Support at Home (SAH) replaced Home Care Packages on 1 November 2025. If you're new to the scheme or trying to work out what you're actually entitled to, the coverage can seem confusing. The good news: SAH is quite broad. It covers the everyday help that lets you stay at home safely and independently.
Personal Care and Daily Living
SAH covers personal care, showering, bathing, toileting, dressing, and grooming. It also includes domestic assistance like light housekeeping, meal preparation, laundry, and shopping. These are the core services most people think of when they imagine aged care at home. Your SAH package gives you a budget to purchase these hours from your chosen provider.
Clinical Care (100% Government-Funded)
Here's an important point: clinical care doesn't come out of your SAH budget. Nursing visits, allied health services (physiotherapy, occupational therapy, speech pathology, podiatry), and other clinical interventions are 100% government-funded and sit entirely outside your package allocation. This means you can access these services without eating into your personal care hours.
Social Support and Assistance
SAH covers social support, help with community participation, transport to appointments, and activities that keep you connected. If you need assistance with technology, managing finances, or organising your care, these can be included depending on your assessed needs and your provider's offerings.
What SAH Doesn't Cover
SAH doesn't pay for accommodation (rent or mortgage), food and groceries beyond meal prep assistance, or ongoing medical treatment like dialysis or chemotherapy. It also doesn't cover permanent residential aged care, that's a different pathway. Ongoing medication management is covered, but the medications themselves aren't. Some providers may offer optional services (like gardening or pet care) for an additional fee, but these aren't part of the standard SAH package.
How Your Budget Works
Your SAH package comes with a set annual budget based on your assessed care level. You use this to purchase personal care and domestic assistance from your provider. The amount varies, Level 1 is the lowest, Level 4 the highest, but self-managed packages typically deliver significantly more care hours than fully-coordinated alternatives for the same funding, because you're not paying for a provider's management overhead.
Getting the Right Mix
The services you actually receive depend on your assessed needs and what your provider offers. Some people need mostly personal care; others prioritise domestic help or social support. A good provider will work with you to tailor your package to what matters most. If your needs change, you can request a reassessment.
Comparing providers helps you understand how each one structures SAH delivery. Some offer greater flexibility in choosing your worker; others provide more structured scheduling. Visit Home Care Prices to see how providers in your area stack up.