In-home care · Updated June 2026 · figures as at 20 March 2026
Support at Home: the 2026 guide to in-home aged care
Support at Home replaced Home Care Packages on 1 November 2025. It funds care in your own home — personal care, nursing, allied health, cleaning, meals and home modifications — across 8 funding classifications. Here's how the classifications, budgets and contributions actually work, in plain English, with the real 2026 figures.
★Key takeaways
- ✓Support at Home replaced Home Care Packages on 1 November 2025. It funds care in your own home across 8 ongoing classifications, from $10,731 to $78,106 per year.
- ✓Clinical care (nursing, physio, OT) is fully funded — you contribute nothing. You only contribute toward "independence" and "everyday living" services, and the percentage depends on your means.
- ✓If you held or were approved for a Home Care Package on or before 12 September 2024, you keep your funding level and a "no worse off" contribution arrangement.
- ✓The first step is free: an assessment booked through My Aged Care (1800 200 422). You don't pay to be assessed or to find out which classification you qualify for.
The 8 Support at Home classifications & budgets
Your classification is set by an assessment of your care needs (not your finances). Budgets are annual; you draw on a quarter at a time. Figures as at 20 March 2026.
| Classification | Annual budget | Per quarter | Roughly suits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Classification 1 | $10,731 | $2,683 | Lower-level support (cleaning, social, basic personal care) |
| Classification 2 | $16,034 | $4,009 | Lower-level support (cleaning, social, basic personal care) |
| Classification 3 | $21,966 | $5,491 | Moderate needs (regular personal care, some nursing) |
| Classification 4 | $29,696 | $7,424 | Moderate needs (regular personal care, some nursing) |
| Classification 5 | $39,697 | $9,924 | Moderate needs (regular personal care, some nursing) |
| Classification 6 | $48,114 | $12,029 | High needs (frequent nursing + complex care at home) |
| Classification 7 | $58,148 | $14,537 | High needs (frequent nursing + complex care at home) |
| Classification 8 | $78,106 | $19,527 | High needs (frequent nursing + complex care at home) |
"Roughly suits" is a plain-English guide only — your actual classification is decided by an assessor. Source: Department of Health, Disability and Ageing Support at Home programme.
What you contribute
Support at Home splits services into three categories, and what you pay depends on the category and your means:
Clinical care — you pay $0
Nursing, physiotherapy, occupational therapy, care management. Fully government-funded for everyone, regardless of income or assets.
Independence — you contribute a share
Help with showering, dressing, mobility, medication prompting. Full pensioners contribute about 5%; self-funded retirees up to 50%; part-pensioners taper in between.
Everyday living — you contribute the most
Cleaning, meals, gardening, transport. Full pensioners contribute about 17.5%; self-funded retirees up to 80%. You only ever pay on services you actually receive.
"No worse off" guarantee: if you held or were approved for a Home Care Package on or before 12 September 2024, you keep your funding level and your contributions are capped at no more than the old Home Care Package rules — grandfathered for life. There's also a lifetime contribution cap of $135,319 for new entrants ($84,572 for grandfathered clients), shared with any later residential care.
Start for free. You can't buy your way to a classification — it's set by a free assessment. Call My Aged Care on 1800 200 422 or visit myagedcare.gov.au to register. Worth doing early: there's a wait for both assessment and budget release.
Want help navigating Support at Home or finding an in-home provider?
Tell us the situation and we'll point you to the right next step and local Support at Home providers. Free, no obligation, no spam — and you can always start directly with My Aged Care on 1800 200 422.
Thanks — we're on it.
We'll be in touch within one business day with a hand-picked shortlist of homes that fit. If it's urgent, you can also call My Aged Care on 1800 200 422.
Common questions
Support at Home — FAQs
What is Support at Home?
Support at Home is the Australian Government programme that funds aged care in your own home — help with personal care, nursing, allied health, domestic help, meals, transport and home modifications. It replaced Home Care Packages on 1 November 2025 and consolidated several older programmes into one system with 8 funding classifications.
How much funding can I get under Support at Home?
There are 8 ongoing classifications. The annual budgets run from $10,731 (classification 1) up to $78,106 (classification 8), paid as a quarterly budget you draw on for services. Your classification is set by an assessment of your care needs, not by your finances. Figures as at 20 March 2026.
What do I have to pay for Support at Home?
Clinical care (nursing, physiotherapy, occupational therapy) is fully government-funded — you pay nothing toward it. You contribute toward two other categories: "independence" (help with showering, mobility, etc.) and "everyday living" (cleaning, meals, gardening). Full pensioners contribute the least; self-funded retirees the most. You only ever contribute on services you actually receive.
I had a Home Care Package — am I worse off?
No. If you held a Home Care Package, or had been approved for one, on or before 12 September 2024, you are grandfathered: you keep your funding level and a "no worse off" contribution arrangement that is no higher than under the old Home Care Package rules.
How do I get Support at Home?
Call My Aged Care on 1800 200 422 (free) or apply at myagedcare.gov.au to arrange an assessment. The assessor determines your classification and budget. There is a wait for both assessment and for a budget to be released, so it is worth registering early even if you do not need services immediately.