Support At Home help - all your questions answered

Thinking about Support At Home for yourself or a loved one can bring up a lot of questions. From understanding what services are available to figuring out how to make it all work, it's natural to feel a little overwhelmed.

That's why we've put together this comprehensive Q&A, tackling the 15 most frequently asked questions about support at home. We'll explore everything from the types of assistance you can receive to how to navigate funding options, helping you gain clarity and confidence in making the best choices.

1. What is the Support at Home program?

The Support at Home program is a new Australian Government initiative commencing on November 1, 2025, designed to simplify and improve in-home aged care services. It aims to help older Australians live independently at home for longer by providing tailored care and support. It will replace the Home Care Packages (HCP) Program and the Short-Term Restorative Care (STRC) Program.

2. Who is eligible for the Support at Home program?

Eligibility generally requires being aged 65 or older (or 50+ for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people) and needing support to continue living safely and independently at home. An assessment by My Aged Care will determine the level of need.

3. What types of services will be available?

The program will offer a wide range of services under three main categories:

• Clinical Care: Nursing, physiotherapy, occupational therapy, continence support.
• Independence Support: Assistance with showering, dressing, self-medication management, mobility, and transport.
• Everyday Living Support: Help with home cleaning, gardening, meal preparation, shopping, and respite care.

Lumin qualifies as a SAH solution as it offers support on all three aspects: clinical support via virtual delivery, independence via check-in capabilities, and everyday living via scheduling tools.

4. How do I apply for the Support at Home program?

• Contact My Aged Care - visit myagedcare.gov.au or call 1800 200 422.
• Undergo an assessment to determine your needs.
• When approved as eligible, you can choose a provider to deliver services.

5. How much will the program cost me?

The cost depends on your financial situation and the services you use. Clinical care is expected to be fully government funded. For other services, you may need to contribute based on your income and assets. A "no worse off" principle applies to existing HCP recipients regarding contributions.

6. Will I automatically transition if I currently have a Home Care Package?

Yes, if you are already receiving a Home Care Package, you will automatically transition to the Support at Home program on November 1, 2025, and your current funding level will be maintained.

7. What are the different funding levels?

Support at Home will have eight levels of ongoing support, providing different quarterly funding amounts to match varying care needs. The highest level will have an annual funding of up to approximately $78,000.

8. What is the Assistive Technology and Home Modifications (AT-HM) Scheme?

This scheme provides separate funding to help with products, equipment, and home modifications to support independent living. There are different funding tiers (Low, Medium, High) with varying funding caps (e.g., up to $15,000 for high-level modifications).

9. What is the Restorative Care Pathway?

This pathway offers short-term (up to 12 weeks) allied health and multidisciplinary services to help individuals regain or build functional independence after illness or injury. Funding between $6,000 and $12,000 may be available.

10. What is the End-of-Life Pathway?

This pathway provides additional funding (up to $25,000 over 3 months, with 16 weeks to use the funds) for people in their last three months of life who wish to remain at home.

11. Can I carry over unspent funds?

Yes, if you don't spend your entire quarterly budget, you can roll over unspent funds up to $1,000 or 10% of your quarterly budget (whichever is greater) to the next quarter.

12. Will I lose my unspent Home Care Package funds?

No, you will not lose your unspent funds from your Home Care Package. These funds can be used within the Support at Home program for assistive technology, home modifications, or additional services.

13. Will there be price caps on services?

For the first year (from November 1, 2025), providers will set their own prices. From November 1, 2026, the government will introduce capped prices for services on the service list.

14. Will I need to choose a single provider?

Under the new program, one provider will generally manage your services. However, involving other providers may be possible with agreement. You can also choose to self-manage your Support at Home package for more control.

15. When will the Commonwealth Home Support Program (CHSP) transition to Support at Home?

The CHSP will transition to the Support at Home program no earlier than November 1, 2027. Until then, it will continue to operate separately.