What is a Support at Home (SAH)?
Discover everything you need to know about Support at Home and how it might work for you!
The Support at Home program delivers government-funded aged care services to help older people to stay at home for longer. On 1 November 2025, it replaced the Home Care Packages Program and Short-Term Restorative Care Programme. Learn how the new program works.
Support at Home is a program to help older people remain at home as they age by delivering coordinated care and services to meet their assessed ageing related care needs with:
- 8 classifications to fund ongoing services
- 3 short-term pathways to fund assistive technology and home modifications, restorative care and end-of-life care
- 4 transitioned Home Care Package classifications to provide an equivalent level of funding for those who transitioned to Support at Home
- participant contributions set by government.
What funding is available?
Australians can now receive up to $78K in funding, and even more funding for assistive technology, equipment & home modifications.
Check the SAH Pricelist.
When can I get Support at Home?
Since 1 November 2025, the Support at Home program has replaced the Home Care Packages and Short-Term Restorative Care programs.
Who is affected?
Anyone currently receiving home care funding, on the waitlist or entering the system for the first time will now be part of the new Support at Home rules.
Changes for Grandfathered & Transitional participants
Get our factsheets to understand how the new rules will affect you.
Grandfathered participants are those approved for a home care funding before 12 Sept 2024, including those currently on the waitlist. Check the FACTSHEET.
Transitional participants are those approved for a home care funding after 12 Sept 2024 and before 1 November 2025. Check the FACTSHEET.
Learn how to apply for aged care Support at Home
Getting started with home care funding
Anyone over 65 years of age or 50+ with an Aboriginal or Torres strait Islander background may be eligible for home care funding.
Thanks to recent changes by the government, applying for home care has now been made simpler regardless of the type of aged care support you may need.
You’ll still start need to begin by registering with My Aged Care and apply for an assessment. However, under the new Single Assessment System, people looking into home care now only need to enter one door for answers.
The step-by-step process for your home care application
Your home care journey starts with getting an assessment
You’ll need to begin by contacting My Aged Care to register and apply for an assessment for aged care Support at Home. Simply call them on 1800 200 422 or visit the MAC website to apply online. Be aware you’ll need 3 points of identification, such as your Medicare card, passport, drivers license, DVA card, Healthcare card.
Your assessment determines what funding you receive
The assessor will ask lots of questions about your life and living arrangements, as well as your goals and what type of help you need to live more comfortably at home, so be sure to be honest, and get the care you need.
After the assessment, you’ll receive a letter confirming your level of care you’re approved for and what steps to take next.
The assessor considers for key categories to determined the help and funding you may need, including:
- Falls risk – resulting from muscle weakness, declining sight, stiffness, and more
- Daily living challenges – such as housework, bill paying, getting dressed & shopping
- Cognitive issues – like forgetfulness, anxiety, losing sense of direction and so on
- Carer burn out – showing signs of exhaustion and overwhelm
You’re on the waitlist until funding is assigned
- When approved for funding, you’ll be place on the national waitlist until your funding is release – known as having your ‘funding assigned’.
- At this stage you may receive some interim funding to help out while you wait, which can stretch for 6-12 months.
- About a month before your funding is available, you’ll receive a ‘Readiness Letter’ from My Aged Care, which includes important paperwork for you to review.
Lastly, a letter will arrive with a red code on – meaning, your funding is now finally available.
Finally it’s time to find the help you need
Once your funding is assigned, you have 56 days to find the home care provider that’s right for you, and get signed up to get your services started.
More information:
To find out how to become a client in our HCP program please call us on (03) 9569 4020 and ask to speak to Case Managers.
Visit us:
Polish Community Care Services Inc. PolCare
7-8/14 Lionel Rd
Mount Waverley 3149 VIC