Support at Home is the Australian Government's funded program for older people who wish to remain living in their own home. It replaced the former Home Care Packages and Commonwealth Home Support Programme from 1 July 2025, delivering services under the Aged Care Act 2024.
Generally, you need to be 65 years or older (or 50 years and over for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, or people who are homeless or at risk of homelessness) and assessed through My Aged Care as needing support to continue living at home.
You can register by calling My Aged Care on 1800 200 422, using the online application form at myagedcare.gov.au, getting a referral from your GP or hospital, or booking an appointment with an Aged Care Specialist Officer.
An aged care assessor will visit you and use the Integrated Assessment Tool (IAT) to evaluate your needs across areas including mobility, self-care, cognition, medical conditions and home environment. Together, you will develop a support plan with goals and the services that best suit your needs.
After your assessment, you are assigned one of 8 ongoing classifications (1 to 8) based on your level of need. Higher classifications receive larger quarterly budgets. There are also short-term pathways including the Restorative Care Pathway, End-of-Life Pathway, and the AT-HM scheme.
Funding and Costs
Funding depends on your classification level. Quarterly budgets range from $2,683 (Classification 1) to $19,527 (Classification 8). Your annual budget is divided into 4 quarterly budgets released in July, October, January and April.
Clinical supports are always free for everyone. For independence and everyday living services, you may pay a contribution depending on your financial circumstances. Full pensioners pay the lowest rates (5% for independence, 17.5% for everyday living). Annual and lifetime caps protect you from excessive costs.
Services Australia assesses your income and assets to determine your contribution rates. For full and part pensioners, they use information already provided for your pension assessment. Non-pensioners will need to complete a separate assessment. If you do not provide your financial details, you will be charged the maximum contribution rates.
Unspent budget can carry over to the next quarter, capped at $1,000 or 10% of your quarterly budget (whichever is higher). This means you can build a small reserve for unplanned or emerging needs. WonderHelp Care will help you manage your budget to get the most from your funding.
10% of your quarterly budget is set aside for care management. This funds your care partner to plan, coordinate and review your services, including monthly care management activities, multidisciplinary team coordination and budget monitoring.
Services
Services are grouped into three categories: clinical supports (nursing, physiotherapy, OT, podiatry, dietetics, speech pathology, psychology), independence (personal care, social support, respite, transport) and everyday living (cleaning, meals, garden maintenance, home repairs). The services you access must align with your assessed needs.
The Assistive Technology and Home Modifications scheme provides separate funding for equipment (walking frames, shower chairs, personal alarms) and home modifications (grab rails, ramps, bathroom redesign). Funding tiers are: Low ($500), Medium ($2,000) and High ($15,000+), each for a 12-month period.
A goal-oriented, time-limited episode (up to 12-16 weeks) focused on restoring your capability and improving independence. The majority of the budget is spent on clinical supports such as allied health and nursing. A dedicated restorative care partner coordinates your care throughout.
Compassionate support for people with 3 months or less to live who wish to remain at home. The pathway provides approximately $25,035 in funding for a 12-week episode (extendable to 16 weeks) and access to all Support at Home service types. It is designed to complement palliative care services.
Managing Your Care
Yes. You can change providers at any time. Your approval for services and budget will move with you to your new provider. Simply notify your current provider and agree on an exit date. WonderHelp Care can help you through the transition process if you are looking for a new provider.
Yes. You can pause services for hospital stays, holidays, respite care or other reasons. Your quarterly budget continues while services are stopped, though carryover limits apply. If no services are delivered for four consecutive quarters (one year), your funding may be reallocated.
If your needs increase or change, your care partner can submit a Support Plan Review to request a reassessment. If approved, you may receive a higher classification with more funding. WonderHelp Care monitors your needs regularly to ensure your care stays up to date.
You can raise concerns directly with WonderHelp Care through our complaints and feedback system. You can also contact the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission on 1800 951 822 or the Older Persons Advocacy Network (OPAN) on 1800 700 600 for free, confidential and independent support.
WonderHelp Care
WonderHelp Care is a registered aged care provider delivering Support at Home services across Melbourne. We take a person-centred, wellness and reablement approach, building on your strengths and goals. Our team includes registered nurses and allied health professionals committed to clinical excellence, transparent pricing and culturally safe care.
Simply contact us! Call 03 704 66637, text 048 003 9903, or email info@wonderhelpcare.com.au. If you already have a My Aged Care approval, we can get your services started quickly. If you have not yet been assessed, we can guide you through the process step by step. We Help, We Care.
Still Have Questions?
Our friendly team is here to help you understand the Support at Home program and your options.
