Support at Home in Perth
Support at Home is the Australian Government programme that helps older Australians get the care they need in their own home. If you've just heard about it, been told you might be eligible, or received a letter you don't quite understand, this page explains the whole thing in plain English: what it is, who qualifies, what it pays for, and the steps to get started.
We're a locally owned Perth provider with over ten years of experience in home care. If you'd rather just talk it through with someone, call us on (08) 9385 5675. There's no obligation and no sales pitch.
I'm just getting started
Not sure if you're eligible or where to begin? Start with the eligibility section below.
I already have funding
Already approved, or unhappy with your current provider? You can change at any time.
What is the Support at Home programme?
Support at Home began on 1 November 2025 and replaced the Home Care Packages programme and Short-Term Restorative Care.
It's a single government-funded programme designed to help you keep living independently at home rather than moving into residential aged care. It pays for things like nursing and allied health, help with showering and dressing, transport, cleaning, meals and home maintenance, depending on what your assessment says you need.
The main practical differences from the old Home Care Packages system:
- There are now eight levels of funding instead of four, so the amount you receive is more closely matched to what you actually need
- Services are grouped into three categories, clinical care, independence, and everyday living, each with different contribution rates
- Equipment and home modifications are funded through a separate stream rather than out of your main budget
If you're used to the old terminology, you may still hear people say Home Care Package. It's the same idea, under a new name and structure.
Am I eligible for Support at Home?
You're generally eligible for Support at Home if you are:
- 65 years or older, or 50 years or older if you're Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander
- Living at home rather than in residential aged care
- An Australian citizen or permanent resident
- Finding everyday tasks harder than you used to, because of age, illness or disability
One thing that puts a lot of people off unnecessarily: your income and assets do not affect whether you're eligible. They only affect how much you contribute towards the cost of your care once you're approved. Eligibility itself is based entirely on your need for support.
You don't have to be in crisis to apply, either. Plenty of people apply while they're still managing reasonably well, because approval takes time and it's better to have the funding in place before you urgently need it.
Not sure whether you'd qualify? Give us a call on (08) 9385 5675 and we'll talk you through it honestly. If you're not eligible, we'll tell you.
What does Support at Home cover?
Services are grouped into three categories. What you can access depends on your assessment and your approved budget.
Clinical care
Nursing, wound care and medication support. Allied health including physiotherapy, occupational therapy, podiatry and dietetics. Clinical continence care. Prescribed nutrition support.
Independence
Personal care such as help with showering, dressing, grooming and mobility. Social support and getting out into the community. Transport to appointments and errands. Respite so a family carer can take a break. Assistive technology.
Everyday living
Domestic help including cleaning, laundry and shopping. Essential light gardening such as lawn mowing and clearing pathways for safe access. Minor home maintenance like changing light globes or clearing gutters. Meal preparation, though the cost of the food itself isn't subsidised.
For a detailed breakdown of exactly what sits in each category, including what isn't covered, download our reference guides further down this page, or read our full guide to what Support at Home pays for.
How much funding will I receive?
Support at Home has eight funding classifications. When you're assessed, you're placed at the level that matches your assessed needs: the greater your need, the higher your classification and the larger your annual budget.
Your level isn't fixed. If your needs change, you can ask for a review and be reassessed.
Once approved, you'll receive a letter from My Aged Care called a Notice of Decision. This tells you your classification level and includes your Support Plan, which sets out the services you've been approved for. If you can't find your Notice of Decision, call My Aged Care on 1800 200 422 and they can give you the details.
Current budget amounts for each of the eight levels are set by the government and reviewed periodically, so the figures on the My Aged Care website are always the ones to rely on.
To see how a budget actually works in practice, we've published an example Level 2 breakdown showing both quarterly and annual figures, which you can download below. For our own service rates, see our pricing schedule.
What will I have to pay?
Support at Home is subsidised, not free. The government requires you to make what's officially called a participant contribution towards your care.
How it works:
- Your contribution is calculated by Services Australia based on an assessment of your income and assets
- The rate differs by service category. Clinical care carries no participant contribution, while independence and everyday living services do
- Full pensioners contribute at a lower rate than self-funded retirees
Current contribution rates for each category are set out in our Categories & Service Types guide, Part 2, which you can download below.
Our own service rates are published in full on our pricing schedule, so you can see exactly what you'd be paying against your budget before committing to anything. We don't do quote-on-request.
Not sure where to begin? Call us on (08) 9385 5675 for a straightforward conversation about whether you're eligible and what your next step is. No obligation, no sales pitch.
I already had a Home Care Package, what happens to me?
If you were already receiving a Home Care Package, you were automatically moved across to Support at Home on 1 November 2025, at an equivalent level of funding.
A few points that matter:
- You won't be worse off. If you were already receiving a package, or were assessed as eligible on or before 12 September 2024 and placed on the National Priority System, your contributions will be the same or lower than they were under the old programme
- Your unspent funds carry over. Any unspent Home Care Package money can be used for Support at Home services
- You don't need a new assessment unless your needs have changed
- If you were on the waiting list, you'll be offered a Support at Home place as one becomes available
How to apply for Support at Home
The process is set by the government and runs the same way for everyone. Here's what to expect.
Step 1: Register with My Aged Care
Apply online at myagedcare.gov.au, call 1800 200 422 (Monday to Friday 8am to 8pm, Saturday 10am to 2pm), or visit a Services Australia centre in person. Have a Medicare card ready. If you're applying on behalf of a parent, they'll need to be present to give verbal consent, or you'll need to be registered as their representative first.
Step 2: Assessment
You'll be referred for an assessment through the Single Assessment System. An assessor will usually visit you at home within a few weeks. Having them see your actual living situation is genuinely useful, because they can spot where a handrail or a weekly clean would make the most difference.
