How many Support at Home classifications are there?

There are 8 ongoing classifications, numbered 1 (lowest) to 8 (highest). They replaced the older 4-level Home Care Package system, so assessors can fund people more precisely. Three short-term funding pools (assistive technology, home modifications, and restorative care) sit alongside the 8 classifications.

Can two people on the same classification get different services?

Yes. Your classification sets the budget envelope; your support plan decides how the budget is spent. Two people on Classification 5 can have very different rosters, one focused on personal care and physio, another on nursing and social support. Both are valid.

How do I move to a higher classification?

Call My Aged Care on 1800 200 422 (or ask your provider to lodge on your behalf) and request a reassessment. An assessor visits to review what has changed. A new decision letter follows, usually within a few weeks, confirming any change to your classification.

What happens to my budget if I don't spend it all?

Under Support at Home, modest unspent funds at the end of a quarter can carry forward in many cases, subject to program rules. If you are consistently underspending, it is worth checking with your provider whether your roster matches your needs, or whether you are missing services you are entitled to.

Does the same classification fund the same care everywhere in Australia?

The budgets are national and uniform. What varies is provider availability and hourly rates, which are typically higher in capital cities than in regional areas. That is why comparing published provider rates in your own postcode matters, the same budget stretches further with a lower-overhead, self-managed provider.

Support at Home

Support at Home classifications: the 8 levels explained

Your classification is the most consequential number in your aged-care file. It sets your annual budget and the services you can access. This page explains what each of the 8 levels means, the budget behind it, what it funds, and how to be assessed or reassessed.

The 8 classifications at a glance

Support at Home replaced the older 4-level Home Care Package system with 8 classifications, sized to better match the spread of older Australians' needs. Higher classifications fund more hours, especially of personal care and clinical support.

Level	Approx. annual budget	Typical core care	Profile in plain English
C1	$11,000	~2.25 hrs/week	Largely independent, needs a small amount of help. A few hours of cleaning, shopping, or social support each week.
C2	$26,000	~4.75 hrs/week	Regular domestic help plus some personal care or transport. The broadest slice of clients sit here.
C3	$54,000	~9 hrs/week	Daily light support, a mix of domestic, social, and the start of regular personal care.
C4	$60,000	~12 hrs/week	Regular daily personal care plus domestic help and some allied health.
C5	$70,000	~15 hrs/week	Daily personal care, regular nursing, allied health, and social support.
C6	$78,000	~17.5 hrs/week	Multiple daily visits, regular clinical input, and major equipment.
C7	$85,000	~20.5 hrs/week	Complex needs, intensive personal care, and significant home modifications.
C8	$95,000	~24 hrs/week	Highest level, daily clinical care and end-of-life support for people who might otherwise be in residential care.

Figures are indicative. Annual budgets are set by the Department of Health and Aged Care and indexed each year; your decision letter shows your exact quarterly amount. Classifications 4 to 8 show an approximate progression pending the confirmed allocation schedule. "Typical core care" sums the representative weekly hours of cleaning, personal care, and nursing, and is not a quote or an entitlement.

What each level funds

Higher classifications don't just give you a larger budget, they expand the range of services you are funded to access. Here is the practical service mix each band typically supports.

Classifications 1 to 2: light support

These bands are for people who are largely independent but need a small amount of help to stay that way.

1 to 2 hours of domestic assistance a week (cleaning, laundry)
Occasional shopping or transport assistance
A social support visit fortnightly to monthly
An annual home safety check by an occupational therapist
Basic assistive technology such as grab rails and raised toilet seats

Classifications 3 to 4: moderate support

These bands cover people who need regular daily support and meaningful personal care, but aren't yet using clinical services.

3 to 6 hours of personal care a week (showering, dressing)
2 to 4 hours of domestic help a week
Weekly or fortnightly social support
Monthly to fortnightly allied health (physio, OT, podiatry)
Possible meals delivery or community transport
Occasional respite for family carers

Classifications 5 to 6: significant support

The most common bands for people with chronic conditions, post-stroke recovery, advanced arthritis, or moderate dementia.

Daily personal care, often twice a day
Weekly nursing for medication, wound care, or chronic disease management
Regular allied health (weekly physio, fortnightly OT)
Domestic help 2 to 3 times a week
Major equipment such as hospital beds and lift chairs
Respite for family carers, including overnight or weekend respite

Classifications 7 to 8: high and complex support

For people with very complex needs who would otherwise be considered for residential aged care.

Personal care multiple times daily, often with two-person assistance
Daily or near-daily clinical input from registered nurses
Specialist allied health and palliative care nurses
End-of-life and palliative care services
Significant home modifications (bathroom adaptations, ramps, stair lifts)
Specialist equipment such as pressure-relieving mattresses and hoists

The service mix is a guideline, not a rule. Your support plan determines your specific services, so two people on the same classification can use very different rosters.

How the budget works

Your classification budget is paid into a virtual wallet each quarter and drawn down by your provider as services are delivered. You don't receive the money directly, but you do decide, through your support plan, how it is spent.

Provider admin and management fees come out of this budget before any care is delivered, so the lower a provider's overhead, the more of your budget reaches actual care. That is the single biggest reason the same classification can buy very different amounts of care depending on the provider you choose.

Funding beyond your quarterly budget

Three additional, separately-funded pools sit alongside your classification. They are allocated by need and OT recommendation, so a lower classification doesn't rule you out.

Assistive Technology (AT)

Funds equipment recommended by an occupational therapist: walkers, mobility scooters, hospital beds, personal alarms, pressure cushions. Allocated by need, not by your classification.

Home Modifications (HM)

Funds physical changes to your home: grab rails, ramps, bathroom adaptations, stair lifts. Smaller changes use a streamlined approval; major work needs an OT report.

Restorative Care

Up to 12 weeks of focused, short-term support after a hospital admission, stroke, or fall, separate from your ongoing classification budget.

Getting your classification

Register with My Aged Care on 1800 200 422 or at myagedcare.gov.au. An assessor visits you at home, talks through how you are managing day to day, and your decision letter confirms which classification you have been given. Be honest about your worst days, not just your best.

Requesting a reassessment

If your needs grow, after a hospital stay, a fall, or a condition progressing, you can request a reassessment. Don't wait until you are in crisis: the process takes a few weeks, and a higher classification usually applies from the start of the next quarter.

For a deeper walk-through of grandfathered HCP levels, reassessment, and what to do if you disagree with your decision, read our full classification system guide.

See what your classification can buy

The same classification stretches much further with a low-overhead, self-managed provider. Compare published hourly rates from Support at Home providers in your area and personalise the view by your classification level.

Compare providers in your area Browse the guides

Classification questions, answered

The questions families ask most about Support at Home levels.