In this guide:
Support at Home is a government-funded program that helps older Australians live independently, safely and comfortably in their own homes for longer.
The program assists participants to get support to meet their needs, from help around the house to nursing and allied health. When you enter the program, you’ll receive a Support at Home funding classification, which determines your level of ongoing funding. This is based on the outcome of an aged care assessment.
There are 8 funding classifications to suit different care needs:
- Classifications 1–2: Basic care needs such as meal delivery, light housework or light personal care.
- Classifications 3–4: Low-level care needs such as regular personal care, mobility aid support, or continence care.
- Classifications 5–6: Intermediate care needs such hoists, transfers, allied health therapies, or nursing support.
- Levels 7–8: High-level care needs such as assistance with all daily living activities, palliative support or 24/7 care availability.
Each level provides more funding and access to services than the one before. Find out more about the different Support at Home funding classifications.
Support at Home service list and categories: What’s included
Your Support at Home funding can be used to pay for services, care and goods that match with your specific care needs. Your provider will help you choose the mix of services you can access with your budget.
The Support at Home services list is broken down into 3 categories: clinical support, independence, and everyday living.
Clinical support
Includes:
- Nursing care, such as administration of medications and wound care
- Allied health and other therapeutic services such as physiotherapy, psychology, nutrition and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health practitioners.
Independence
Includes:
- Personal care such as hygiene maintenance and continence management
- Social and community engagement, like group social support activities and assistance to attend appointments
- Therapeutic services such as acupuncture and chiropractic treatment
- Respite care
- Transport.
Everyday living
Includes:
- Domestic assistance such as cleaning, laundry and shopping
- Home maintenance like gardening and repairs
- Meal delivery and preparation.
Your provider can help you adjust the approved services you receive at any time.
For a full list of the services available under Support at Home, take a look at the Support at Home service list.
Products you can purchase with Support at Home funding
If you’re eligible for Support at Home, you may also be able to access short-term funding through the Assistive Technology and Home Modifications (AT-HM) scheme.
This extra funding helps you get the products, equipment or small home changes that make daily life easier and safer, whether temporarily or for ongoing support.
Examples of products covered by the AT-HM include:
- Specialised eating utensils
- Enteral feeding equipment
- Continence management products
- Mobility aids
- Shower chairs
- Safety equipment
- Assistive technology.
Some items may need to be recommended or prescribed by a health professional, depending on your needs.
What's not included in the Support at Home program
While Support at Home funding is flexible and is designed to be spent on supporting your needs, there are some things that aren’t covered.
These include:
- Food (except as part of enteral feeding requirements)
- General household items
- Pet care
- Rent or accommodation
- Home or garden modifications that are not related to your needs
- Holiday travel expenses
- Entertainment activities such as club memberships and tickets to sporting events.
If you’re ever unsure whether a service or product is covered, your provider or care manager can help you check.
Support at Home supplements & pathways: Extra care for specific needs
Alongside your regular Support at Home funding, there are extra supports available for specific care needs. These come in the form of supplements and grants, and short-term pathways.
Primary supplements
Primary supplements help cover the costs of specialised care. If you’re approved, they will be added to your regular budget.
Primary supplements include:
- Oxygen supplement: For people with a medical need for ongoing oxygen therapy.
- Enteral feeding supplement: For people who require enteral feeding.
- Veterans’ supplement: For veterans with a mental health condition linked to their service. This is assessed and approved by the Department of Veterans’ Affairs (DVA).
- Remote supplement: For people who receive assistive technology and/or home modification funding, and who also live in a remote area with a Modified Monash Model classification of 6 or 7.
Short-term pathways
Short-term funding options, called pathways, are additional budgets to meet specific needs. They include:
- Restorative Care Pathway: Supports you to regain strength and independence. It includes a budget of approximately $6,000 (or up to $12,000 – the additional $6,000 [to equate to $12,000] can be requested if required through a Support Plan Review) for services such as physiotherapy or occupational therapy.
- End-of-Life Pathway: For eligible participants who wish to spend their final months at home. This pathway provides up to $25,000 for more intensive in-home care over a three-month period.
Learn more about the Restorative Care Pathway and the End-of-Life Pathway.
The AT-HM scheme mentioned earlier is another example of a short-term pathway.
How Mable can support with your Support at Home funding
If you’re interested in using Mable to find and book support services, self-managing your Support at Home funding might be right for you. Self-managing gives you more control and choice over how you use your funding, in line with your support plan and approved services.
Learn more about how self-management of Support at Home funding works.
Find the right fit
Through Mable, you can browse profiles of diverse support workers in your area. Choose the people who best suit your needs, preferences and personality.
Flexible scheduling
Enjoy the benefit of flexible scheduling with the ease of updating sessions directly through the Mable platform. This flexibility allows you to adjust your care schedule as your needs change.
Simplified management
Mable simplifies booking and expense tracking, helping you manage your care seamlessly. The platform also helps with submitting any claims to the government.
Peace of mind
All independent support workers on Mable are insured and background-checked. That way, you can feel confident knowing your safety and wellbeing are prioritised.
Learn more about safeguards on the Mable platform.
Frequently asked questions
Is the dementia and cognition supplement available under Support at Home?
This supplement is only available to people who were already receiving it under the Home Care Package program on 31 October 2025. If you’re eligible, Services Australia will continue to manage the subsidy and add it to your budget.
What will the Support at Home program cost me?
It’s free for eligible older Australians to access Support at Home, although you may need to contribute to the services you receive.
Your contributions will be calculated based on two overarching factors:
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- The type of services received:
- Clinical care (such as nursing) does not require a contribution
- Independence support (such as personal care) requires a moderate contribution
- Everyday living support (such as cleaning) requires a higher contribution
- Your financial situation:
- This includes age pension status, Commonwealth Seniors Health Card status and means testing.
- The type of services received:
Who is eligible for Support at Home?
You may be eligible for the Support at Home program if you fall into one of the following groups:
- People over the age of 65
- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people over the age of 50
- People over the age of 50 who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless.
Eligibility also depends on factors like your health, your level of independence at home, and the support you already have around you.
To check your eligibility, you can use the Assessment Eligibility Checker online or call My Aged Care on 1800 200 422.
For more detailed information, read our guide on Support at Home eligibility or what to do if you're not eligible.
This article, and any of our linked documents or articles, provides our summary of Support at Home terms and is intended for general purposes only. Please contact My Aged Care for information specific to your circumstances.