Home Care Sydney City & East

Support At Home v Home Care Packages – What’s the difference?

The Support at Home (SaH) Program is Australia’s new model for government-funded in-home care. It replaces the former Home Care Packages (HCP) system from 1 November 2025.

While both programs are designed to help older Australians stay independent, there are some key differences in how they work:

Support at Home (SaH) – The New Model

• New Service Categories: Funding is grouped into three clear categories – Everyday Living Support, Independence Support, and Clinical Care.
• Tailored to your goals: Services are based on what you want to achieve, such as staying active, safe, and socially connected.
• Quarterly budgets: Funding is now managed quarterly, helping clients and providers plan care more effectively.

Additional supports: You may be eligible for separate funding streams for things like Assistive Technology or Home Modifications.

Home Care Packages (HCP) – The Old Model

• Four package levels: Clients were approved for one of four levels (from basic to high care).
• Annual budgets: Funding was provided as a daily rate over a yearly allocation, with balances often building up over time.
• Less flexibility: Services were tied to your package level rather than your goals or changing needs.
• Higher administrative complexity: Pricing and inclusions varied between providers, sometimes making it harder to compare.

Transition from Home Care Packages to Support at Home

As of 1 November 2025, the Support at Home Program has replaced the former Home Care Packages (HCP) system. Here’s what this means:

New Participants

Anyone approved from 1 November 2025 onward will automatically enter the new Support at Home Program.

Transitioned Participants

If your assessment through My Aged Care occurred after 12 September 2024, you will transition directly into the new Support at Home Program from 1^st November 2025.

Grandfathered Participants

If you were assessed on or before 12 September 2024, you are considered a “Grandfathered Client.” You will remain under the previous Home Care Package arrangements, protected by the No Worse Off Policy.

This means:

You will keep your current level of funding and continue to receive the same supports.

If you contributed to your care before 1 November, you will not pay more than that amount going forward.

New Service Categories

From 1 November 2025, there are three main funding pathways under the Support at Home Program:

• Everyday Living Support – for domestic help, shopping, meals, and transport.
• Independence Support – for reablement, therapy, equipment, and home modifications.
• Clinical Care – for nursing, medication management, wound care, and more.

How Do ‘Grandfathered’ Home Care Packages Work?

From 1 November 2025, there are three main funding pathways under the Support at Home Program:

• Everyday Living Support – for domestic help, shopping, meals, and transport.
• Independence Support – for reablement, therapy, equipment, and home modifications.
• Clinical Care – for nursing, medication management, wound care, and more.

Eligibility: If you were assessed on or before 12 September 2024, you are considered a Grandfathered Client under the new Support at Home Program. This means you will keep your current funding level and continue to receive the same services under the No Worse Off policy. You will not pay more than you did before 1 November, and your care will continue to be managed in the same way.