Support at Home Funding Levels: The 8 Classifications and Their Budgets

Why eight levels instead of four

Under Home Care Packages, the jump between levels was large. A Level 2 package was worth about $18,000 a year and a Level 3 about $40,000, so many people sat on a level that was either too little or more than they needed. Support at Home replaced the four levels with eight ongoing classifications, so the assessment can place you closer to your actual needs.

Each classification comes with a budget set per quarter (every three months). The budget already includes 10% for care management, which is the provider's work in planning, coordinating and reviewing your services.

The eight ongoing classifications

Classification	Quarterly budget	Annual equivalent	Closest old package
1	$2,752.50	$11,010.01	Level 1
2	$4,112.84	$16,451.35	Level 2
3	$5,634.20	$22,536.81	Between 2 and 3
4	$7,617.13	$30,468.51	Between 2 and 3
5	$10,182.38	$40,729.53	Level 3
6	$12,341.32	$49,365.27	Between 3 and 4
7	$14,915.00	$59,660.00	Level 4
8	$20,034.28	$80,137.12	Above Level 4

Figures are as published by the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing for 2026 and are indexed each year. The "closest old package" column is a guide only; your assessment, not your old package level, decides where you land.

What each level typically covers

Budgets buy hours of service at your provider's prices, so the exact mix depends on those prices and on what your support plan approves. As a rough picture:

• Classifications 1 to 2 (around $11,000 to $16,500 a year) - a few hours a week of domestic help, some transport and occasional personal care. Comparable to what many people had on a Level 1 or 2 package.
• Classifications 3 to 5 (around $22,500 to $40,700 a year) - regular personal care several times a week, domestic help, allied health such as physiotherapy, and social support. This is the range most people with moderate needs are placed in.
• Classifications 6 to 8 (around $49,000 to $80,000 a year) - daily personal care, nursing, substantial allied health and respite. Classification 8 is designed for people with high care needs who would otherwise be looking at residential care.

Because contributions are charged per service, two people on the same classification can pay very different amounts depending on which services they use and their pension status.

Transitioned Home Care Package classifications

People who held a Home Care Package on 31 October 2025 were not reassessed into the eight levels. They were placed in one of four transitioned classifications designed to give equivalent funding:

Old package	Transitioned classification	Quarterly budget	Annual equivalent
HCP Level 1	Transitioned HCP Level 1	$2,818.04	$11,272.15
HCP Level 2	Transitioned HCP Level 2	$4,955.44	$19,821.76
HCP Level 3	Transitioned HCP Level 3	$10,787.18	$43,148.74
HCP Level 4	Transitioned HCP Level 4	$16,353.98	$65,415.91

You stay on your transitioned classification until you are reassessed. If your needs increase and you are reassessed, you move onto the standard eight-level scale. Everything else about the transition, including unspent funds and the no worse off rules, is covered in moving from a Home Care Package to Support at Home.

Quarterly budgets and carrying funds over

This is a real change from the old annual package. Your budget is released every quarter. If you do not spend it all, you can carry over the higher of $1,000 or 10% of your quarterly budget into the next quarter. Anything above that is not lost to you personally but returns to the program.

The one exception is money brought across from an old Home Care Package. Those unspent funds are held in a separate balance with no cap and no expiry, and you can draw on them whenever your quarterly budget runs short.

Funding for equipment and home modifications is separate

Under Home Care Packages, a walker, a shower chair or a bathroom rail came out of your package budget. Under Support at Home, the Assistive Technology and Home Modifications (AT-HM) scheme funds these separately in three tiers - low (under $500), medium (up to $2,000) and high (up to $15,000) - so your classification budget goes further. The services list guide explains the scheme.

Getting the right level

Your classification is decided by the aged care needs assessment, so the assessment conversation matters. Be specific about the hardest parts of the day, the things that have stopped happening, and any falls or hospital visits. Family members can and should attend. How to apply for Support at Home walks through the assessment.

If you already have a classification and want help finding a provider whose prices make the most of it, browse the AusCareGuide aged care directory or ask our free placement help service to compare providers for you.

Figures on this page are current as at August 2026. Support at Home budgets, contribution caps and pathway amounts are indexed on 20 March and 20 September each year, so always confirm the latest amounts with My Aged Care before making decisions. This guide is general information, not financial or legal advice.