If you’ve been told a loved one will receive funding under the new Support at Home program, the first question is usually a practical one: how much help will they actually get? So what are the 8 levels of Support at Home, and how do you know which one fits your family’s situation? Since the program replaced Home Care Packages on 1 November 2025, the old four-tier system has been redrawn into eight tailored classifications, each with its own quarterly budget and care focus.
This guide walks you through each of the eight levels, what they’re designed to cover, and how the government decides which one a person is assigned to. The goal is simple: by the end of this article, you should be able to look at an assessment letter and understand exactly what it means.
Why Eight Levels Instead of Four?
Under the old Home Care Package (HCP) system, every older Australian was placed into one of four broad funding tiers. The trouble was that the gap between Level 1 and Level 4 was enormous, and people often sat on a waiting list for years before reaching the level they actually needed.
The new Support at Home program, run by the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing, was designed to fix that. Eight classification levels mean care can scale up gradually as needs change, rather than forcing a person into a tier that’s either too thin or far more than they require. It also reduces the stark jumps in funding that used to leave families short-changed at the in-between stages of ageing.
The 8 Levels of Support at Home at a Glance
Here’s how the eight classifications are structured. Each level has a fixed quarterly budget that funds your care plan over a three-month period. Two additional pathways, End-of-Life and Restorative Care, sit alongside the eight levels for short-term, specialised needs.
| Classification | Quarterly Budget | Typical Profile |
|---|---|---|
| Level 1 | $2,750 | Light, occasional support to stay independent |
| Level 2 | $4,000 | Basic ongoing help with daily tasks |
| Level 3 | $5,500 | Regular help with personal care and household tasks |
| Level 4 | $7,500 | Moderate-to-high care needs, several days per week |
| Level 5 | $10,000 | High needs, including some clinical support |
| Level 6 | $12,000 | Complex needs requiring frequent care visits |
| Level 7 | $14,500 | Significant clinical and personal care needs |
| Level 8 | $19,500 | Very high needs, near full-time support |
| End-of-Life Pathway | $25,000 | Up to 16 weeks of palliative support at home |
| Restorative Care Pathway | $6,000 per unit (max 2 per year) | Short-term recovery after illness, injury or hospital |
Unused funds, up to $1,000 or 10% of your quarterly budget (whichever is greater), can roll over to the next quarter, so a quiet month doesn’t mean money lost.
What the Levels Actually Cover
The classifications under Support at Home cover three service categories, and your assigned level determines how much can be spent across them each quarter. Most plans blend a mix of all three.
Clinical Supports
Nursing care, allied health (physiotherapy, occupational therapy), wound care, continence and mobility support, nutrition advice, care management and short-term restorative care. The government fully subsidises clinical supports, so there is no out-of-pocket contribution from the participant for this category.
Independence Supports
Help with showering, dressing, medication management, transport, social connection, respite care and assistive technology. These attract a moderate participant contribution, calculated through a means assessment.
Everyday Living
Domestic cleaning, laundry, shopping, gardening, home maintenance and meal services. Because government funding is reduced for this category, participants contribute a higher share, though it’s still capped to keep care affordable.
For a fuller breakdown of what services sit inside each category, see Cura’s in-home, community and health services.
How Is the Right Level Decided?
You don’t choose your level. It’s determined by an aged care assessment, carried out by a Single Assessment System assessor on behalf of My Aged Care. The assessor visits the home, asks about daily life, and looks at things like mobility, memory, social connection, household tasks and any clinical needs.
The two most important things to know going in:
- Describe a typical bad day, not a good one. Many older people instinctively put their best foot forward during an assessment. That’s lovely manners, but it can lead to under-funding. Be honest about the days when getting out of bed is hard.
- Have your paperwork ready. Medications and dosages, recent hospital visits or falls, the GP’s contact details, Medicare and DVA cards. Small details save weeks of follow-up.
If you’d like a step-by-step walk-through of the process, our guide on accessing aged care funding covers what to expect from the first phone call onwards.
What If My Loved One Was on a Home Care Package?
If a Home Care Package was approved before 12 September 2024, the participant is what the government calls “grandfathered”. They automatically transitioned to Support at Home with a “no worse off” guarantee. Their funding and contribution arrangements stay at least as favourable as they were under the old system.
Packages approved between 13 September 2024 and 30 June 2025 transitioned automatically into the new program’s funding rules from 1 November 2025. In both cases, no one needed to switch providers, but anyone is free to do so if their current provider isn’t the right fit.
How Quickly Will My Level Be Allocated?
Wait times depend on assessed priority. People with urgent or high clinical needs are allocated funding faster, while those at lower levels may wait several months. The Australian Government has committed to a long-term goal of reducing average wait times to three months by 2027, according to the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission, but expect timeframes to vary in the meantime.
While you wait, the Commonwealth Home Support Programme (CHSP) can often provide entry-level help with cleaning, transport or social outings, so you’re not left without support.
Frequently Asked Questions
How is Support at Home funding allocated?
Funding is set by the Australian Government based on your aged care assessment. Each of the eight classification levels has a fixed quarterly budget, paid on your behalf to your chosen provider, who then delivers services from your agreed care plan.
Is Support at Home means tested?
Yes, partly. Clinical supports are fully government-funded with no participant contribution. For Independence Supports and Everyday Living services, your contribution is means-tested against your income and assets, and capped, so costs stay predictable.
Can my level change if my needs change?
Yes. If your circumstances change, for example after a fall, hospital stay or a dementia diagnosis, you can request a reassessment through My Aged Care. If your needs have grown, your classification can be moved up.
What happens to leftover funding each quarter?
You can carry forward unspent funds equal to either $1,000 or 10% of your quarterly budget, whichever is the greater amount. Anything above that returns to the program.
Do I have to use my home language to access these services?
No, but you’re entitled to. Cura’s team speaks more than 65 languages, and culturally appropriate care is one of the rights protected under the new Aged Care Act. If English isn’t your first language, you can ask for a worker who speaks yours.
Final Thoughts
The eight levels of Support at Home exist for one reason: to make sure the help you receive actually matches the help you need. The classification you’re assigned isn’t a label — it’s a budget for the kind of life you want to keep living, in your own home, on your own terms.
If you’re unsure which level your loved one might fall into, or you’ve received a classification letter and want to talk through what it covers, the team at Cura can walk you through it in plain English (or in your preferred language). Learn more about the Support at Home program at Cura, or book a chat with our team on 1800 94 12 12.
