Getting help at home: My Aged Care and Support at Home

Who can get help

Government-funded aged care is for people who need help with daily life and are:

• 65 or older, or
• 50 or older and an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander person, or
• 50 or older and homeless or at risk of homelessness.

How to start

Call My Aged Care on 1800 200 422, or check eligibility and apply online at myagedcare.gov.au. The online form takes about 15 to 20 minutes. Have the person's Medicare card ready.

An assessment organisation should call within 2 to 6 weeks. If the person is eligible, an assessor will arrange to visit them at home.

Getting ready for the assessment

Have the Medicare card and one other ID, any GP referrals, and their GP's details. A family member, friend or carer can be there, and you can ask for an interpreter. Older Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people can ask for an Elder Care Support worker.

What Support at Home offers

Support at Home started on 1 November 2025. It replaced Home Care Packages and short-term restorative care. Depending on the assessment, it can include:

• clinical care, such as nursing, physiotherapy or continence care
• independence support, such as help with showering, dressing, medicines, transport or respite
• everyday living help, such as cleaning, gardening, shopping or meals
• equipment and home changes, such as handrails, ramps or walking frames

Levels and short-term help

People with ongoing needs are placed in one of 8 levels, each with its own budget. Short-term options include help to regain strength and independence, funding for equipment and home changes, and extra care at home in the last 3 months of life. You then choose a provider to arrange services within the budget.

What does it cost?

Clinical care is free. For other services, people pay a share of the cost, called a contribution. It depends on the type of service and on their income and assets, which Services Australia assesses. Full pensioners pay the least. Everyday living services have the highest contributions.

There is a lifetime cap on contributions. People who had, or were approved for, a Home Care Package on or before 12 September 2024 have protections so they are not worse off. Help is available for genuine financial hardship.

Lighter help: CHSP

If someone needs just a little help, such as cleaning or meals, the Commonwealth Home Support Programme (CHSP) may suit. People pay towards costs if they can. CHSP keeps running until it moves into Support at Home, no earlier than 1 July 2027. The assessment decides which fits.

Support for carers

Carer Gateway on 1800 422 737 offers free help for unpaid carers, including counselling, coaching, carer groups and planned respite. Call Monday to Friday, 8am to 5pm. Emergency respite is available 24/7 on the same number.

Free help to find your way

The Older Persons Advocacy Network (OPAN) gives free, independent and confidential support and information about your rights on 1800 700 600.

Care finders give face-to-face help to older people who find the system hard to use and have no one to help them. A list of care finders is on the My Aged Care website.