Home Care Package Eligibility and How to Apply in Australia (2026)

Securing government-funded home care in Australia starts with My Aged Care — the single gateway to all subsidised aged care services. The process involves screening, a comprehensive home assessment, a waiting period, and then selecting a provider. Here's exactly how it works.

Who's Eligible

To qualify for Support at Home (the program that replaced Home Care Packages), a person must be:

• Aged 65 or older (50+ for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, or 50+ if experiencing or at risk of homelessness)
• An Australian resident living in Australia
• In need of coordinated support beyond what basic programs (like the Commonwealth Home Support Programme) can provide

There is no minimum level of disability or diagnosis required. Eligibility is based on functional need — the inability to safely perform daily activities without assistance.

Step-by-Step Application Process

Step 1: Register with My Aged Care

Call 1800 200 422 or register online at myagedcare.gov.au. During this call, a screening representative will ask about the applicant's basic details, living situation, and care needs.

Two things to establish during this first call:

• Registered Supporter status — if an adult child is managing the process, request to be registered as a supporter immediately. This gives legal permission to receive correspondence, access records, and communicate with assessors on the parent's behalf.
• Urgency signals — mention any recent falls, hospital admissions, cognitive decline, or carer burnout. These are the triggers that move a referral from standard to high priority.

Step 2: Prepare for the Assessment

My Aged Care will refer the applicant to the Single Assessment System (SAS) workforce. An assessor will schedule a home visit, usually within 2–4 weeks.

Before the visit, compile:

• GP and specialist reports documenting conditions
• A medication list
• A falls diary (dates, circumstances, injuries)
• A 7-day functional needs diary showing the parent's worst days
• Records of any existing services (CHSP, private care)

Step 3: Complete the Home Assessment

The SAS assessor conducts a face-to-face evaluation using the Integrated Assessment Tool, scoring the applicant across 12 clinical and functional domains. Have an adult child present to provide honest context — parents routinely understate their difficulties.

Step 4: Receive the Notice of Decision

Within approximately two weeks after the assessment, the applicant receives a formal Notice of Decision specifying their Support at Home classification (Level 1–8) and priority rating.

If the classification seems too low, families have 28 days to request an internal review with supporting medical evidence.

Step 5: Wait for Funding Allocation

The median national wait time for full funding is approximately 347 days. During this period:

• Interim funding releases 60% of the approved quarterly budget so essential services can start
• CHSP services can continue concurrently
• Contact My Aged Care if the parent's condition worsens — a priority upgrade may reduce waiting time

Step 6: Choose a Provider and Sign a Service Agreement

Once funding is allocated, the participant has 90 days to select a registered Support at Home provider and sign a service agreement. Missing this deadline returns the funding allocation to the priority queue.

Use the My Aged Care "Find a Provider" tool to compare registered providers in the parent's area. Key questions: care management fee (should be exactly 10% of the quarterly budget), staff employment model, pricing transparency, and subcontracting policies.

Common Application Mistakes

Underplaying needs during screening — the initial My Aged Care call determines triage priority. Describing a parent as "mostly coping" when they've had multiple falls delays the process significantly.

Missing the means test — self-funded retirees and CSHC holders must submit Form SA456 to Services Australia. Failing to do so defaults the parent to the highest co-contribution rates.

Not having an adult child present at assessment — the parent's self-report almost always understates their actual needs, resulting in lower classification and less funding.

For a complete preparation framework covering assessment evidence folders, provider scorecards, and means-testing checklists, see the Australia Home Care Guide.

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