Support at Home vs Home Care Package — What Changed in 2025
Support at Home vs Home Care Package — What Changed in 2025
On 1 November 2025, the Australian Government officially replaced the Home Care Packages (HCP) program with the Support at Home program. If your parent was receiving a Home Care Package, they've already been transitioned. If you're applying now, you're entering the new system directly.
Here's a side-by-side comparison of what changed and what stayed the same.
The Key Differences
| Feature | Home Care Packages (Legacy) | Support at Home (Current) |
|---|---|---|
| Funding levels | 4 levels (1–4) | 8 ongoing classifications (1–8) plus short-term pathways |
| Assessment | Dual system (RAS for low needs, ACAT for high) | Single Assessment System (SAS) using the Integrated Assessment Tool |
| Budget cycle | Annual with unlimited rollover | Quarterly with rollover capped at $1,000 or 10% |
| Basic daily fee | ~$12/day charged to all recipients | Abolished — replaced by service-based co-contributions |
| Administration fees | Providers could charge up to 35% | Care management capped at 10% of quarterly budget |
| Exit fees | Some providers charged them | Completely banned |
| Co-contributions | Flat income-tested care fee | Tiered by service type (clinical = 0%, independence = 5–50%, everyday = 17.5–80%) |
How CHSP Fits In
The Commonwealth Home Support Programme (CHSP) still exists as a separate, entry-level program. CHSP covers basic, low-intensity services — a few hours of cleaning per fortnight, occasional transport, social group activities — at roughly $14 per hour.
CHSP is designed for older Australians who need a small amount of help to stay independent but don't require complex, multi-service care. If a parent's needs go beyond what CHSP can provide (daily personal care, clinical nursing, continence management), they need to apply for Support at Home through My Aged Care.
The CHSP is scheduled to merge into Support at Home no earlier than 1 July 2027. Until then, both programs run in parallel — and a person can receive CHSP services while waiting on the Support at Home waitlist.
What Happened to Existing HCP Recipients
Anyone who held a Home Care Package before 1 November 2025 was automatically transitioned to Support at Home under the "no worse off" principle. This means:
- Funding amounts: Converted to quarterly equivalents at the same or higher level
- Co-contributions: Locked at legacy rates (full pensioners pay 0% for all services; part-pensioners/self-funded retirees capped at 25%)
- Unspent funds: Any HCP savings accumulated before the transition date are grandfathered into a separate budget with no rollover cap
- Lifetime contribution cap: Lower cap of ~$86,185 applies (compared to ~$137,917 for new entrants)
Grandfathered recipients keep these protections permanently, even if they change providers.
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The Biggest Practical Impact for Families
The fee structure shift matters most. Under the old HCP system, families paid a flat basic daily fee regardless of services used. Under Support at Home, there's no daily fee — but co-contributions vary dramatically by service type and financial means.
A self-funded retiree who previously paid ~$12/day ($4,380/year) in basic daily fees now pays nothing on clinical services but 80% on everyday living supports like cleaning and meals. Depending on the service mix, this can be substantially more expensive.
The rollover cap changes spending behaviour. Families who stockpiled unspent HCP funds for emergencies need to adjust. With a $1,000 quarterly rollover cap, the strategy shifts to using the full budget each quarter and keeping a tight buffer rather than saving.
For families navigating the transition or entering the system for the first time, the Australia Home Care Guide covers assessment preparation, provider selection, and quarterly budget planning under the current rules.
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