What the Support at Home programme means for you

In the past, Australia’s aged-care system hasn’t lived up to what people deserve. These new reforms aimed to change that. 

The changes will centre around:

• Individual rights and consumer choice
• Safety and risk management
• Consistent, high-quality care and service standards
• Strengthening and supporting Australia’s support workforce

The goal was to make your experience of home care fairer, safer and easier.

There are a few major shifts you might notice:

• Budgets will move from yearly to quarterly, helping you plan and spend more evenly across the year.
• A new service list will help you see what services are available and how much they cost.
• You’ll see more transparency in provider pricing and fewer hidden admin fees.
• Access to assistive technology and home modifications will improve, with a new separate budget for eligible recipients.
• You’ll be supported by a better-trained workforce, with new minimum standards in place.

Absolutely! Your choice and control remain a priority in home care. With Hireup, you can choose your workers, rebook them, and manage your support easily.

Here’s the timeline:

• 1 November 2025: The Support at Home program begins, replacing the current HCP and STRC programs
• 1 July 2026: Government price caps will apply across the system
• 1 July 2027: CHSP (Commonwealth Home Support Programme) begins transitioning to the new model.

The government and the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission will work with providers to transition to the new model.

Providers will need to:

• Meet new employment and training standards
• Follow clearer pricing rules and service lists
• Complete more regular compliance and reporting

Until 1 July 2026, providers can continue to set their own prices. After that, all services will fall under a government price cap.

Hireup makes it easy by offering a fully compliant, employment-backed workforce that meets My Aged Care requirements.

There will be 8 ongoing funding levels, from $11,000 to $78,000 per year, depending on your needs.

Plus, 3 short-term pathways:

• Restorative Care: Supports short-term recovery and independence
• End-of-Life Pathway: In-home palliative support for those with a terminal diagnosis
• Assistive Technology & Home Modifications (AT-HM) Scheme: A separate budget (up to $15,000) for eligible individuals

Yes, and it’s important to understand how this will change the day-to-day management of your home support.

There are a few key things that will change for you. You’ll still receive a support plan, but the key differences are:

• You’ll receive a quarterly budget instead of a yearly budget. This means you might need to use your funds more actively, as only a small percentage can be rolled-over into the next quarter.
• You’ll have more transparency, control and clarity over what services you’re paying for. The government has created a new service list with standardised costs, which will give you and your loved ones a better understanding of what you’re actually paying for. 
• You’ll only be able to use your funds on items and services from an approved service list, and these items will have a standardised price. We understand this could feel unsettling, especially if it affects services or items you’re currently relying on.
  You can explore the full Support at home service list, and we encourage you to review it closely to understand how these changes might affect you.
• Provider prices will eventually be standardised, so you won’t have to worry about hidden fees and admin charges anymore. This won’t be rolled out industry-wide until 1 July 2026. But when it is, you’ll have a clear picture of what you’re paying your provider. It also means changing providers will become simpler, too.

Your contribution will be standardised. You’ll pay a fixed contribution fee determined by the service type and your means test. While this may feel confusing at first, we hope this system eventually make your contributions feel easier to navigate.

Read our full guide to Support at Home contributions →

If you’re eligible, you’ll get access to a separate budget of up to $15,000 for assistive technology and home modifications. This funding sits outside your regular package and is designed to make sure you have the right tools and environment to live safely and comfortably at home.

You’ll still need to meet the eligibility criteria, but the process should become quicker and more consistent under the new system.

You will have automatically transitioned to Support at Home on 1 November 2025, as soon as the funding was available. You won’t be re-assessed, and you’ll receive a package equivalent to the level you have already been approved for. 

If you are not yet receiving a Home Care Package and you’re not yet in the national queue, you’ll be means-tested.

This will help the government determine what level of support you need, and what contributions you will make.

You can find up-to-date official information about the reforms on myagedcare.gov.au

You can also receive individualised support in a few ways. 

You can:

• Call the My Aged Care Contact Centre on 1800 200 422.
• Speak to an Aged Care Specialist Officer at select service centres.

Not much! Hireup already meets many of the proposed workforce standards, meaning there will be no disruption for individuals or providers using our workforce.

You’ll be able to navigate the reforms knowing the care standards you receive with Hireup, as well as the support connections you’ve made, won’t change.