Getting older doesn’t mean giving up your independence. With a bit of support, you can continue living safely and comfortably in the home you love.
On 1 November 2025, the Australian Government launched Support at Home. This new program replaced the old Home Care Packages. It’s simpler, more flexible, and better suited to what you actually need.
Change can be confusing, especially when it comes to something as important as your care. That’s why we’ve put together this guide to explain how Support at Home works and what it means for you.
How you move into Support at Home depends on when you were first approved for care. The government has made sure that people who were already receiving help aren’t left worse off.
You’re protected. If you were receiving a Home Care Package, waiting for one, or had been assessed as eligible by this date, you won’t pay more than you did before. In fact, many people are paying less.
You’ve been moved across to Support at Home automatically. Your funding level stays the same, and any unspent funds have come with you. The main difference is that you’ll follow the new contribution rates (more on those below).
Welcome! If you’re applying for the first time, you’ll go through the new assessment system and be matched to one of eight funding levels based on your care needs. Your contributions will depend on your pension status and financial situation.
Support at Home has eight funding levels. The higher your level, the more support you’ll receive. Your level is worked out during your aged care assessment based on what you need help with.
Funding is paid quarterly (every three months). If you don’t use it all, you can carry over up to $1,000 or 10% of your quarterly budget, whichever is more.
| Level | Per Quarter | Per Year | What This Looks Like |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | $2,683 | $10,732 | A little help here and there. Maybe some light housework, help with shopping, or someone to check in on you regularly. |
| 2 | $4,009 | $16,035 | Some support with daily tasks. Cleaning, getting dressed, medication reminders, or a lift to appointments. |
| 3 | $5,492 | $21,967 | Regular help with personal care, meals, cleaning, and getting out into the community. |
| 4 | $7,424 | $29,696 | More frequent visits for personal care, plus nursing or therapy when needed. Wound care, mobility help, medication management. |
| 5 | $9,924 | $39,697 | Substantial daily support. Help with transfers, continence care, home modifications, and regular nursing visits. |
| 6 | $12,028 | $48,114 | High-level care with consistent nursing. Often includes managing chronic conditions, physio, and coordinated health services. |
| 7 | $14,537 | $58,148 | Very high needs with multiple daily visits. Help with most activities, dementia support, and a coordinated care team. |
| 8 | $19,526 | $78,106 | The highest level of support. Intensive nursing, palliative care, specialised equipment, and round-the-clock availability when needed. |
These amounts are current from 1 November 2025 and go up each July.
Support at Home also has two short-term pathways for specific situations:
Up to $6,000 (or $12,000 if you need more) for physio, OT, and allied health services over up to 16 weeks. It’s about helping you bounce back after a fall, surgery, or illness. You can access this twice a year.
Around $25,000 over 12 to 16 weeks for people who want to stay home during their final months. This covers nursing, personal care, and equipment, giving you comfort and dignity at home.
Services under Support at Home fall into three categories. How much you contribute depends on which type of service you’re using.
The government covers 100% of clinical services, no matter your income or pension status. This includes nursing care, wound management, physiotherapy, occupational therapy, podiatry, speech therapy, dietetics, & continence support.
These are the services that help you stay independent and connected. Personal care (showering, dressing), social outings, transport to appointments, respite care, and equipment like walkers or shower chairs. Products and equipment through the AT-HM scheme also fall into this category. You’ll contribute between 5% and 50% depending on your circumstances
Practical help around the house. Cleaning, laundry, meal prep, gardening, shopping assistance. These attract the highest contribution rates (17.5% to 80%) because they're seen as lifestyle support rather than health-related care.
Your contribution depends on your pension status and financial situation. Services Australia will do an assessment to work out your rates. Here’s a rough guide:
| Your Situation | Clinical | Independence | Everyday Living |
| Full Pensioner | 0% | 5% | 17.5% |
| Part Pensioner / CSHC Holder | 0% | 5% to 50% | 17.5% to 80% |
| Self-Funded Retiree | 0% | 50% | 80% |
CSHC = Commonwealth Seniors Health Card. If you have one, you may pay lower rates.
If you were receiving care before 12 September 2024, your rates are capped at 0 to 25% across all categories. That’s much lower than the standard rates.
There’s also a lifetime cap of $135,318.69 on what you’ll ever pay for non-clinical services, including AT-HM. Once you hit that, you won’t be asked to pay any more. If you’re grandfathered, your cap is lower at $84,571.66.
| Service Category – Clinical Supports (Hourly Rate) | |||||
| Service Type | Mon – Fri 6am – 8pm |
Weekday Evening 8pm – 6am |
Saturday | Sunday | Public Holiday |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Registered Nurse | $160 | $180 | $200 | $200 | $320 |
| Enrolled Nurse | $145 | $160 | $200 | $200 | $290 |
| Nursing Assistant | $120 | $135 | $170 | $170 | $240 |
| Allied Health and Other Therapeutic Services | For Allied health services, charges are per hour during office hours. | ||||
| Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Practitioner | $210 | ||||
| Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Worker | $210 | ||||
| Allied Health Therapy Assistant | $167 | ||||
| Counsellor or Psychotherapist | $210 | ||||
| Dietitian, or Nutritionist | $285 | ||||
| Exercise Physiologist | $215 | ||||
| Occupational Therapist | $230 | ||||
| Physiotherapist | $210 | ||||
| Podiatrist | $200 | ||||
| Psychologist | $280 | ||||
| Social Worker | $230 | ||||
| Speech Pathologist | $280 | ||||
| Service Category – Independence | |||||
| Service Type | Mon – Fri 6am – 8pm |
Weekday Evening 8pm – 6am |
Saturday | Sunday | Public Holiday |
| Personal Care Assistance With Self-Care and Activities Of Daily Living | $95 | $105 | $115 | $142 | $190 |
| Personal Care Assistance With The Self-Administration Of Medication | $95 | $105 | $115 | $142 | $190 |
| Personal Care Continence Management (Non-Clinical) | $95 | $105 | $115 | $142 | $190 |
| Social Support and Community Engagement | |||||
| Service Type | Mon – Fri 6am – 8pm |
Weekday Evening 8pm – 6am |
Saturday | Sunday | Public Holiday |
| Individual Social Support | $95 | $105 | $115 | $142 | $190 |
| Accompanied Activities (including travel) | $115 | $120 | $130 | $142 | $200 |
| Cultural Support | $95 | $105 | $115 | $142 | $190 |
| Digital Education and Support | $95 | $105 | $115 | $142 | $190 |
| Assistance To Maintain Personal Affairs | $95 | $105 | $115 | $142 | $190 |
| Expenses To Maintain Personal Affairs | $95 | $105 | $115 | $142 | $190 |
| Group Social Support (including travel) | $115 | $120 | $130 | $142 | $200 |
| Respite | $95 | $105 | $115 | $142 | $190 |
| Transport – Direct |
$100 (0–20km) per trip, $130 (21–40km) per trip, $145 (41–70km) per trip, Above 70km – price on request. |
||||
| Therapeutic Services For Independent Living | |||||
| Acupuncturist | $180 | ||||
| Chiropractor | $180 | ||||
| Diversional Therapist | $180 | ||||
| Remedial Masseuse | $180 | ||||
| Osteopath | $180 | ||||
| Art Therapist | $180 | ||||
| Remedial Masseuse | $190 | ||||
| Service Category – Everyday Living | |||||
| Domestic Assistance | |||||
| Service Type | Mon – Fri 6am – 8pm |
Weekday Evening 8pm – 6am |
Saturday | Sunday | Public Holiday |
| General House Cleaning | $92 | $97 | $115 | $138 | $184 |
| Laundry Services | $92 | $97 | $115 | $138 | $184 |
| Shopping Assistance With Travel (Accompanied and Unaccompanied) | $115 | $120 | $130 | $142 | $200 |
| Home Maintenance and Repairs | |||||
| Gardening | $120 | $125 | $150 | $180 | $220 |
| Assistance With Home Maintenance and Repairs | $120 | $125 | $150 | $180 | $220 |
| Expenses For Home Maintenance and Repairs | Price on request | ||||
| Meal Preparation | $95 | $105 | $115 | $142 | $190 |
| Meal Delivery | $20 per delivery. | ||||
| Assistive Technology and Home Modification | A handling and coordination fee of 10% of the quoted price will be applied. | ||||
Call My Aged Care on 1800 200 422 or visit myagedcare.gov.au. They’ll ask a few questions about your health and daily life. If it sounds like you could benefit from support, they’ll arrange an assessment to work out which funding level suits you.
It’s been rolled into Support at Home. Your funding level stays the same, and any money you haven’t spent has come across with you. You don’t need to do anything. It happened automatically.
Absolutely. You can change providers whenever you like, and there are no exit fees. Your funding and unspent balance will transfer to your new provider. Just give your current provider the notice period in your agreement.
You can roll over up to $1,000 or 10% of your quarterly budget (whichever is more) to the next quarter. Anything above that goes back to the program. If you had unspent Home Care Package funds, they’ve carried over with no limit and can be used after your quarterly budget runs out.
You can ask for a reassessment through My Aged Care or your provider. If your needs have increased, you may be moved to a higher funding level. Your contribution rates won’t go up just because your funding does.
You can apply for financial hardship assistance through Services Australia. If approved, the government will cover some or all of your contributions. We can help you with this process.
This is a lot of information. But you don’t have to sort through it on your own. At Six Star Home Care, we can walk you through Support at Home, whether you’re applying for the first time or moving across from an existing package. We’ll explain your options, help you get the most from your funding, and put together a care plan that suits your life.
At Six Star Home Care, we can walk you through Support at Home, whether you’re applying for the first time or moving across from an existing package. We’ll explain your options, help you get the most from your funding, and put together a care plan that suits your life.
Give us a call on (03) 9967 9524 Or email us at info@sixstarhomecare.com.au
Information current as of January 2026. For the latest, visit myagedcare.gov.au or give us a call.
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