What Your Support at Home Budget Covers

What is a Support at Home budget?

Support at Home is the Australian Government program that helps older people get care in their own home. It started on 1 November 2025. Your funding does not arrive as cash. Instead, it sits in a budget that pays approved providers for the care you use.

A quarterly pool of government funding

Your budget is set for each quarter, which is a three-month block. The government works out a yearly amount based on your needs. It then splits that amount across the year. You draw on this pool as you use services. Think of it as a fund for care, not a bank account you can withdraw from.

How the budget reaches your provider

You do not handle the money yourself. When a worker visits or a service is delivered, the provider claims the cost against your budget. The government pays the provider directly. Your job is to choose services that fit your needs and to stay within the budget.

Why it replaced the old package system

Before November 2025, home care funding came through Home Care Packages, which were sorted into four levels. Support at Home was introduced to make funding fairer and easier to follow. It uses a quarterly budget and a clearer list of approved services. If you held a package before the change, your funding moved across under transition rules, so you were not left without support.

How your classification sets the budget amount

The size of your budget comes down to one thing: your classification. This is a number that reflects how much help you need.

The 8 classifications explained

Support at Home uses eight classifications, numbered 1 to 8. Classification 1 carries the lowest level of funding and suits people who need a little help. Classification 8 carries the highest level and suits people with complex, high care needs. The higher your number, the larger your quarterly budget. Want the full picture? Read about your classification in our dedicated guide.

How assessment decides your classification

Your classification is not chosen by your provider. It is set through a government assessment. You start by contacting My Aged Care, the government's central point for aged care (call 1800 200 422 or visit myagedcare.gov.au). They arrange an assessment for you.

People with higher or more complex needs are seen by an Aged Care Assessment Team, known as ACAT. People with lower needs may be seen by a Regional Assessment Service, known as RAS. The assessor looks at your health, your daily life, and the support you already have. They then recommend a classification.

Can your classification change over time?

Yes. Care needs change, and your classification can be reviewed. If your health declines or your situation shifts, you can ask My Aged Care for a reassessment. A new assessment may move you to a higher classification and a larger budget. The reverse can also happen if your needs ease.

What your budget can and cannot pay for

Your budget pays for approved care services in three groups. These are clinical care (such as nursing), services that support your independence (such as personal care), and everyday living help (such as cleaning and meal preparation). It cannot pay for rent, food, utility bills, holidays, or anything not on the approved Support at Home service list.

For a full breakdown of what is in scope and what is out of scope, see our guide on what you can spend your Support at Home budget on. If you are not sure about an item, check with My Aged Care.

Costs that come out of your budget

A few costs are drawn from your budget or shared with you. Knowing them helps you plan.

The Care Management fee

A Care Management fee is taken from your budget to coordinate your care. It is capped at 10% of your quarterly budget. This is a set program deduction, not an amount your provider negotiates. The fee covers things like arranging services, reviewing your plan, and making sure your care stays on track. Under the old package system there was also a separate package management fee. That extra fee no longer exists. You can read more about the Care Management fee in our guide.

Participant contributions and what is free

A participant contribution (also called a client contribution) is an amount you may pay towards some services. Clinical care, such as nursing, is free to you within budget. Services that support independence and everyday living may carry a contribution. How much you pay, if anything, is means tested, which means it depends on your income and assets. My Aged Care can tell you what your contribution will be.

The self-management loading

You can choose to self-manage your care. This means you find your own worker from your local community, agree a price together, and your provider onboards that worker to meet Commonwealth standards. Self-managed care carries a 10% self-management loading. This loading covers checking the worker is qualified and insured, and paying their invoices. Self-managed rates often sit close to everyday market rates. To weigh up your options, see our guide on self-managed and full-service models.

How to check what you can spend it on

Before you book services, it helps to confirm what is approved and to compare prices with a clear head.

Using the approved service list

The government publishes a list of approved Support at Home services. If a service is on the list and fits within your budget, it can usually be funded. If you are unsure about an item, ask your provider or check with My Aged Care. You can also browse Support at Home services on this site to get a feel for what is covered.

Comparing provider prices fairly

Prices differ between providers, so it pays to compare. The Commonwealth has deferred price caps for now. But it has published indicative prices, which we show on this site so you can see how a quote measures up. These are indicative figures, not price caps or recommended prices. They are published by the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing. When you compare, look at the hourly rate, any travel charges, and the Care Management fee together, not just one number.

Questions about this topic

Does the Support at Home budget cover cleaning and gardening?

Yes. Cleaning and light gardening are everyday living services and can be funded from your budget if they are on the approved service list. Some everyday-living services may carry a means-tested participant contribution, so check what you would pay before you book.

Can I use my Support at Home budget to buy groceries or pay rent?

No. The budget is for approved care services only. It cannot pay for groceries, rent, a mortgage, utility bills, or holidays. Help to prepare meals can be covered, but the food itself cannot.

What happens to unspent budget at the end of the quarter?

You do not simply lose unused funds. A portion can carry over to the next quarter. The carry-over is capped at the greater of $1,000 or 10% of your quarterly budget per quarter. Funds that transitioned from a Home Care Package are uncapped and stay available to you. Any unused amounts are not paid to you as cash. Check your current arrangements with your provider or My Aged Care.

Is nursing care free under Support at Home?

Clinical care, including nursing, is funded in full with no contribution from you while your budget has funds available. There is no client contribution for clinical services within budget.

Who decides how much my Support at Home budget is?

The government decides, based on your classification. Your classification is set through an assessment arranged by My Aged Care. The assessment is carried out by an Aged Care Assessment Team (ACAT) or a Regional Assessment Service (RAS). A higher classification means a larger budget.

See what care costs in your area

Curious how your funding stretches? You can compare provider prices in your area using the same method we apply to every provider, including Trilogy Care. If you would rather talk it through, call Trilogy Care on 1300 318 723.