Understand Your FundingHelp with your Home Care Package and Support at Home funding
Plain-English advice on what you're entitled to and what it all means
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Support at Home replaced Home Care Packages and Short-Term Restorative Care on 1 November 2025. People with an existing Home Care Package moved across to Support at Home automatically. The program has new budget levels, new rules about what funding can be spent on, and new contribution fees. AJQ Care Advisory helps families understand their funding and make the most of it.
Why funding feels so confusing
The letters are full of terms like classification levels, quarterly budgets and contributions. Rules changed in November 2025, and plenty of information online is out of date. Many families aren't sure what they're entitled to, or whether their provider is charging fairly.
How we help you understand your funding
- Explain your funding letter, line by line
- Show you what your budget can and can't be spent on
- Help you understand your provider's fees and your own contributions
- Check whether your current services still match your needs
- Help you plan ahead if needs change
Home Care Package, Support at Home, CHSP: what's the difference?
| You might hear | What it means now |
|---|---|
| Home Care Package (HCP) | Replaced by Support at Home from 1 November 2025. Existing packages moved across. |
| Support at Home (SAH) | The current government program for ongoing help at home. |
| CHSP (Commonwealth Home Support Programme) | Entry-level help at home. It's still running and is due to move into Support at Home no earlier than 1 July 2027. |
| ACAT | Now the Single Assessment System (see Prepare for Assessments) |
Funding questions
How does the Support at Home program work?
You have an aged care assessment, and you're given a classification with a quarterly budget. You then choose a provider, agree on a care plan and use the budget for approved services. Depending on the service and your income, you may pay a contribution.
What can my Support at Home budget be spent on?
It depends on your assessed needs and your care plan. Funding covers approved services such as personal care, nursing, cleaning and some equipment. We can go through your plan and show you what's included.
What can my provider charge me?
Providers have to be clear about their prices, and your contributions depend on the type of service and your income. If a charge doesn't look right, we'll help you work out what to ask.
I already had a Home Care Package. Do I need to do anything?
Your funding moved across automatically, so you don't need to reapply. It's still worth checking what changed, because the rules and fees are different.
Is CHSP the same as Support at Home?
Not yet. CHSP is a separate, entry-level program. It's due to move into Support at Home no earlier than July 2027.