Support At Home: Understanding the Changes

As part of Aunty Grace's commitment to keeping you informed, here’s another update in their series on the Australian Government’s upcoming Support at Home program, commencing July 1st, 2025. In this update, we’re focusing on some of the key changes, including updates to the Service List, the transition to Quarterly Budgets, and adjustments to how Care Management works.

While these updates may sound significant, the good news is that they’re expected to have little impact on the care and support you currently receive. You can continue to count on Aunty Grace to deliver the same high-quality experience you know and trust.

Updated Service List: Services and Equipment and Home Modifications

What the Government has said:

From 1 July 2025, Support at Home will introduce a defined Service List, outlining the services available to participants under the program. The new Assistive Technology and Home Modifications (AT-HM) Scheme will also begin. Under this scheme, participants won’t need to save from their care budgets for approved equipment or home modifications—these will be funded separately. Assessors will be able to approve these supports and assign a funding tier during the assessment process, streamlining access and reducing delays.

The funding tiers are:

• Low: Under $500
• Medium: Up to $2,000
• High: Up to $15,000

What this means:

There are minimal changes to the Service List under Support at Home compared to the current Home Care Packages Program. Most services that participants receive today will continue to be available. In a small number of cases, the rules have been clarified to exclude certain services that were previously permitted. If any services are affected, Care Managers will work directly with participants to explore suitable alternatives that continue to meet their individual needs.

The most notable update is that Assistive Technology and Home Modifications—including items such as walkers, seating, and other equipment—will now be funded separately through the AT-HM Scheme. This funding sits outside a participant’s regular care budget and must be approved by a government assessor. While the AT-HM Scheme is capped, participants can still use their unspent Home Care Package funds to purchase items listed on the AT-HM List. If you require additional funding beyond your unspent home care funds to purchase items on the AT-HM list, you will need to be assessed separately for this.

Bottom Line:

The types of services you receive under Support at Home will largely remain the same. Some of the products and equipment that you currently receive will need to be approved and funded separately through the AT-HM program, however, even if you don’t receive this funding you can continue to use any unspent Home Care Package funds that you carry over after July 1st.

Quarterly Budgets: Use it or lose it

What the Government has said:

Annual Support at Home budgets are broken into quarterly (3-monthly) budgets. Participants can carry over unspent funds of up to $1,000 or 10% of the quarterly budget (whichever is greater).

The indicative quarterly budget amounts for home care recipients transitioned to Support at Home are:

• Level 1 - $2,708 (Annual amount $10,833)
• Level 2 - $4,762 (Annual amount $19,049)
• Level 3 - $10,365 (Annual amount $41,460)
• Level 4 - $15,713 (Annual amount $62,853)

What this means: Under the current Home Care Package (HCP) program, you receive an annual budget and can accumulate unspent funds over time. This allows you to "save up indefinitely" funds if you don’t use them all at once—for example, to use on more expensive services or equipment later.

In contrast, the new Support at Home program will introduce quarterly budgets, meaning your funding will be released in set portions every three months, with only limited amounts that can be carried over. The amounts that carry over are capped, so they will not continue to grow if you don’t use up your funding each quarter.

This change limits the ability to accrue large amounts of unspent funds over time. The focus of the program is on using up your funding to support your independence, rather than holding funds for future use.

Bottom Line:

Under the Support at Home Program, you will have at least the same amount of funding available as you do now. However, you can no longer accumulate unspent funds indefinitely. If you don’t use up your funding each quarter, you will lose that funding, so it’s important that you maximise the services you receive each quarter!

And remember, as an HCP recipient your contributions will not increase under Support at Home, so every bit of funding you don’t use is simply a lost opportunity to receive more care and services at no additional cost to you! If you are not currently using the majority of your HCP funding, your Care Manger will contact you over the coming months to discuss increasing the amount of services you receive.

Care Management: Funding Changes For Care Management Explained

What the Government has said:

Given the fluctuating nature of care management needs, funding for care management will be combined at the service provider level. This will enable providers to meet needs for care management support as they arise. 10% of each participant's quarterly budget will be set aside for care management delivered by their service provider.

Care management involves:

• Planning and coordinating services
• Checking in with participants to ensure they are being well supported
• Clinical advice and practical support to address any changes in need or issues that arise
• Providing support and education where needed

What this means:

Care Management will continue to be flexible to respond to your needs over time. You will still have a portion of your funding allocated towards Care Management, but this has now been capped at 10% of your total funding. At Aunty Grace, this model aligns with our current philosophy of delivering responsive and tailored care management. We recognise the value of this service in helping participants navigate and adapt their support as their needs change.

While there is an industry-wide conversation about the impact of a capped allocation, Aunty Grace remains committed to ensuring that every participant continues to receive high-quality care management. Our focus remains on providing consistent, proactive support to help you get the most from your care plan.

Bottom Line:

While many providers are expected to scale back their Care Management services under Support at Home, Aunty Grace will continue to offer the same high level of support. Participants will still have access to dedicated Care Managers, our friendly Concierge desk for day-to-day assistance, and a dedicated Service Coordinator to help arrange and manage services.

Aunty Grace Has You Covered

The launch of Support at Home on 1 July 2025 is not far off, and we know you may have questions as the date approaches. We’re committed to keeping you updated with clear, easy-to-understand information—both leading up to the change and once the new program begins. If anything affects your care, we’ll speak with you directly to make sure your needs continue to be met.

In the meantime, if you’d like to talk through any of the changes or how they might apply to you, your Care Manager and our friendly Concierge team are here to help. Our priority is to make this transition as smooth as possible, and to ensure you continue to receive the same great care and support from Aunty Grace.

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