Australia’s aged care system changed permanently on 1 November 2025. That’s the date the Support at Home program replaced Home Care Packages, and it’s the biggest reform to in-home aged care in decades.
If you or a family member is currently receiving care at home, or you’re trying to plan for what comes next, there’s one date you need to mark on your calendar now: 1 July 2026.
That’s when the government applies mandatory pricing caps across all Support at Home services — the change that finally puts a hard ceiling on what providers can charge.
TL;DR: Support at Home Program 2026 — What Is Changing
- More funding levels, better fit: 8 classifications replace the old 4, with budgets up to ~$78,000/year.
- Clinical care is free. Nursing, allied health, wound care.
- Price caps from 1 July 2026: one all-inclusive rate per service, no add-ons or surcharges.
- Care management is capped at 10%, down from up to 35% under the old model.
- Budgets reset quarterly: unspent funds don’t roll over freely. Talk to your care manager to make sure your home care budget is fully used each quarter.
This guide covers everything you need to know: what Support at Home is, how the July 2026 pricing caps work, what the funding levels look like, and exactly how it differs from the old Home Care Packages system.
What Is the Support at Home Program?
Source: Unsplash
Support at Home is the Australian Government’s new in-home aged care program. It replaced the Home Care Packages (HCP) and Short-Term Restorative Care (STRC) programs from 1 November 2025.
The program came about because the old system was too complex. There was a lack of transparency on fees, and it was slow to respond to changing needs. As such, the Support at Home programme is designed to fix all these challenges.
Who is the Support at Home Program for?
Older Australians who want to remain living independently at home, with government-subsidised support for everything from personal care and home nursing through to domestic assistance and home modifications.
Who runs it?
Registered Support at Home providers like Homage. Assessment and access are through My Aged Care — read our step-by-step guide to My Aged Care to understand the process from start to finish.
Support at Home Funding: 8 Classifications You Need to Know
Under the old Home Care Packages, there were four funding levels. Support at Home expands this to eight classifications, offering a more nuanced match between what someone needs and what they receive.
Funding is allocated on a quarterly basis, not as an annual lump sum. The quarters run July, October, January, and April. If you enter mid-quarter, your first budget is prorated from your start date.
| Classification | Approx. Quarterly Budget | Approx. Annual Budget |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | ~$2,683 | ~$10,732 |
| 2 | ~$4,009 | ~$16,036 |
| 3 | ~$5,492 | ~$21,967 |
| 4 | ~$7,424 | ~$29,696 |
| 5 | ~$9,924 | ~$39,698 |
| 6 | ~$12,028 | ~$48,114 |
| 7 | ~$14,537 | ~$58,148 |
| 8 | ~$19,527 | ~$78,106 |
Source: Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care
What happens to the 10%?
Before you can spend your quarterly budget, 10% is automatically deducted for care management. This covers your provider’s work in setting up and reviewing your care plan. The remaining 90% goes toward actual services.
Under the old system, package management fees were charged separately and often accounted for 30–40% of the package cost. The 10% cap is a significant improvement.
Transitional Budgets for Existing Clients
If you were on a Home Care Package before 1 November 2025, you were automatically moved across with a Transitional budget that matches your previous package level. Homage offers both fully managed and self-managed options under the new program.
| Old HCP Level | Transitional Quarterly Budget | Transitional Annual Budget |
|---|---|---|
| Level 1 | ~$2,742 | ~$10,967 |
| Level 2 | ~$4,830 | ~$19,319 |
| Level 3 | ~$10,514 | ~$42,055 |
| Level 4 | ~$15,940 | ~$63,758 |
Transitional budgets are preserved from the old system and may change once a new formal assessment is completed.
Rollover Cap: What Happens to Unspent Funds?
This is one of the biggest changes from Home Care Packages. Under the old system, unspent funds could accumulate indefinitely — some people had tens of thousands of dollars sitting in accounts.
