Home Care Packages

Key points:

• What is a Home Care Package?
• What happens to my pension?
• Who manages my package?

UPDATE — in July 2025, the Support at Home program will replace the Home Care Packages program and the Short-Term Restorative Care Programme. The Commonwealth Home Support Programme will transition to the Support at Home program by July 1, 2027.

What is a Home Care Package?

A Home Care Package can offer a variety of supports at home to assist you to live as independently as possible.

Funding provided to you through a Home Care Package is designed to keep you living at home for longer and engaging with the community, for quality of life and well-being.

The funding could be used for:

• Personal care support for showering, dressing and going to the toilet
• Assistance with shopping
• Help with meal preparation or meal delivery
• Assistance with garden maintenance
• Help with cleaning
• Respite care — for you and your carer
• Home modifications for safety, such as handrails and ramps
• Transport to appointments
• Social support for company
• Help with taking medications
• Nursing care through a visiting nurse who can dress wounds or provide continence advice

Packages come in four different levels of care; a Level 1 Home Care Package supports people with basic care needs, a Level 2 HCP supports people with low-level care needs, Level 3 supports people with moderate care needs and Level 4 supports people with high-level care needs.

The same supports and services are available at each of these levels, but the hours of care provided increase as the levels increase.

From July 1, 2025, the Support at Home program will replace the Home Care Packages program and eight new classifications will replace the four HCP Levels. Existing HCP recipients and those on the waiting list won’t need to be assessed again (unless their needs change) and will continue to receive a budget that fits their current HCP Level.

More information, including the latest rates of equivalent funding for those receiving a Home Care Package who will transition to the Support at Home program, can be found on the Department of Health and Aged Care website.

What happens to my pension?

A Home Care Package does not impact the amount you receive through the Age Pension but, if you are on a part pension, you may be expected to contribute to some of the cost of your home care services.

To receive a Home Care Package, you will need to be assessed by an Aged Care Assessment Team (ACAT) or Aged Care Assessment Service (ACAS), which will tell you what supports will provide you with the best care.

In 2025, the Single Assessment System has been introduced to replace the Regional Assessment Service, independent Australian National Aged Care Classification (AN-ACC) assessment organisations and ACAT/ACAS assessors. How you receive an assessment will not change.

Who manages my package?

A HCP (or Home Care Package) will be allocated to you personally and you can make decisions around services, who delivers them and how involved you want to be in organising these services.

Approved Home Care Package providers must deliver care management services. However, you can self-manage your package or entrust a family member or close friend with self-management on your behalf.

More information about Home Care Packages is available on the Aged Care Guide website.

Your package should be reviewed every 12 months but, if your needs change in that time and you need a new in-home care plan, you can contact your provider to ask for a review.

In-depth information about reviews can be found on our website under the Home Care information section.

Search for Home Care Package providers near you by visiting www.agedcareguide.com.au/search/hcp/aus or call 1300 186 688 for financial planning advice around Home Care Packages.

Related information you might find useful

Home Care Packages

The steps to aged care

Myths about aged care homes

Assessing your needs