How Support at Home Works
A plain-language guide to Australia's government-funded aged care at home program — explained clearly, in English or Chinese.
The big picture
Support at Home is designed so older Australians can stay in their own homes for longer with the right mix of clinical, personal and practical support. It replaced Home Care Packages and the Short-Term Restorative Care Programme from 1 November 2025.
You are assessed once through My Aged Care. Based on your needs, you receive one of eight ongoing classifications (or a short-term pathway). Funding is released in quarterly amounts. You choose a provider, build a support plan together, and start services. You can change the mix of services or change providers at any time.
The three service categories & contributions
There is a lifetime cap on participant contributions (around $135,000 across Support at Home and residential aged care combined). Once you reach the cap, further contributions stop.
Quarterly budgets and carry-over
Your annual funding is split into four quarterly amounts. You can use the budget within the quarter. Limited unspent amounts can carry over to the next quarter (up to $1,000 or 10% of the quarterly budget, whichever is greater). This gives flexibility without the old "use it or lose it" pressure.
Care management
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Approximately 10% of each quarterly budget is set aside for care management. This covers coordination, reviews, support planning and ensuring services meet the Aged Care Quality Standards. Good care management helps you get the best results from your funding — and it's included in the figures on our funding page.
Service areas
Areas we visit
Support at Home with Mandarin, Cantonese and English speaking carers.
Still have questions?
We will walk you through exactly what applies to your situation — in English, Mandarin or Cantonese.