Support at Home Explained: What the New Aged Care Program Means for You

Support at Home has now replaced Home Care Packages and there are three distinct participant groups, each with slightly different rules and protections. Knowing which group, you are part of lets you understand your rights, your contributions and your service-arrangements. Let’s unpack this a bit further.

Grandfathered Participants 

You are in the “grandfathered” group if by 12 September 2024 you had either: 

• already been approved for a Home Care Package (HCP); or 

• were on the National Priority System (waiting list) or  

• had been assessed eligible for a HCP by that date.  

In short: you were part of the older scheme before that September 2024 cut-off. 

What this means for you: 

• Automatic transition: You transitioned to Support at Home on the 1/11/2025.  

• Funding level stays the same: Your funding or “level” under HCP will be preserved as you move into Support at Home, so your annual funding stays at the same amount, unless you seek a higher classification of support. 

• Contributions (fees): A “no-worse-off” guarantee applies — meaning your personal contributions determined by the Australian Government (if you were paying) will be the same or lower than what you were paying under HCP.  

• Unspent funds carry over: If you had unspent HCP funds, they will be carried over into your Support at Home budget.  

Why this category matters: 
It recognises that you’ve been using the aged-care system under the older rules already, so you’re given protections and stability in the transition. It helps avoid disruption to your services. 

 Transitional Participants 

This group covers people who were approved for a Home Care Package after 12 September 2024 but before the full commencement of the new program, up to 31 October 2025. People in this group are referred to “interim” or “transitional” participants.  

In short: you entered the system after the “grandfathered” cut-off but before the new rules for “new participants” apply. 

What this means for you: 

• Automatic transition: You transitioned to Support at Home on the 1/11/2025.  

• Contributions (fees): You are not covered by the same no-worse-off protections as the grandfathered group. For example, your contributions may align with the new framework rather than the older HCP contribution arrangements.  

• Unspent funds carry over: If you had unspent HCP funds, they will be carried over into your Support at Home budget.  

Why this category exists: 
It covers the “in-between” period when the system was transitioning from the old HCP scheme to the new Support at Home scheme. It allows for people who were already approved just after the key cut-off date to still move through the system, but under the newer rules. 

New Participants 

You fall into the “new participant” group if you are first approved under the Support at Home on or after 1 November 2025 and were not previously in an HCP before that date. Essentially: you are starting fresh under the new scheme, rather than transitioning from HCP. 

What this means for you: 

• You start under the new Support at Home rules from the onset — You’ll be assessed, allocated a funding classification between 1 and 8. 

• Contributions (fees): Your contributions co-payments will be based on the new framework. 

• Unspent funds carry over: You will be able to carry over some of the funds that you do not spend in a quarter. The general rule is: you can carry over up to $1,000 OR up to 10% of your quarterly budget — whichever is greater.  For example: if your quarterly budget is $8,000, 10% is $800, but since the rule is “$1,000 or 10% whichever is greater”, you could carry up to $1,000 in that scenario. 

 Will I receive a different level of care based on which group I am in? 

The simple answer is no. All participants will receive the same level of support and care to stay living in their home.  

 What is next? 

If you are a participant of Accent Home Care, you will have or will shortly receive correspondence from the Australian Government detailing if you are required to financially contribute to your care and services. A letter will arrive stating the contribution amounts for: 

Independence supports —such as personal care (showering, dressing), assistive technology, minor home modifications.  

Everyday living supports — such as domestic assistance (cleaning, laundry), meal preparation, shopping help, gardening 

Important! 

When you receive this letter stating the contribution amount contact your Care Partner who will provide you with further details. Even if the letter states the percentage is zero, (0%) contact us and we will update your information. 

Every family deserves care they can trust. Book your free consultation with Accent Home Care now.