Support at Home Classifications. What are they?

Hopefully by now you’re starting to understand that big changes are coming to aged care from 1 July 2025—and they’re designed to make things clearer, more personalised, and easier to access.

The new Support at Home program will replace current programs like Home Care Packages (HCP) and the Commonwealth Home Support Programme (CHSP).

Whether you're currently receiving support or exploring options for the first time, this guide explains what’s changing in regards to ‘levels’, how services will be prioritised, and what you can do now to get ready.

Support Classifications: The New Way Care Is Matched to Your Needs

One of the biggest changes Support at Home introduces is how your support needs are assessed and funded. Instead of four Home Care Package levels, there will now be eight ongoing support classifications, each with its own budget.

These classifications help match you with the right amount of support—whether you need a little help around the house or more complex, daily care. Previously the differences in each level of care funding made it difficult to change levels on occasions. The jump from Level 2 to 3 was huge. Sometimes people didn’t have the needs for a full level 3, but level 2 was maxed out. These additional classifications make smaller, more incremental changes possible which is a great change.

Here’s a breakdown of the new classifications:

Classification Quarterly Budget Annual Budget

1 ~$2,750 ~$11,000

2 ~$4,000 ~$16,000

3 ~$5,500 ~$22,000

4 ~$7,500 ~$30,000

5 ~$10,000 ~$40,000

6 ~$12,000 ~$48,000

7 ~$14,500 ~$58,000

8 ~$19,500 ~$78,000

Note: These amounts are indicative and may vary depending on government updates and individual needs.

Your classification is determined through an aged care assessment, which considers your health, living situation, and ability to manage daily activities.

Will I Need to Wait for Services?

The government is working toward a goal: an average wait time of no more than 3 months by July 2027.

 While wait times may still exist in the short term, the new system includes an interim funding solution to make sure you can start receiving help sooner.

Here’s how it works:

• Once you're approved and given a classification, 60% of your annual budget becomes available straight away.

• The remaining 40% is allocated when your place reaches the top of the waitlist.

This means that even if you’re waiting for full funding, you can start receiving some support almost immediately—a significant change from the current system where many people wait months with no services

How Will Services Be Prioritised?

Another key improvement is how people are prioritised for support. The current National Priority System will be replaced by a four-tier prioritisation system, designed to respond more quickly and fairly based on your situation.

After your assessment, you'll be assigned one of four priority tiers:

• Urgent

• High

• Medium

• Standard

This new approach ensures that those with the most pressing needs receive support faster, while still maintaining fair access for everyone.

Whilst it sounds great, and a key improvement on paper, details at the minute are limited on what this will actually look like. Also, not clear is how this prioritisation system and the above release of 60% of the budget whilst waiting will work together. So, let’s wait and see I say and hope for the best…….

What This Means for You

These changes aim to put you at the centre of the aged care system, with:

• Faster access to services for people with urgent or high needs

• A more responsive system that adjusts to individual situations

• The ability to start support sooner, even while waiting for full funding

• A fairer priority process so you’re not stuck in a long queue without help

Overall, it’s a shift (on paper at this stage) toward greater dignity, choice, and support—whether you need just a little help or full-time assistance at home.

How to Prepare Now

The best way to stay ahead of these changes is to take a few simple steps:

✅ Check your My Aged Care details – Make sure your contact information and health details are current.
✅ Talk to your provider – If you're already receiving services, ask how they’re preparing for the changes. You’ll need to enter a new agreement for all these changes and new rights and responsibilities. Ideally this should be well underway, if not get onto them and start the conversation.
✅ Call me! It’s a lot. The changes are massive. If you’re just not sure I can talk you through every step and make sure you are in control.

To learn more about other important changes coming to aged care, be sure to check out our other blogs. We cover the new client contribution arrangements—what you may need to pay and how it’s calculated—and explore the two new short-term support options: Restorative Care, for those needing help to regain independence after illness or injury, and End-of-Life Care, designed to provide comfort and dignity in the final stage of life. These additions aim to offer more flexible, compassionate support when it’s needed most.