From 1 July 2025, the way the Australian Government supports older people living at home is changing. The current Home Care Package (HCP) Program will be replaced by a new system called Support at Home.
It’s also important to know that these changes do not affect CHSP (Commonwealth Home Support Programme) clients. If you’re on CHSP, your services will continue as usual.
Introduction to Support at Home
The Support at Home program is designed to provide more flexible, personalised care by introducing:
- New service classifications that better align with different care needs.
- More funding levels (8 levels instead of 4) to offer tailored support.
- Three short-term care pathways for specific situations like recovery and end-of-life care.
- A clearer service list outlining what is funded by the government.
These changes aim to ensure you receive the right level of care, with greater transparency and support.
What is happening?
If you currently receive care under the HCP Program, your services will automatically transfer to the Support at Home program from 1 July 2025.
Instead of the current four levels of HCP, the new program will offer eight levels of ongoing care and three short-term support options to better suit individual needs. The transition will not require you to reapply or go through another assessment unless your needs change.
What are the new levels?
In Support at Home, there will be 8 ongoing funding levels:
|
Level |
Approximate Annual Funding |
|
Level 1 |
~$11,000 |
|
Level 2 |
~$16,000 |
|
Level 3 |
~$22,000 |
|
Level 4 |
~$30,000 |
|
Level 5 |
~$40,000 |
|
Level 6 |
~$48,000 |
|
Level 7 |
~$58,000 |
|
Level 8 |
~$78,000 |
What are the new services?
The Support at Home program has a structured service list, which includes:
- Clinical Supports – Nursing and allied health services.
- Independence Supports – Personal care, social support, transport, and respite.
- Everyday Living – House cleaning, gardening, home maintenance, and meal services.
Unlike the old HCP system, all government-funded services must come from the official Support at Home service list. If you need services outside this list, you may have to pay privately.
A full list of services available under the Support at Home program is available here.
Are you a Grandfathered client?
When the transition happens, some clients will be considered grandfathered, and others will be non-grandfathered.
Grandfathered clients are people who were already receiving a Home Care Package before 12 September 2024.
Non-grandfathered clients are those who joined later or didn’t qualify as grandfathered.
But don’t worry—the most important thing is that your care will continue without interruption, and we will help guide you through any changes.
What do you need to do?
At this stage, you don’t need to do anything. Your transition will happen automatically, and we will keep you informed every step of the way.
However, if you have any questions or concerns, we encourage you to:
- Check your email regularly for updates and further details.
- Speak to your care coordinator if you want to discuss your care plan or any changes you may need in the future.
- Ensure your contact details are up to date so we can send you important information.
Whether you’re grandfathered or not, your care will continue. If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to reach out to your care coordinator.
