The Support at Home program is scheduled to begin on 1 July, 2025.
Over the next 10 years, the new aged care program aims to add 300,000 more places, improve access to support services and decrease wait times for government-funded care.
But what if you’re already a home care recipient?
Support at Home will replace the Home Care Package program, and the Commonwealth Home Support Programme (CHSP) will phase out in 2027. That means older Australians who already receive aged care services may experience some changes, too. But don’t worry: we’re here to guide you through every step.
If you’re an existing home care recipient, here’s what you need to know at a glance:
- You can remain with your current service provider.
- You will retain your current funding level and will not have to complete a reassessment (unless your needs have changed).
- Your unspent Home Care Package (HCP) funds will transfer over to Support at Home.
- You can keep and use your Home Care Package unspent funds until they are exhausted. Those funds are not time-limited or lost upon reassessment.
- Grandfathering arrangements for participant contributions will follow a ‘no worse-off’ principle to prevent the transition from impacting you negatively. If you aren’t paying out-of-pocket for services under the Home Care Package program, you will not have to do so under Support at Home.
Now, let’s take a closer look at Support at Home contributions and what may change for older people when the new program begins.
Changes for Existing Home Care Recipients
If you already have a Home Care Package (HCP), you will not have to pay more for your care with the Support at Home program. Australians approved for HCPs before 1 July 2025 will continue contributing to their care based on the current Home Care Package system—though their care will switch to the new system on that date.
All Home Care Package recipients will automatically transition into the Support at Home program on 1 July and receive a Support at Home budget that matches their Home Care Package. That includes Australians on the National Priority System, who will receive Support at Home funding equivalent to the HCP level for which they’ve been approved, and care recipients with unspent Commonwealth funds, who will retain those funds.
Two important notes:
- If you have unspent Home Care Package funds, you will retain those funds for use under Support at Home. You can use your funds toward ongoing services if your Support at Home quarterly budget has been exhausted, or you can use them for Assistive Technology and Home Modifications (in which case, unspent funds must be used before any new AT-HM Scheme funding).
- Reassessment will not be necessary unless your needs have changed. If you are reassessed at a later date and approved for a higher budget, the results of your reassessment will reflect the new Support at Home classifications. CHSP participants with increased needs can be reassessed to determine eligibility for Support at Home.
Support at Home Contribution Arrangements
A ‘no worse-off’ principle will prevent the 2025 aged care reforms from negatively impacting current home care recipients. What does this mean for your Support at Home contributions?
If on 12 September 2024, you were:
A) Receiving a Home Care Package
B) On the National Priority System
C) Assessed as being eligible for a Home Care Package
…you will make the same or lower contributions once you transition to Support at Home. See the table below for more details.
Reminder: If you aren’t paying out-of-pocket for services under the Home Care Package program, you will not have to do so under Support at Home.
Transition Arrangements For Current Home Care Recipients
| Categories | Is the individual approved for HCP before the announcement? | Is the individual receiving HCP before 1 July 2025? | Does/would the individual pay an income-tested care fee under HCP? | Support at Home fees for that individual |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Category A: HCP non-income tested fee payer, or person on the NPS or approved for a package who would be a non-fee payer once they receive a package | Yes | Yes | No | No fees |
| Category B: HCP fee tested payer, or person on the NPS or approved for a package who would be on their means based fee-payer once they receive a package | Yes | Yes | Yes | These recipients will be protected by the no worse off principle and pay discounted contribution rates. See Transition Contribution Rates table below |
| Older person gets a HCP means assessment – moves to the Support at Home arrangement from Support at Home Contribution Rates table (below) from July 2025, regardless of whether they receive an HCP before 1 July 2025 | No | Unknown (but they’re in the queue for income assessment) | Unknown (but they’re in the queue for income assessment) | Older person gets a HCP means assessment – moves to the Support at Home arrangement from Support at Home Contribution Rates table from July 2025, regardless of whether they receive an HCP before 1 July 2025 |
| Category D: Older person will pay the regular rates as per Support at Home Contribution Rates table below | No | Yes | Yes | Older person will pay the regular rates as per the Support at Home Contribution Rates table in previous section. |
| Category E: Older person will pay the regular rates as per Support at Home Contribution Rates table below | No | Yes | No | Older person will pay the regular rates as per the Support at Home Contribution Rates table in previous section. |
| Category F: Older person will pay the regular rates as per Support at Home Contribution Rates table below | No | No | No | Older person will pay the regular rates as per the Support at Home Contribution Rates table in previous section. |
Source: Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care
Support at Home Fees
There will not be a basic daily fee under Support at Home. (Note: The CareSide has never charged this fee, so this will not impact our clients.)
