From Home Care Packages to Support at Home: what is changing for you

If you had a Home Care Package, you have already been moved to Support at Home. It happened automatically on 1 November 2025. You did not have to fill in a form or reapply. But "automatic" does not mean "nothing to know", so this guide spells out what actually changed for you, what did not, and what is worth checking.

The short answer

You kept your funding. Your package became a Support at Home budget of roughly the same size, you kept your provider unless you chose otherwise, and a "no worse off" guarantee protects what you pay. The mechanics underneath changed, but the day-to-day help you receive should feel familiar.

Now the detail.

Your funding moved across automatically

Everyone on a Home Care Package on 1 November 2025 transitioned into Support at Home. Your old package level was mapped to one of the new eight levels, with a budget that matched what you had. The official confirmation is on the My Aged Care costs and contributions page.

So if you were on a Level 3 package, you did not suddenly lose funding. Your budget carried over.

What stayed the same

A fair bit, actually. The things people worry about most are largely protected:

• Your provider. You did not have to switch. If you were happy, you stayed put.
• Your services. The cleaner, the carer, the nurse, the physio. They keep coming.
• Your contribution, if you are protected. More on the "no worse off" guarantee below.
• Your right to choose. You can still change providers if you want to. Browse alternatives in our home care directory.

What changed

Here is where it is worth paying attention.

Annual budget became quarterly

Under Home Care Packages, your funding arrived yearly and you could let unspent money accumulate, sometimes for years. Some people had large unspent balances.

Support at Home releases your budget quarterly. You can carry a small amount into the next quarter (up to $1,000 or 10% of your quarterly budget, whichever is greater, per My Aged Care) but you can no longer bank funds indefinitely. If you were sitting on a big unspent balance, ask your provider what happened to it, because the rules on existing balances are specific. The Department of Health sets out the transition arrangements.

Four levels became eight

The old four-level system became eight classification levels. You were mapped across, but the finer-grained levels mean any future reassessment can place you more precisely. We cover the new bands in Support at Home funding levels.

Three service categories with different fees

Your budget now sits in three buckets: clinical care, independence, and everyday living. This matters because clinical care is now fully funded for everyone. Nursing and allied health cost you nothing. You contribute toward the other two categories based on your means. See how much aged care at home costs for the breakdown.

Care management is built in

10% of your quarterly budget is set aside for care management, the coordination work that keeps your plan running, per health.gov.au. Under the old system this was handled differently. It is not a new fee on top; it comes from your allocation.

The "no worse off" guarantee

This is the protection that matters most for your wallet. If you were:

• receiving a Home Care Package, or
• on the national waiting list for one, or
• approved for one by 12 September 2024,

then you are covered by the "no worse off" principle. In plain terms, you will not pay more under Support at Home than you would have under the old rules. Your grandfathered contribution arrangements carry across. The detail is on the participant contributions page at health.gov.au.

If you came into the system after that date, the new contribution rules apply to you. They are based on your income and assets, with a lifetime cap of $135,318.69 as of 1 November 2025 (indexed each 20 March and 20 September; check the participant contributions page for the current figure) so your contributions cannot run on forever.

What you should check

Even though the transition was automatic, a few things are worth a phone call to your provider:

• Your new budget. Confirm what your quarterly budget is and which of the eight levels you landed on.
• Any unspent balance. Ask what happened to funds you had not used.
• Your contribution. Confirm whether you are covered by the "no worse off" guarantee and what, if anything, you now pay.
• Your care plan. Make sure your services and roster carried across correctly.
• Your care manager. Know who they are and how to reach them.

If anything looks wrong, raise it early. Mistakes in a transition this big are not unheard of, and they are easier to fix sooner than later.

What if you are unhappy with how it went?

You have options. You can change providers, ask for a reassessment if your needs have changed, or raise a complaint. Provider quality is overseen by the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission, and you can compare providers' track records before switching. Our guide to choosing a home care provider walks through how to compare.

Frequently asked questions

Did I lose money in the switch? No. Your budget carried across at roughly the same value, mapped to the new eight-level system.

Am I paying more now? If you were in the system by 12 September 2024, the "no worse off" guarantee means you should not be. If you joined after, the new means-tested rules apply.

Can I still use my preferred provider? Yes. Nothing forced you to switch. And if you do want to switch, you are free to. Start with our home care directory.

Who do I call with questions? Your provider's care manager first, then My Aged Care on 1800 200 422 for anything they cannot answer.