How the Support at Home Program Works for Aged Care Services and Equipment

Direct Answer

The Support at Home program launched on 1 November 2025, replacing the Home Care Packages Program (and Short-Term Restorative Care). It uses 8 ongoing classifications that set your quarterly budget for approved services, plus 3 short-term pathways: the Assistive Technology and Home Modifications (AT-HM) scheme, the Restorative Care Pathway, and the End-of-Life Pathway. Participant contributions are based on the type of service (clinical, independence, everyday living) and your income and assets assessment. Wait times for ongoing funding depend on your priority category—currently estimated at within 1 month (urgent), 1.5–2.5 months (high), 8–9 months (medium), and 10–11 months (standard). See the Support at Home Priority System wait time estimates.

Understanding Classification Levels

Support at Home replaces the previous four-level Home Care Package system with eight ongoing classifications and published budgets.

Classification assessment process: Aged care assessors use the Integrated Assessment Tool (IAT) to determine eligibility and recommended supports.

Classification ranges: Class 1 addresses minimal support needs, while higher classifications reflect higher and/or more complex needs, up to Class 8. Your classification determines your quarterly budget for ongoing Support at Home services. (See the official Support at Home classifications and budgets.)

Funding increases by classification: Ongoing quarterly budgets rise from $2,682.75 (Class 1) to $19,526.59 (Class 8) (indexed annually). The current table is published on Support at Home costs and contributions.

Short-Term Support Pathways

Support at Home includes three short-term pathways, each with its own rules and time limits:

Pathway 1 – Assistive Technology and Home Modifications (AT-HM) scheme: Provides separate upfront funding for eligible equipment and home changes, not taken from your ongoing services budget. See the AT-HM scheme overview and the AT-HM funding tiers.

Pathway 2 – Restorative Care Pathway: Provides a support plan and budget for a 16-week period to help restore or maintain function. See the Restorative Care Pathway details.

Pathway 3 – End-of-Life Pathway: Supports eligible people to remain at home in their last months of life, with a dedicated support plan and budget. See the End-of-Life Pathway details.

Assistive Technology and Home Modifications Scheme

The AT-HM scheme funds eligible assistive technology and home modifications separately from your ongoing services budget.

Covered equipment categories (examples): mobility equipment such as wheelchairs and walking frames, toileting supports (e.g., commodes), bathing devices (e.g., shower chairs and bath boards), communication products, and eating/food prep aids (e.g., modified cutlery). (Eligible items are set out in the official AT-HM list.)

Home modification coverage (examples): lever tap sets or door handles, grab rails, handrails, ramps and stair lifts, and non-slip materials and mats. See examples on the AT-HM scheme page and the full AT-HM list.

Assessment and approval: If you’re approved for AT-HM, it will appear in your Notice of Decision and support plan. Your provider can arrange assessments from suitably qualified health professionals (such as an occupational therapist) where prescriptions or home modification assessments are needed. See “How do I know which assistive technology and home modifications I need?” on the AT-HM scheme page.

Client Fee Structure

Support at Home contributions vary based on service category and your income and assets assessment.

Clinical supports: No contribution for clinical supports (e.g., nursing and physiotherapy)—these are government funded. See “The type of service you receive” under Support at Home contributions.

Independence and everyday living services: Contributions are higher for everyday living services than for independence services, and your exact rates depend on your assessed financial circumstances. My Aged Care publishes the current contribution rate ranges (for example, full pensioners: 5% (independence) and 17.5% (everyday living)). See the participant contribution rates table.

Lifetime cap: The Home Care Package lifetime cap of $84,572 (indexed annually) remains for Support at Home contributions. See “When you were approved for services” on Support at Home costs and contributions.

Wait Times and Service Commencement

Wait times for ongoing Support at Home funding depend on your priority category in the Support at Home Priority System. The current published estimates are on the assessment outcome: Support at Home page.

My Aged Care also notes:

• If waits are longer than expected, you may be assigned interim funding (access to 60% of your approved funding). See “When will I get my funding?” on Support at Home costs and contributions.

• You can get access to funding immediately if approved for the Restorative Care Pathway or End-of-Life Pathway.

Choosing Aged Care Providers

Support at Home lets you compare and choose providers.

Provider registration: You can use Find a provider to locate providers that are registered with the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission (and therefore must meet obligations including the Aged Care Quality Standards). See “How can I check an aged care provider’s performance on quality?” on Checking quality of care.

Service scope: Providers set their own service prices and must publish a full online price list—so it’s worth comparing. See “How much will my services cost?” on Support at Home costs and contributions.

Geographic coverage: Provider availability varies by area—use Find a provider to compare options where you live.

Cultural and language matching: Find a provider can help you search for and compare providers that match your needs and preferences, including specialised care options. See Find a provider.

Documenting Needs for Assessments

Effective assessment preparation helps the assessor and provider understand what supports are most appropriate.

Mobility documentation: Note specific mobility limitations (e.g., difficulty standing from chairs, unsteady walking, problems with stairs, recent falls).

Bathroom safety needs: Document bathing and toileting challenges and where you feel unsafe. (Many common supports—like shower chairs, grab rails, and non-slip materials—are examples listed under the AT-HM scheme.)

Meal preparation challenges: Identify any difficulty shopping, preparing meals, or safely using kitchen equipment.

Medication management: Note missed medications or difficulties organising dosing.

Product alignment to needs: When discussing equipment and home changes, tie requests to specific functional risks (e.g., reduced balance when showering → shower chair and grab rails). You can point to examples and the eligible item list via the official AT-HM scheme and the government’s AT-HM list.