Existing Home Care Package recipients who do not pay an income-tested care fee will continue with no such fees under Support at Home. Those who are paying income-tested fees, however, will transition into Support at Home with special discounted contribution arrangements. Under the new program, income-tested fees will not be charged daily as they were with Home Care Packages; instead, they will be based on services received, as shown in the table below.
Transition Contribution Rates
| Clinical supports | Independence | Everyday living | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Full pensioner | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| Part pensioner | 0% | Part pensioners and CSHC holders will pay between 0% and 25% based on an assessment of their income and assets. For part pensioners this will be based on their Age Pension means assessment. CSHC holders will undergo a separate assessment for Support at Home. | Part pensioners and CSHC holders will pay between 0% and 25% based on an assessment of their income and assets. For part pensioners this will be based on their Age Pension means assessment. CSHC holders will undergo a separate assessment for Support at Home. |
| Self-funded retiree (holding or eligible for a Commonwealth Seniors Health Card – CSHC) | 0% | ||
| Self-funded retiree (not eligible for a Commonwealth Seniors Health Card) | 0% | 25% | 25% |
Source: Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care
Additionally, a cap (tracked by Services Australia) will ensure no individual pays more than $130,000 in non-clinical care costs over their lifetime. This applies to both in-home care and residential care. Hardship arrangements that were in place before 1 July 2025 will carry through to Support at Home. There will not be an annual cap on participant contributions.
How much will Support at Home cost?
Funding under Support at Home will be similar to Home Care Packages in two ways:
- The Australian government will continue to subsidise health-related costs
- Funds for home care services will continue to be allocated based on each individual’s care needs
The new program aims to make it easier for care recipients to discern how much care they’ve received and how much of their budget has been spent. Your budget will only be charged for the services you receive, and the price you pay is the entire cost. Home care providers can charge up to a 10% care management fee, but that capped fee will be included in the total price—not charged separately, as was the case with Home Care Packages.
Support at Home Contributions: How It Works
Under the new program, you will only pay Support at Home contributions for the services you have received. Australian seniors with financial means who are not transitioning from the Home Care Package program will be expected to contribute more, as outlined in the table below.
Your contributions will be determined based on the hourly rate for the service or a percentage of the cost of the service type or product. For example: If you receive three hours of personal care, you will pay a contribution per hour received.
For items billed at cost such as consumables, your contribution will be calculated as a percentage of the total cost. This means you will pay the dollar amount set by a percentage of the cost, and the government will pay the remainder of the cost as a subsidy to your aged care provider.
Ultimately, contribution rates will be determined by two factors: the type of service you received and your financial standing. Three categories of support will be available:
- Clinical Supports Category (No Participant Contribution): The government will fully fund clinical care (including nursing care and physiotherapy) for all Support at Home participants.
- Independence Category (Moderate Participant Contribution): Supports that help keep care recipients out of hospital and residential aged care (including personal care, assistive technology, and home modifications) will require a moderate contribution.
- Everyday Living Services Category (Highest Participant Contribution): Everyday living services such as domestic assistance and gardening will require the highest contribution. (Note: There will be no caps on gardening and cleaning services.)
Support at Home Contributions Rates
| Clinical supports | Independence | Everyday living | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Full pensioner | 0% | 5% | 17.5% |
| Part pensioner | 0% | Part pensioners and CSHC holders will pay between 5% and 50% based on an assessment of their income and assets. For part pensioners, this will be based on their Age Pension means assessment. CSHC holders will undergo a separate assessment for Support at Home. | Part pensioners and CSHC holders will pay between 17.5% and 80% based on an assessment of their income and assets. For part pensioners, this will be based on their Age Pension means assessment. CSHC holders will undergo a separate assessment for Support at Home. |
| Self-funded retiree (holding or eligible for a Commonwealth Seniors Health Card – CSHC) | 0% | ||
| Self-funded retiree (not eligible for a Commonwealth Seniors Health Card) | 0% | 50% | 80% |
Source: Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care
You can visit the Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care website to view the full Support at Home service list organised by participant contribution category. Again, the important thing to remember is that current Home Care Package recipients who are grandfathered into the Support at Home program will not have to pay greater out-of-pocket expenses towards their home care.
Support at Home Resources
As the aged care sector transitions from the Home Care Package program to Support at Home, communication between home care providers and care recipients will be more essential than ever. If you’re already a client with The CareSide, don’t hesitate to contact your personal Care Manager with questions. You can also reach our team by calling 1300 85 40 80 or filling out a quick website form.
Additional Support at Home Resources from The CareSide:
