Getting Started with Support at Home

Support at Home is the Australian Government’s program for older people who need support to remain living safely and independently at home.

You don’t need to understand everything at once. The Support at Home process can be broken down into a few simple steps:

1. Contact My Aged Care → 2. Assessment → 3. Approval → 4. Wait for funding → 5. Choose a provider → 6. Start your services

Our simple Support at Home guide explains the assessment process, funding, services, costs and choosing a provider.

What is the first step to receiving Support at Home?

Contact My Aged Care to find out whether you are eligible for government-funded aged care and arrange an assessment.

What happens at my aged care assessment

An assessor will talk with you about your needs, circumstances, goals and the support you may need to remain living at home.

What happens after my assessment?

If you are approved for Support at Home, you’ll receive a Notice of Decision explaining what you’ve been approved for, your support plan and any applicable short-term support.

How long will I have to wait for funding?

This is one of the most important things to understand about Support at Home. Being approved for ongoing Support at Home does not necessarily mean your funding starts immediately. Ongoing funding is allocated through the Support at Home Priority System, based on your priority category and the date you were approved. Current government estimates for standard priority is 7-8 months.

What happens once I have been approved?

If you’ve been approved but are waiting for ongoing funding, it can be helpful to start thinking about which provider you’d like to use before your funding becomes available. That way, when you’re ready to start services, you have already had time to understand your options.

How do I choose a provider?

Good support at home should fit around your life, rather than asking you to fit around a service. The right provider should respect your culture, language, beliefs, identity and personal preferences. Ask whether you will have a consistent care team, continuity of support and how the provider manages communication.  Make sure you receive clear information about fees, contributions and understand how your funding will be used.

What happens once my funding becomes available?

Once your funding becomes available, you can choose your preferred provider and work with them to agree on the services that best meet your needs, goals and available funding.