are no out of pocket costs for clinical supports such as nursing care, occupational therapy and continence care.
You can find out more about the latest contribution rates here: health.gov.au/support-at-home-participant-contributions
| Clinical Care | Independence | Everyday Living | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Full Pensioner | 0% | 5% | 17.5% |
| Part Pensioner & Commonwealth Seniors Health Card Eligible | 0% | Between 5% and 50% dependant on income and asset | Between 17.5% and 80% dependant on income and asset |
| Self-Refunded Retiree | 0% | 50% | 80% |
6. Eight New Budget Levels (Replacing 4 Home Care Package Levels)
The new program introduces eight funding levels, offering more tailored support to replace the current 4 Home Care Package levels.
Older Australians receiving Home Care Packages will be assigned a budget that aligns with their current care package level.
New applicants to the Support At Home program will be assessed and given a classification and budget suited to their specific needs.
The indicative budget amounts below are correct as at 3 February 2025. The final budget amounts for all participants will be confirmed before the start of the Support At Home program.
The indicative budget amounts for each ongoing classification are:
| Classification | Quarterly Budget | Annual Amount |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | ~$2,750 | ~$11,000 |
| 2 | ~$4,000 | ~$16,000 |
| 3 | ~$5,500 | ~$22,000 |
| 4 | ~$7,500 | ~$30,000 |
| 5 | ~$10,000 | ~$40,000 |
| 6 | ~$12,000 | ~$48,000 |
| 7 | ~$14,500 | ~$58,000 |
| 8 | ~$19,500 | ~$78,000 |
Already on a Home Care Package? You’ll be mapped to the equivalent new budget level. If your needs change, there’s flexibility to reassess.
The indicative budget amounts for home care recipients transitioned to Support at Home are:
| Transitioned home care recipients | Quarterly budget | Annual amount |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $2,708 | $10,833 |
| 2 | $4,762 | $19,049 |
| 3 | $10,365 | $41,460 |
| 4 | $15,713 | $62,853 |
The indicative budget amounts are correct as at 3 February 2025. The final budget amounts for all participants will be confirmed before the start of the Support At Home program.
Reassessments for Changing Needs: If a person's care needs change over time, they may be reassessed into a new classification level with a higher budget to meet their increased needs.
7. Additional Funds and Supports On Top Of Budget Classifications
Support at Home isn't a one-size-fits-all. There are three funding programs available that you can apply for separately:
Restorative Pathway - Short Term Support For Set Backs
If you have had a setback with how you usually manage your daily tasks or if everyday living is becoming more difficult, you can apply to access short term restorative support and care services for up to 12 weeks alongside any Support At Home Services you have.
In addition you may receive an extra budget of about $6,000 (or up to $12,000 if required) for multidisciplinary allied health services as well as through the Assistive Technology and Home Modifications (ATHM) Scheme if needed.
Restorative support focuses on helping you manage daily living tasks if you find you are slowing down.
Support can include physiotherapy, social work, nursing support, personal care, and assistive technologies.
Help with Assistive Technology and Home Modifications
A new Assistive Technology and Home Modifications Scheme will be available to help people find necessary assistive technology and make modifications to their homes. This scheme is separate to a person's Support at Home funding.
However, service providers can assist in arranging and sourcing equipment through the AT-HM Scheme if needed.
Short-Term Care and End of Life Support:
The new program will also offer short-term care services, including end-of-life support at home.
Older Australians with three months or less to live and who wish to remain at home will be given priority access to the program's highest funding level. The End Of Life Support pathway provides an additional $25,000 for home care services over a 16 week period. The End of Life Pathway will work alongside, not replace, specialised palliative care services like symptom management and advanced care planning.
This funding is separate from regular Support at Home funding and works alongside, rather than replacing, specialised palliative care services such as symptom management and advanced care planning.
For more information on the Support at Home Program, visit the Australian Government's Support at Home website: https://www.health.gov.au/our-work/support-at-home/features.
The Bottom Line
The Support at Home program is designed to be fairer, simpler, and more flexible. You'll have more control over your care, greater transparency on costs, and safeguards to protect you financially.
If you're already receiving support, you won't be worse off. If you're new to the system, there's help available to guide you through every step.
Need help?
If you’d like to find out more about getting help at home for you or your loved one, call our friendly Aged Care Team on 1800 275 223, we’re here to help you.
Our local quality aged care services provide support, dignity, and enhance quality of life, empowering older people to age independently and live well at home for as long as possible.
Sources:
My Aged Care Helpline: 1800 200 422
Support At Home website: https://www.health.gov.au/our-work/support-at-home/features
Support At Home Booklet For Older People, Families and Carers: https://www.health.gov.au/resources/publications/support-at-home-program-booklet-for-older-people-families-and-carers?language=en
For more info, visit myagedcare.gov.au or health.gov.au.
Disclaimer
The information provided in this blog post is for informational purposes only and should not be considered as legal, financial, or professional advice. While we strive to ensure the accuracy of the content, we encourage you to visit the relevant government websites for the most up-to-date and official information.