The Support at Home program is the Australian Government’s main program for older people who need help to keep living in their own home. It funds care and services based on an assessment of your needs, and you choose the provider who delivers them. This guide explains what Support at Home is, how its classifications and short-term pathways work, and the steps between your first enquiry and your first service.
What Support at Home is
Support at Home pays for coordinated care at home for people with ageing related needs. It can cover a small amount of help, such as cleaning or shopping, or a larger mix that includes nursing and allied health. The aim is to help you stay independent and well at home for longer.
The program is run by the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing. You get into it through My Aged Care, which handles assessments and holds your records.
What changed from Home Care Packages and Short-Term Restorative Care
Support at Home replaced the Home Care Packages Program and the Short-Term Restorative Care Programme on 1 November 2025. If you are trying to work out what replaced Home Care Package levels, the answer is the Support at Home classifications described below.
People who already had a Home Care Package moved across. They were placed in one of 4 transitioned classifications, which give them an equivalent level of funding to what they had before.
The 8 ongoing classifications, explained without the numbers
If you are approved for ongoing support, your assessment places you in one of 8 classifications. Each classification carries a funding amount, and that amount includes funding for care management. People with fewer needs sit in the lower classifications. People with complex needs sit higher and can get more care at home.
The funding amounts for each classification are published on the government’s website and can change. Your approval letter tells you which classification applies to you.
The 3 short-term pathways
Alongside ongoing support, Support at Home has three short-term pathways for particular situations.
Restorative Care Pathway
This pathway offers up to 16 weeks of allied health and nursing services. It is meant to help you regain function after an illness, a fall or a period of decline, so you can return to doing things for yourself.
End-of-Life Pathway
For people with 3 months or less to live who want to stay at home, this pathway funds extra in-home support for 12 weeks, which can be used over up to 16 weeks. It is designed to work alongside state and territory palliative care services.
Assistive Technology and Home Modifications (AT-HM) scheme
The AT-HM scheme is funded separately from your ongoing classification. It pays for equipment and changes to your home that make it safer or easier to get around, and the funding is available for 12 months in most cases.
What services Support at Home can include
Services fall into three groups:
- Clinical supports, such as nursing care, occupational therapy, podiatry and help with showering or dressing.
- Independence, such as transport, respite and support to get to appointments or social events.
- Everyday living, such as cleaning, gardening, shopping and meal preparation.
Every participant has care management, with a care partner who works with you to plan and review your services. You and your provider agree on the mix of services, and you can ask to change that mix later.
How you get Support at Home
The order of steps is the same for everyone.
- Apply for an aged care assessment through My Aged Care, online, by phone or in person.
- Have the assessment. An assessor talks with you about your needs and goals.
- Receive your letter. It sets out the services and funding you are approved for.
- Wait for funding. Funding is allocated for each approved service, and the wait depends on the service and your priority.
- Choose a provider and sign a service agreement. A service can start once its funding is available and the agreement is signed.
You can apply for an assessment on the My Aged Care Support at Home page, which also explains each step.
What you contribute, in principle
How much you contribute depends on the type of service and your income and assets. Some service types attract no contribution. You may be asked to give Services Australia information about your income and assets so your contribution can be worked out. Check the current contribution settings on My Aged Care rather than relying on an older guide.
Where CHSP fits
The Commonwealth Home Support Programme (CHSP) is a separate program for people who need a small amount of entry-level help. CHSP continues to run alongside Support at Home and is due to move into it at a later date. Your assessment decides which program suits your needs.
Comparing providers
Once you know what you are approved for, you can look through in-home support providers listed on Provider24 and contact the ones that cover your area. If your approval includes nursing, the community nursing care category is also worth a look, and providers who list under Support at Home appear in their own category.
This article is general information, not advice.
Frequently asked questions
Who is eligible for the Support at Home program?
Eligibility is decided through an aged care assessment arranged through My Aged Care. The assessment looks at your care needs and whether a coordinated program at home is the right fit. You can check whether you meet the requirements for an assessment on the My Aged Care website.
What is the difference between Support at Home and Home Care Packages?
Support at Home replaced Home Care Packages. It uses 8 ongoing classifications instead of package levels, adds three short-term pathways, and allocates funding for each approved service. People who had a Home Care Package moved across on an equivalent level of funding.
How much does Support at Home cost?
There is no single answer. What you contribute depends on the type of service and on your income and assets, and some service types attract no contribution. My Aged Care explains how contributions are worked out.