Australia’s home care system has just gone through its biggest overhaul in decades. If you’re feeling confused about what’s changed — and what it means for your family — you’re not alone. Here’s everything you need to know, in plain language.
What Is Support at Home?
Support at Home is the Australian Government’s new in-home aged care program. On 1 November 2025, it officially replaced the Home Care Packages (HCP) Program and the Short-Term Restorative Care (STRC) Programme under the new Aged Care Act 2024.
If you or a loved one was already receiving a Home Care Package, your care has transitioned automatically. There was no need to reapply. Your funding level has been preserved, and your familiar carers have kept showing up.
The Commonwealth Home Support Programme (CHSP) — which covers lower-level entry supports — is set to transition to Support at Home no earlier than 1 July 2027, giving families further time to adjust.
Why Did the Government Make These Changes?
The reforms came directly from the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety, which found the old system was too complicated, too inflexible, and too often left people without the right level of care. The goal of Support at Home is simple: help older Australians stay safely in their own homes for longer, with funding that actually reflects their needs.
The Biggest Changes at a Glance
1. Eight Funding Levels (Up from Four)
The old Home Care Package system had four levels. Support at Home now has eight classification levels — ranging from Classification 1 (around $10,731 per year) all the way up to Classification 8 (around $78,106 per year). This means more people can access a level of funding that truly reflects their situation, rather than being rounded up or down to the nearest package.
People who were already on a Home Care Package have been assigned a Transitioned HCP Level (1–4), which provides equivalent funding on the new quarterly system.
2. Quarterly Budgets
Rather than receiving a lump-sum annual budget, funding is now released in four quarterly instalments — in July, October, January, and April. If funds aren’t fully used in a quarter, up to $1,000 (or 10% of the budget, whichever is greater) rolls over to the next quarter. Any unspent funds accumulated before 1 November 2025 are retained and carry over too.
3. Simpler, Fairer Fees
Under the old system, package management fees were charged on top of everything else — often consuming a significant chunk of a participant’s budget. Under Support at Home:
- There are no separate package management fees.
- Care management is capped at 10% of the quarterly budget, giving families a clear, predictable figure.
- There are no exit fees, so switching providers costs you nothing.
- From 1 July 2026, government price caps will apply to most services, giving families even more certainty about what they’re paying.
4. Additional Short-Term Pathways
In addition to ongoing quarterly funding, Support at Home includes access to separate short-term pathways with additional funding, designed to support specific needs at different stages.
- Assistive Technology & Home Modifications (AT-HM): Provides up to $15,000 in additional funding for equipment and home modifications — such as grab rails, ramps, or personal alarms — to help people stay safe and independent at home.
- Restorative Care Pathway: Short-term, goal-focused support delivered by allied health professionals (such as physiotherapists and occupational therapists). This pathway is designed to help people regain strength, mobility and confidence after a setback — for example, following a fall, illness or hospital stay — so they can continue living independently at home for longer.
- End-of-Life Pathway: Provides additional, more intensive support for people who wish to remain at home in their final months. This can include increased care, coordination and clinical support to ensure comfort, dignity and the ability to stay in familiar surroundings, close to family.
These pathways sit on top of regular funding and can make a meaningful difference to a person’s independence, recovery and quality of life.
5. New Contribution Rules
Under Support at Home, the Australian Government has introduced a new, standardised approach to participant contributions. These are set by the government — not by providers — and are based on a person’s income and assets.
- Clinical supports (such as nursing, physiotherapy, and occupational therapy) — no participant contribution is required, regardless of income.
- Independence and everyday living services — contributions may apply for people newly assessed after 1 November 2025, based on an income assessment completed by Services Australia.
If you’re facing genuine financial hardship, you can apply to the government for a fee reduction supplement.
What Do Families Need to Do Right Now?
For most families, the transition has been handled by your care provider. But there are a few things worth checking:
- Review the new service agreement — your provider should have sent an updated agreement reflecting Support at Home prices and services. Make sure you understand it before signing.
- Check your quarterly budget — ask your provider what classification level your loved one has been assigned, and how much they’ll receive each quarter.
- Ask about participant contributions — if your loved one is new to the system (assessed after 1 November 2025), confirm what contributions, if any, apply to their services.
- Explore the AT-HM scheme — if assistive technology or home modifications could help, ask your provider about accessing this pathway.
Not sure where to start? The team at Harbourside is here to help you make sense of it all — no jargon, no pressure, just honest guidance from people who know Port Stephens.
A Local Provider You Can Trust
At Harbourside Port Stephens, we’ve been supporting people in our community for over 40 years. As a local, not-for-profit provider, everything we do is grounded in community, safety and trust — and every dollar is reinvested back into services for local people.
Navigating aged care can feel complex, especially with recent changes. Our team works with this system every day — we understand how it operates in practice, not just on paper — and we guide families through it with clarity and care.
We take the time to structure services so your funding is used where it matters most — supporting independence, wellbeing and quality of life.
If you’re considering support, now is a good time to have a conversation and understand your options. Whether you’re just starting out or looking to change providers, we’re here to help — with honest advice and no pressure.
📞 Call us on (02) 4984 1811, Monday to Friday, 9am–4pm
🌐 Or visit harboursideportstephens.com.au to learn more