The Aged Care Support at Home program began on 1 November 2025 and will replace the Home Care Packages and Short Term Restorative Care programs. It is part of the Aged Care Act 2024 and aims to deliver a simpler and more flexible system for older people who choose to receive support in their homes. For service providers, the change introduces new responsibilities, different funding rules and a redesigned structure for services. These updates directly affect operations, planning and client communication. If you are a provider, understanding the program’s impact early will help you prepare your systems and guide clients through the transition with confidence.
Unified Structure and What It Means for Providers
The Aged Care Support at Home program creates one pathway for in-home aged care. This removes the separation that existed between previous programs.
Impact on providers:
- Easier planning due to one consistent program structure
- Less confusion for clients, which improves communication
- More predictable service processes
- No need to maintain separate workflows for different programs
This unified structure gives providers a clearer starting point when designing internal procedures.
Funding Classifications and Provider Planning
The Aged Care Support at home program introduces eight funding classifications. These are more precise than the old four Home Care Package levels and link more closely to real care needs.
Provider impacts:
- Better matching of staff allocation to client needs
- More detailed forecasting of service demand
- Clearer planning for personal care, clinical care and household support
- Ability to build targeted service streams for each classification
Quarterly budgets also change the timing of financial management. Providers must track spending more closely to stay within quarterly allocations.
Key Budget Rules That Affect Providers
The following budget rules affect service providers:
| Funding Element | What Changes | Provider Impact |
| Quarterly budgets | Annual budgets replaced with quarterly amounts | Closer tracking of spending and service delivery |
| Carry over rules | Limits on funds that carry over | Encourages timely service use |
| Care management limit | Ten percent cap included in service prices | Need to redesign pricing structures |
| Admin fees | Removed | Clearer cost structure for clients |
| AT and HM funding | Separate from care budget | Easier planning for equipment and home safety |
This structure directs more funding toward direct care while limiting overhead costs.
Care Management Adjustments
Care management must fit within a ten per cent limit. Providers now include care management in their service prices.
Provider impacts:
- Review of documentation processes
- Streamlining of care coordination tasks
- Training teams to work within the limit
- Updating pricing models to reflect new requirements
- Clear communication to clients about how care management is billed
These changes promote consistency in how care management is delivered across the sector.
Assistive Technology and Home Modifications
Assistive technology and home modifications (AT and HM) are funded outside the main budget. Clients no longer need to reduce their care hours to pay for equipment.
AT and HM details:
- Low-level funding: under five hundred dollars
- Medium level funding: up to two thousand dollars
- High-level funding: up to fifteen thousand dollars
- Assessments completed by qualified health professionals
- Wraparound support included for safe use of equipment
Provider impacts:
- Clearer pathways for referrals
- Predictable planning for safety improvements
- Fewer budget conflicts between equipment and care hours
- Improved communication with clients about funding
This separate funding stream supports safer home environments.
Transition for Current Clients
Clients who already receive Home Care Packages will move automatically to the Support at Home program.
Provider responsibilities:
- Offer new service agreements
- Explain new fees and contribution rules
- Review the client’s needs to ensure continuity of care
- Work with Services Australia on contribution updates
- Prepare clear communication materials to guide clients
The goal is to avoid disruption and maintain stable support for all clients.
Provider Registration Model
Current providers will be deemed registered under the new system. They must understand the new registration categories and align their services with them.
Provider impacts:
- Review of registration status and service types
- Updating of details through the Provider Portal
- Alignment with the Strengthened Quality Standards
- Internal reviews to ensure compliance with new requirements
A single registration model reduces administrative load and simplifies oversight.
Service List and Practical Delivery
The Support at Home Service List includes three contribution categories, fourteen service types and forty nine services. These cover household tasks, personal care, nursing, allied health, transport, social support and support for hoarding.
Provider impacts:
- Need to align services to the defined types
- Clear documentation of what each service includes
- Stronger structure for planning workforce skills
- Easier matching between assessed needs and service options
This list brings clarity about what providers can offer within the program.
Conclusion
The Aged Care Support at Home program will shift the way aged care providers deliver in-home support across Australia. The changes introduce new funding classifications, quarterly budgets, a ten per cent care management limit and a separate approach to assistive technology and home modifications. Providers must adjust their internal systems, update pricing structures and prepare clear communication for clients. With early planning and a strong understanding of the new framework, providers can adapt their services and support a smooth transition for the people they assist. The Aged Care Support at Home Program creates a clearer path for care and gives service providers a more stable structure for future planning.
