What is Support at Home (SaH)?
The Support at Home program is a new Australian Government initiative scheduled to commence on 1 November 2025. It is designed to enhance in-home aged care by bringing together multiple existing programs into a single, more streamlined system. It aims to provide more tailored support, reduce wait times, and ensure funding matches individual needs, with a new system of ongoing support levels and specific pathways for short-term needs, all managed through a single assessment process. The program focuses on supporting older Australians to remain independent, maintain their health, and stay connected to their communities while receiving appropriate care and assistance in their own homes.
FAQs
What will I Have to Contribute?
The SA456 form – Support at Home – calculation of your cost of care – is used by the Australian Government to collect a person’s income and asset information so that their financial contribution towards Support at Home services can be worked out. It asks for details such as personal and partner financial circumstances, income sources, assets, and other relevant financial information. Completing it allows Services Australia to assess how much a participant will be asked to contribute toward their in-home aged care costs under the Support at Home program. The link to this form is: Support at Home – calculation of your cost of care
Important note about assessment responsibility
Individual aged care providers do not assess or determine how much someone must contribute for Support at Home. The income and assets assessment and the resulting contribution amount are determined by a Single Assessment Workforce, replacing old ACAT/RAS teams.Providers may assist participants to understand the process, but they cannot decide contribution rates themselves
What are the funding levels for ongoing support?
If you are assessed as eligible for Support at Home services, you will be placed into one of eight classification levels. Each level sets the amount of funding allocated per quarter, which can be used to access ongoing support such as clinical care, assistance with daily living, and services that promote independence.
The quarterly funding amounts for each level are:
- Level 1: $2,682.75
- Level 2: $4,008.61
- Level 3: $5,491.43
- Level 4: $7,424.10
- Level 5: $9,924.35
- Level 6: $12,028.58
- Level 7: $14,537.04
- Level 8: $19,526.59
These funding levels are designed to align with the individual’s assessed care needs and support
What services are available under Support at Home
The Support at Home program provides a wide range of services designed to support you to live safely and comfortably in your own home. Following your assessment and based on your individual needs, you may be able to access:
- Clinical care: Services such as nursing, physiotherapy, occupational therapy, and continence support.
- Independence support: Help with personal care tasks including showering, dressing, medication assistance, and transport.
- Everyday living services: Support with cleaning, gardening, shopping, meal preparation, and respite care
These services are flexible, and you can work together with your provider to review and adjust supports as your needs change over time.
Can I save unused funds?
Yes. If you don’t spend your entire budget in a given quarter, the program allows you to carry over:
- Up to $1,000, or
- 10% of your quarterly budget,
whichever is greater.
This ensures you can access support when you need it most, without losing any funding
Will I need to change providers?
No, you will continue receiving care through your existing provider. If your needs or preferences change, you can choose to reassess or switch providers
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