Under Support at Home, at the end of each quarter, you can roll over the higher of: $1,000 or 10% of your quarterly budget. The rest doesn’t carry forward. This encourages you to actively use the funding you’ve been allocated rather than hoard it.
For example, if your quarterly budget is $5,492 (Classification 3) and you only spend $4,000, you can carry over $549.20 (10%). The remaining $942.80 does not roll over.
Talk to a care advisor to ensure your budget is fully utilised.
What Services Can You Access Under Support at Home?
Services are organised into three categories. The category matters because it affects your contribution rate and what you personally pay toward that service.
1. Clinical services (no contribution — fully government-funded)
- Home nursing care
- Allied health (physiotherapy, occupational therapy, speech pathology, dietetics)
- Wound care and wound dressing
- Medication management
- Care management (up to 10% of quarterly budget)
2. Independence services (means-tested contribution)
- Personal care (bathing, dressing, grooming)
- Social support and community engagement
- Patient transport
- Therapeutic services for independent living
- Respite care
3. Everyday living services (highest contribution rate)
- Domestic assistance (cleaning, laundry)
- Gardening and home maintenance
- Meal preparation and delivery
Clinical care is $0 for everyone, regardless of wealth. If you need nursing or allied health, the government covers it entirely.
Personal care and domestic help are where means-tested contributions apply. See our full pricing guide to understand what to expect.
Short-term programs
- Restorative Care: Aimed at helping you regain strength and independence. Up to 12 weeks of allied health support, with a possible 4-week extension following reassessment.
- End-of-Life Care: For people with a prognosis of three months or less. Up to $25,000 in additional funding, accessible for up to 16 weeks, to support remaining at home.
- Assistive Technology and Home Modifications: Separate, dedicated funding stream for equipment like grab rails, ramps, and mobility aids — no longer competing with your regular service budget.
When Do Price Caps Start?
- Until 30 June 2026: providers set their own prices. They must publish a full price list publicly and cannot charge separate admin, entry, or exit fees.
- From 1 July 2026: government-set price caps apply to every service. No provider can charge above them — no exceptions, no surcharges.
What’s included in the capped price
Under Home Care Packages, providers often charged separately for package management (sometimes 30–40%), basic daily fees, exit fees, and travel costs. Under the capped pricing model, one price covers everything:
- Labour costs
- Travel and transport
- Admin and overhead
- No entry or exit fees
- No package management fees
What Am I Actually Paying?
- Clinical care (nursing, wound care, physio, OT): $0. Always. No means test.
- Personal care and domestic help: You’ll pay a contribution based on your income and assets. Full pensioners pay less; self-funded retirees pay more.
- Lifetime cap: $130,000 across Support at Home and residential aged care combined. What you paid under Home Care Packages counts toward this.
Support at Home vs Home Care Packages: How It Compares
If you or a family member was previously on a Home Care Package, here’s what’s actually changed. For deeper context, read our types of care comparison guide.
| Home Care Packages | Support at Home | |
|---|---|---|
| Start date | Replaced Nov 2025 | From 1 Nov 2025 |
| Funding levels | 4 levels (up to ~$61K/yr) | 8 levels (up to ~$78K/yr) |
| Budget period | Annual budget | Quarterly budget (4x per year) |
| Unspent funds | Roll over indefinitely | Max $1,000 or 10% per quarter |
| Package management | Up to 35% | Capped at 10% |
| Entry/exit fees | Allowed | Banned |
| Service categories | Not formally separated | Clinical / Independence / Everyday Living |
| Clinical care cost | Means-tested | Free for everyone |
| Pricing model | Provider-set, opaque | Transparent → Capped from July 2026 |
Who This Affects
Already on a Home Care Package?
You were automatically moved to Support at Home on 1 November 2025. If you haven’t signed an updated service agreement, contact your provider now. Before 1 July 2026, they must walk you through any pricing changes. Homage can help you review your options.
