From November 2025, Support at Home replaced the old Home Care Packages program. Instead of 4 levels, there are now 8. Instead of a single subsidy, there are three categories with different contribution rates. Here's what it actually costs to stay at home with care support.
Key Takeaways
- 8 funding classifications ranging from ≈$11,500 to ≈$78,106 per year
- Services are split into 3 categories: clinical care (fully funded), independence support, and everyday living
- You pay 5-18% for independence support and 17.5-80% for everyday living, depending on your pension category
- Clinical care is always fully government funded. You pay nothing for nursing, physio, etc.
The 8 funding classifications
Your classification level is determined by an ACAT (Aged Care Assessment Team) assessment of your needs. Higher levels mean more complex care needs and a larger annual budget.
| Level | Annual budget | Who it's for |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | ≈$11,500 | Low needs: occasional help with daily tasks |
| 2 | ≈$18,000 | Low-moderate needs |
| 3 | ≈$27,000 | Moderate needs: regular support |
| 4 | ≈$36,000 | Moderate-high needs |
| 5 | ≈$46,000 | High needs: daily support |
| 6 | ≈$56,000 | High-complex needs |
| 7 | ≈$67,000 | Very high needs |
| 8 | ≈$78,106 | Very high-complex needs |
The budget is split across three service categories, each with different contribution rules.
The three service categories
1. Clinical Care: Free (government funded)
This covers medical and allied health services:
- Registered nursing
- Physiotherapy
- Occupational therapy
- Speech pathology
- Dietitian support
- Podiatry
You pay nothing for clinical care. It's fully government funded regardless of your income or assets. This is the biggest change from the old system.
2. Independence Support: 5-18% contribution
This covers help that keeps you independent in your own home:
- Personal care (showering, dressing, grooming)
- Mobility and transfer assistance
- Medication management
- Social support and companionship
Your contribution scales with your pension category:
| Pension category | Your contribution |
|---|---|
| Full pensioner | 5% |
| Part pensioner | Scales proportionally (5-18%) |
| Self-funded retiree | 18% |
3. Everyday Living: 17.5-80% contribution
This covers domestic and practical help:
- Cleaning and laundry
- Meal preparation and delivery
- Gardening and home maintenance
- Shopping and errands
- Transport to appointments
Your contribution is higher here because these services are more like household tasks than care:
| Pension category | Your contribution |
|---|---|
| Full pensioner | 17.5% |
| Part pensioner | Scales proportionally (17.5-80%) |
| Self-funded retiree | 80% |
Estimate your Support at Home costs
See exactly what you'd pay at each classification level based on your pension category.
Try the CalculatorWorked examples
Example 1: Level 4, full pensioner
Meg is 76, a full pensioner, and has been assessed at Level 4 (≈$36,000 annual budget).
The budget is split roughly: $11,000 clinical, $16,000 independence, $9,000 everyday.
- Clinical care: $11,000, you pay $0
- Independence support: 5% of $16,000 = $800
- Everyday living: 17.5% of $9,000 = $1,575
Meg's total annual contribution: ≈$2,375
Example 2: Level 6, self-funded retiree
Robert is 79, self-funded, assessed at Level 6 (≈$56,000 annual budget).
The budget is split: $19,000 clinical, $24,000 independence, $13,000 everyday.
- Clinical care: $19,000, still $0
- Independence support: 18% of $24,000 = $4,320
- Everyday living: 80% of $13,000 = $10,400
Robert's total annual contribution: ≈$14,720
Example 3: Level 1, full pensioner
Betty is 72, a full pensioner, Level 1 (≈$11,500 annual budget).
The budget is split: $3,000 clinical, $5,500 independence, $3,000 everyday.
- Clinical care: $3,000, $0
- Independence support: 5% of $5,500 = $275
- Everyday living: 17.5% of $3,000 = $525
Betty's total annual contribution: ≈$800
How does it compare to residential care?
For most people, Support at Home is significantly cheaper than residential aged care because:
- You stay in your own home, so no $300k+ accommodation payment.
- Clinical care is fully free, unlike residential where it's bundled into daily fees.
- The budget scales to your actual needs, so you're not paying for 24/7 supervision.
Typical comparison (Level 4-5 needs):
| Residential care | Support at Home | |
|---|---|---|
| Full pensioner | ≈$24,000/year | ≈$2,500/year |
| Part pensioner | ≈$55,000/year | ≈$7,000/year |
| Self-funded | ≈$90,000/year | ≈$15,000/year |
Of course, Support at Home only works if you can safely live at home with help. For complex care needs, residential may still be the better fit.
The lifetime cap still applies
The same lifetime cap from residential care applies to your Support at Home contributions:
$135,318.69 total (or 4 years of contributions, whichever comes first) across independence support and everyday living. Once you hit the cap, those contributions drop to $0.
Clinical care contributions don't count toward the cap (they're always free anyway).
Getting a Support at Home package
- ACAT assessment: contact My Aged Care (1800 200 422) to arrange.
- Get assigned a classification level based on the assessment.
- Choose a provider. Approved Support at Home providers offer the services.
- Your budget kicks in and you work with your provider to allocate across service categories.
The bottom line
Support at Home is usually much cheaper than residential care, and for most people it's the preferred option. The key things to know:
- Your classification level drives the budget
- Clinical care is always free
- Your means test determines your % contribution for independence and everyday services
- The $135k lifetime cap applies here too
Run your situation through our calculator to see what you'd actually pay at each level.