Support at Home

Support at Home is an Australian Government funded aged care program designed to help older people live independently at home. It replaces the Home Care Packages (HCP) Program. 

Support at Home provides access to government‑subsidised services based on your assessed needs. Funding and services are determined through an aged care assessment and are delivered in line with your Support at Home care plan.

Visit Support at Home for more information on how MSWA can deliver services to you. Alternatively, you can visit My Aged Care to check your eligibility or apply for funding. 

Your Support at Home funding is designed to help you live safely and independently at home. The services you can receive depends on your approved Support at Home funding level. 

Community services

• Cleaning: No (External services can be used).
• Personal care: Yes.
• Social support: Yes.
• Meal preparation: No (External services can be used).
• Transport: No (external services can be used).
• Gardening and home maintenance: No (External services can be used).
• Residential Respite: MSWA cannot provide Respite services via Support At Home funding, you may be able to access the service via alternative funding.

Allied health and nursing

• Physiotherapy (group or individual): Yes.
• Nursing: Yes.
• Occupational therapy: Yes.
• Remedial massage: Yes.
• Counselling and Wellbeing: Yes.
• Speech therapy: Yes.
• Dietetics: Yes.
• Podiatry: No (External services can be used).

If MSWA doesn’t offer the service you’re looking for, you may be able to access it through an external provider. Our team can explain what options are available and how external brokerage arrangements work.

You may be eligible for Support at Home if you have:

• Noticed changes in what you can do or remember.
• Been diagnosed with a medical condition or have reduced mobility.
• Experienced changes in your care or support arrangements.
• Had a recent fall, illness, or hospital admission.

Find out more about eligibility requirements at My Aged Care.

To qualify for the Support at Home program, you need an assessment from the Aged Care Assessment Team (ACAT). Based on this assessment, you will be assigned to a Support at Home classification and budget. You can request an ACAT by contacting My Aged Care or calling 1800 200 422. They will first check your eligibility and help you book your ACAT assessment. 

Once your ACAT is complete, you’ll receive a letter from My Aged Care or Services Australia advising when your package funding is assigned. From there you are ready to source a local provider like MSWA.  

If you’ve already been assigned to the Support at Home program and are searching for a provider, you’re halfway there! Contact our team. 

If you are already registered as a Client with MSWA, share the exciting news with your Client Liaison Coordinator so they can begin to set up the services to help you live your best life. 

Applications for government funding through My Aged Care (Support at Home) can take some time to be assessed, approved, and made available. 

Waiting times can vary depending on:

• Type of funding you are applying for.
• Assessment process.
• Demand and availability of funding.

For the most accurate information about timeframes, it is best to contact My Aged Care directly for an update.

If you are a new MSWA Client, we may be able to support you in the interim. Get in touch with our team today. 

Under Support at Home, people are assigned a classification level rather than a package level. These levels reflect the level of care and support you need.

Support at Home includes eight classification levels, ranging from lower to higher support needs. The classification level you receive is based on your aged care assessment and determines the amount of funding available for services.

At MSWA, we aim to make our fee structure as transparent as possible. 

Daily Care Fees
Under the Support at Home program, providers like MSWA, do not charge daily care fees.

Client Contributions
Some recipients may be required to pay a client contribution towards the cost of their Support at Home services. Client contributions are set by the Australian Government and are based on an income and assets assessment conducted by Services Australia. Services Australia will advise you if a contribution applies. 

Contribution Caps
There are annual and lifetime caps on the total amount of client contributions you can be asked to pay. These caps are set by the government and cannot be changed or waived by MSWA.

To learn more about client contributions visit the Income and Means Assessment and the Support at Home Estimator Tool. 

Alternatively, MSWA also provides services under a fee‑for‑service arrangement, where services are invoiced directly to the Client. 

This option may apply if:
•    You do not have government funding, or
•    Your Support at Home funding does not cover all the services you would like to receive. 

Fee‑for‑service rates are set by MSWA and may vary by service type. These rates are separate from NDIS and Support at Home pricing. 

Yes, view our Support at Home Price Guide here. 

Please note the Price Guide is subject to changes. Reach out to our team for more information. 

If you select MSWA as your provider for the Support at Home program, we require an initial nursing assessment conducted by one of our qualified registered Nurses. This is followed by annual assessments.  

If you wish to engage with an MSWA Physiotherapists or Occupational Therapists, an assessment by the relevant professional is needed, with the cost covered by your Support at Home funds. 

While MSWA cannot apply for an aged care assessment on your behalf, we can help you better understand the Support at Home process. 

Visit My Aged Care or ring 1800 200 422 to begin the funding application process. My Age Care will determine your eligibility, assign a classification level and arrange an assessment, which usually takes place in your home.

Once My Aged Care or Services Australia has advised your funding approval, you are now ready to choose a provider such as MSWA to discuss the services. 

Visit Get Support to connect with our experienced team and find out more. 

As of 1 November 2025, the new Support at Home program will replace Home Care Package (HCP) program.  

How does it affect current MSWA Clients?  

• Your current HCP will automatically transition to Support at Home so there is no need to reapply or be reassessed.  
• You will receive a letter from Services Australia to confirm this transition. Please reach out to your Client Liaison Coordinator (CLC) within 30 days of receiving this letter to discuss your funding.
• You will retain the same level of funding.
• Any unspent HCP funds will be carried over to the new Support at Home program.
• Quarterly budgets and monthly statements will be provided to help you better manage your program spending.
• Care management fees will now be funded at 10% of your quarterly budget

We recommend reviewing the information provided by the Australian Government regarding the reform.   

Your Client Liaison Coordinator (CLC) will be supporting you through this transition, including how the changes may affect your contributions and updating you with any further developments.