New to aged care?
Apply through My Aged Care (myagedcare.gov.au or 1800 200 422). A Needs Assessment Organisation will assess you and assign a Support at Home classification. Our guide to navigating My Aged Care walks you through it step by step. If there’s a wait for full funding, you’ll receive 60% of your budget in the interim.
A family caregiver?
Respite care is a funded Support at Home service. Regular breaks aren’t a luxury — they’re part of a sustainable plan.
Still on CHSP?
No action needed until at least July 2027. You’ll be notified well ahead of any changes.
Questions to Ask Your Provider
- What will your prices be from 1 July 2026?
- Is my current budget actually covering everything I need?
- What does my care management fee include?
- Am I accessing all the clinical services I’m entitled to at no cost?
What Will You Pay?
| Care Type | Elaboration |
|---|---|
| Clinical care — always $0 | Nursing, physio, OT, wound care, medication management. Fully government-funded, no means test, no exceptions. This is one of the biggest improvements over the old system. |
| Personal care and domestic assistance — means-tested | You’ll contribute a percentage based on your income and assets, assessed by Services Australia. Full pensioners pay less; part pensioners and self-funded retirees pay more. If you don’t submit your financial details, you’ll be placed on the highest contribution rate automatically. |
| Lifetime cap — $130,000 | Once your combined contributions across Support at Home and residential aged care hit $130,000, you stop paying. Contributions from your old Home Care Package count toward this total. |
Use the fee estimator on My Aged Care to model your costs, or speak with a Homage care advisor directly. We’ll make sure you’re not leaving funded support on the table.
Support at Home 2026
Support at Home is a better system than what it replaced: more funding available, clearer service categories, fairer fee structures.
From July 2026, hard price caps that providers cannot exceed. If you’re looking for a provider that’s transparent about pricing and genuinely committed to quality, see how Homage works.
If you’re unsure where your current care sits within the new system, the best first step is a conversation with your provider — or book a free consultation with Homage.
Our care advisors can walk you through your classification, your services, and how your costs will change from July 2026.
Book a Free Consultation — call Homage on 0480 093 788 or visit homage.com.au/get-free-consult
Frequently Asked Questions
When did Support at Home start?
Support at Home officially launched on 1 November 2025, replacing Home Care Packages and the Short-Term Restorative Care program. Read our guide to aged care services for a broader overview of what’s available.
When do the pricing caps start?
Mandatory pricing caps apply from 1 July 2026. Until then, providers set their own prices but must publish them transparently and cannot charge separate admin, entry, or exit fees.
Do I need to reapply if I was on a Home Care Package?
No. Existing Home Care Package recipients were automatically moved to Support at Home in November 2025 with a Transitional budget equivalent to their old package level. No reapplication was required. Learn more in our HCP to Support at Home transition guide.
Will my services change?
The services themselves don’t change — nursing, personal care, domestic assistance, and allied health are all still available through Homage. What changes is how they’re categorised, funded, and priced.
Can my provider charge extra, on top of the July 2026 price caps?
No. Once caps are in effect, providers cannot charge above them for any reason. The capped price is all-inclusive — it must cover labour, admin, travel, and all associated costs.
What is the rollover limit for unspent funds?
At the end of each quarter, you can carry over the higher of $1,000 or 10% of your quarterly budget. Amounts above this do not carry forward.
Is nursing free under Support at Home?
Yes. Clinical care — including home nursing, allied health, wound care, and medication management — is fully funded by the government and costs you nothing regardless of your means.
When will CHSP transition to Support at Home?
The Commonwealth Home Support Program will transition no earlier than 1 July 2027. Until then, CHSP continues to run separately.
Does Homage provide services under Support at Home?
Yes. Homage is a registered aged care provider operating under the Support at Home program. We offer a full range of services — from home care, home nursing, and personal care, to dementia care and palliative care. Book a free consultation to discuss your needs.
