Support at Home is Australia’s national home care system. It helps you get the care and support you need to live safely and independently at home.
The program offers flexibility, simpler services, and support tailored to your individual needs.

Support at Home replaces the Home Care Package (HCP) and Short-Term Restorative Care (STRC) programs.

The Commonwealth Home Support Programme (CHSP) will transition into this system after 1 July 2027.

The Support at Home Program commenced nationwide on 1 November 2025. This means the current Home Care Package program concluded on Friday, 31 October 2025, and the new Support at Home system officially started on Saturday, 1 November 2025.

New Funding Levels

8 levels of support (instead of 4 under Home Care Package)

Higher funding available – up to $78,000 per year

Existing Home Care Package clients will stay on their current level unless reassessed after 1 November 2025

Short-Term Care Options

Two new flexible care pathways:

• Restorative Care
• End-of-Life Care

Assistive Technology & Home Modifications

Separate funding with three tiers: low, medium, high

Time-limited to encourage timely use

New Co-Contribution Rules

What you pay is based on:

• Your income and assets
• The type of services you use

A lifetime cap of $130,000 for non-clinical care

A ‘No Worse Off’ rule protects clients assessed before 12 September 2024

New Service Categories

Services grouped into:

• Clinical Care
• Independence
• Everyday Living

You’ll only receive services approved within your care plan

Budget & Fees

Budgets paid quarterly, not daily

Unspent funds capped – only part of the budget rolls over

10% care management fee replaces separate package management fees

Government-set price caps from 1 July 2026

What Stays the Same?

You’ll still have one provider managing your care

If you’re already on a Home Care Package, you’ll automatically transition on 1 November 2025

Want to learn more?
Check out the Support at Home Fact Sheet from the Department of Health and Aged Care or contact us for personalised advice.

Support at Home Fact Sheet

To be eligible for the Support at Home program, you must meet the following criteria:

1. Age Requirement

You must be 65 years or older, or

50 years or older if you are:

• Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander, or
• On a low income, homeless, or at risk of homelessness

2. Need for Support

You must need help to stay independent at home, such as:

• Assistance with daily tasks (e.g. cleaning, bathing, cooking)
• Health care or mobility support
• Equipment or home modifications

3. Assessment by the Aged Care Assessment Team (ACAT)

You must be assessed and approved for in-home care services by an Aged Care Assessment Team.

Assessments will determine your funding level and which services you are eligible for.

Already Receiving a Home Care Package?

• You don’t need to reapply
• You will be automatically transitioned to Support at Home on 1 November 2025.

Getting started with the Support at Home program is simple. If you or a loved one needs help to live independently at home, follow these steps:

1. Register with My Aged Care

Start by contacting My Aged Care:

• Call 1800 200 422, or
• Visit myagedcare.gov.au

They will ask some questions and help arrange an assessment.

2. Have an Assessment

An Aged Care Assessment Team (ACAT) will visit you to:

• Understand your care needs
• Assess your eligibility for Support at Home
• Recommend the right level of support and services

3. Get Approved

If you’re eligible, you’ll be:

• Assigned a funding level (1 to 8), based on your care needs
• Approved to access services under the Support at Home program

Already on a Home Care Package?
You’ll be automatically transitioned to Support at Home on 1 November 2025 — no need to reapply.

4. Choose a Provider

Once approved, you can:

• Choose a provider (like us) to manage your care
• Work together to create a personalised care plan based on your goals.

5. Start Receiving Services

With your provider, you’ll begin receiving the services you need — such as:

• Personal care and nursing
• Help with meals, cleaning, or shopping
• Equipment, transport, or home modifications

Need help with the process?
Contact us and we’ll guide you every step of the way.

12 September 2024 is the key cut-off date for the transition to the new Support at Home program.

• Before 12 September 2024: If you already have a Home Care Package or are on the waitlist before this date, the ‘no worse off’ principle applies. This means you won’t pay more in co-contribution fees than you currently do.
• On or After 12 September 2024: If you are assessed and added to the waitlist, or allocated a Home Care Package between 12 September 2024 and 31 October 2025, you’ll undergo an income and asset assessment. New co-contribution fees will apply from 1 November 2025.

If you’re already receiving a Home Care Package, there’s nothing you need to do. Your care has automatically moved to the Support at Home program. You’ll receive a budget aligned with your previous package level, so you can continue enjoying the same high-quality care you know and trust.

If you joined Halo or switched from another provider after 1 November 2025, we’re here to make the process simple and stress-free, ensuring a smooth transition into the Support at Home program.

Newly approved participants who choose Halo are welcomed directly into the Support at Home program.

You’ll remain on the waitlist until your Home Care Package funding is assigned. Once it’s allocated, your care will begin under the Support at Home program, using updated service categories.

Your co-contribution fees may change depending on the outcome of an income and asset assessment by Services Australia (Centrelink)

If you currently have a Home Care Package, any unspent funds you’ve accrued will carry over into the Support at Home program.

From 1 November 2025, under Support at Home, up to $1,000 or 10% of your quarterly budget (whichever is greater) will automatically roll over to the next quarter—along with any unspent Home Care Package funds.

If you have unspent Home Care Package funds, these will be retained for use under Support at Home. They can be used for additional ongoing services if your quarterly Support at Home budget has been exhausted, or for Assistive Technology and Home Modifications (AT-HM).

Please note: any unspent Home Care Package funds must be used before you can access new AT-HM funding under the Support at Home program.

Rest assured, you won’t lose any of your accrued funds during the transition.

To ensure the effective delivery and coordination of your services, 10% of your quarterly Support at Home budget will be set aside for care management activities. These funds will only be deducted when care management services have been provided.

Care management may include:

• Developing and reviewing your care plan
• Coordinating and arranging services
• Monitoring your health and wellbeing
• Adjusting support to meet any changes in your needs and preferences

This allocation helps ensure your care is well-coordinated, personalised, and responsive, enabling you to make the most of your Support at Home budget.

Upcoming Changes to Service Pricing

From 1 July 2026, the Australian Government plans to introduce price caps for aged care services under the Support at Home program. These will be developed in partnership with the Independent Health and Aged Care Pricing Authority (IHACPA) to ensure fair and consistent pricing across all providers.

📄 Consumer protections for Support at Home prices
(Prepared by the Department of Health and Aged Care – Consumer Protections for Support at Home Pricing)

What This Means From 1 November 2025

With the transition to Support at Home, the way services are priced will change:

Under the current Home Care Package (HCP) program, you are charged separately for:

• Individual services (e.g. cleaning)
• Package management (e.g. third-party costs, staff travel)
• Care management

Under Support at Home, the package management fee will be included in the total price of each service.

The Care Management Fee will be a fixed 10% of your care budget.

This means you’ll see a single, all-inclusive price for each service. Prices may adjust to reflect the true cost of delivering care.

Until government price caps are introduced in 2026, halo will continue to set and update its own service prices, keeping you informed of any changes, just as we currently do under the Home Care Package program.

📄 Halo Support at Home Price Guide

Reassessments are part of your regular care reviews to ensure your support continues to meet your needs.

• If you’re reassessed and approved for a new Home Care Package level before 1 November 2025, but haven’t yet been assigned the package, you will retain that approved package level when it is assigned, even after the transition.
• If you’re reassessed on or after 1 November 2025, your needs will be assessed under the Support at Home program using the new 8-level classification system, and services will be allocated accordingly.

You do not need to be reassessed just to transition to Support at Home, your current care will automatically continue under the new program.

Learn more by visiting the Australian Government website:

https://www.health.gov.au/our-work/support-at-home/about