In this guide:
Launched 1 November 2025, Support at Home is the program from the Australian Government that helps older people access care services so they can live independently at home for longer.
It replaced the Home Care Package (HCP) and Short-Term Restorative Care (STRC) programs.
The program has been designed to make in-home aged care more personalised, effective and easier to access.
Key changes include:
- A wider range of package classifications to better suit a person's individual needs, including higher levels of care.
- Faster access to help, with a simpler assessment process and shorter wait times.
- Upfront funding to preventative support with the Assistive Technology and Home Modification (AT-HM) Scheme.
- New and improved short-term options, with an expanded Restorative Care Pathway and End-of-Life Pathway.
Support at Home was developed in response to the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety. It works alongside the new Aged Care Act to bring in a new approach to regulation and care that puts the rights of older people first.
How to get started with Support at Home
3 groups of Australians may be eligible to be assessed for the Support at Home program:
- People over the age of 65
- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people over the age of 50
- People over the age of 50 who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless.
If you're eligible, you will be assessed under the Single Assessment System (SAS). An assessor will meet with you at home or in hospital if needed. They will chat with you about your needs and goals, then help create a support plan that's right for you.
Once approved, you'll receive your Support at Home funding classification and a notification when your funds are ready to use. You'll need to choose a Support at Home provider to manage your funds.
Your provider will work with you to:
- Select services that best meet your assessed needs and goals, within your quarterly budget.
- Arrange and source suitable assistive technology and/or home modifications.
- Support you to self-manage your care and services if you'd like to.
As a Support at Home participant, you don't receive the money directly in hand. Rather, it is administered by a registered provider, who pays for the services you would receive out of your package.
Find out more about accessing Support at Home funding.
Support at Home funding explained
Support at Home has 8 funding classifications, ranging from basic care needs (Classification 1) to high-level care needs (Classification 8). An independent assessor from the Single Assessment System will decide which classification of Support at Home funding is best suited to you.
There are also 3 short term care options: the Restorative Care Pathway, the End-of-Life Pathway and 3 funding levels for assistive technology and home modifications (AT-HM).
Each year, your annual budget will be allocated to you quarterly. 10% of this quarterly budget will be set aside with your provider to deliver care management.
Learn more about the different funding classifications.
Services covered by Support at Home
Your Support at Home funding can be used on a wide range of services, depending on your support plan. These are grouped into 3 categories:
Clinical care
Such as nursing, physiotherapy, occupational therapy and continence care.
Independence
Such as help with hygiene maintenance, taking medications, transport, social connection, assistive technology and respite care.
Everyday living
Such as cleaning, gardening, shopping and meal preparation.
Find out more about what your Support at Home funding can be used for.
This article, and any of our linked documents or articles, provides our summary of Support at Home terms and is intended for general purposes only. Please contact My Aged Care for information specific to your circumstances.