Step 3: Notice of Decision
If approved, you'll receive your Notice of Decision setting out your classification level and Support Plan.
Step 4: Choose a provider
Once your funding is assigned, you choose who delivers your care. You're free to choose any approved provider, and free to change later if it isn't working out.
Step 5: Service agreement and care plan
Your chosen provider works with you to put together a service agreement and a personalised care plan, then care begins.
Be aware there is a national waiting list, so the process takes time. Apply earlier than you think you need to.
For a more detailed walkthrough, read our step-by-step guide to applying for Support at Home.
How to get the most out of your assessment
The assessment determines your funding level, so it's worth preparing for. In our experience this is where people most often undersell themselves.
- Be honest, not stoic. If you struggle to get in and out of the shower or hang out washing, say so plainly. This isn't the time to put on a brave face.
- Count the help you already get. If family are already driving you to appointments or doing your shopping, that still counts as needing help with those things. Funded support frees your family up to spend time with you rather than doing your chores.
- Keep a short diary. For three days before the visit, note down every time you felt unsteady, exhausted, or needed a hand.
- Bring your goals. Wanting to keep going to bowls, or keep managing your garden, is exactly the kind of thing funding is meant to support. Say it out loud.
- Have someone with you. A son, daughter or friend can help you remember details and makes the whole thing less daunting.
For more on preparing, read our guide to how to prepare for your aged care assessment.
What if I need help before my funding comes through?
Waiting is the hardest part for most families. Two options in the meantime:
Commonwealth Home Support Programme (CHSP)
Entry-level, shorter-term support that can often start sooner. Worth asking My Aged Care about while your Support at Home application is progressing.
Private care
You can arrange services with us privately while you wait, then transition onto your funding once it's approved. You can also use private hours to top up funded care if your budget doesn't stretch as far as you'd like. Call us for a quote.
Other funding you may be able to access
Assistive Technology and Home Modifications (AT-HM) scheme
Equipment and home modifications are funded separately from your main budget, so buying a wheelchair or installing a ramp doesn't eat into your care hours. If you're approved for the scheme after your assessment, you can access separate funding for home modifications, for assistive technology, or for both, with higher amounts available where there's supporting evidence. Current caps are published on the My Aged Care website, and we can talk you through what you'd be likely to qualify for.
End-of-Life Pathway
For people who have been given a prognosis of three months or less, the End-of-Life Pathway provides additional funding so they can stay at home in comfort and dignity. We support families through this stage and you can read more about our palliative support care.
Restorative Care Pathway
Short-term, intensive support after a hospital stay, illness or fall, aimed at getting you back on your feet.
It's intensive and hands-on, built around allied health such as physiotherapy and occupational therapy, with the aim of rebuilding your strength, mobility and confidence rather than simply doing things for you. You access it through an aged care assessment. If the assessor finds that short-term restorative support is what you need, you're approved for an episode of care and you set goals to work towards.
An episode runs for up to 16 consecutive weeks, and you can have up to two episodes in a 12-month period, with at least three months between them.
The funding works differently from your ongoing care. Each episode comes with its own budget and a second amount can be approved where the need is clear. That money sits outside your Support at Home budget, so a course of restorative care doesn't reduce your ongoing funding.
If you're coming out of hospital and want to know what this looks like day to day, see our hospital to home care.
What you can expect from Perth Care Partners
Perth Care Partners is an independent, locally owned and operated home care service with over ten years of experience delivering excellent home care. We have a strong team of carers and care managers, and we know the communities we work in.
Our home care starts with a care manager who listens, and a care plan developed together with you to meet your needs.
The right care team matters just as much. We have wonderful carers and excellent staff retention, and we work hard to match you with a carer who's the right fit. We don't rotate our team, so you won't get a constant parade of people you've never met before.
You'll receive sincere, thoughtful care from a person, or a small selected team, who are compatible with you. And of course you can request a change of carer at any time.
Understand what's included in your Support at Home budget
See exactly what's covered under each category, what your contributions might look like, and what a real budget looks like.
Categories & Service Types (Part 1)
Independence and Everyday Living categories — what's included and what's not.
Categories & Service Types (Part 2)
Clinical Supports and your participant contribution rates.
Example Budget — Level 2
See a real quarterly and annual Support at Home Level 2 budget breakdown.
Where we provide Support at Home in Perth
We deliver Support at Home services across the Perth metropolitan area.
North of the river, including Mindarie, Joondalup, Wanneroo, Balcatta and surrounding suburbs.
South of the river, from Fremantle through Rockingham to Mandurah and the suburbs in between.
Our office is at 199 Balcatta Road, Balcatta. If you're not sure whether we cover your area, call us on (08) 9385 5675.
Support at Home questions we get asked
Do I have to pay for Support at Home?
It's subsidised rather than free. The government sets a participant contribution based on your income and assets, calculated by Services Australia. Clinical care attracts no contribution. Contribution rates by category are in our downloadable guide, and our own service rates are on the pricing schedule.
How long does approval take?
There's a national waiting list, so it varies. Registration and assessment usually take a few weeks, but waiting for a funded place can take considerably longer. This is why we suggest applying earlier than you think you need to.
Will my income affect whether I'm eligible?
No. Income and assets only affect what you contribute, not whether you qualify.
Can I choose my own provider?
Yes. Once your funding is approved you choose who delivers your care, and you can change provider later at any time without losing funding or unspent funds.
What happened to Home Care Packages?
Support at Home replaced them on 1 November 2025. Existing recipients were transferred across at an equivalent funding level and cannot be worse off financially than they were before.
Can I get help while I'm still waiting?
Often yes, through the Commonwealth Home Support Programme, or by arranging private services with us in the meantime.
Do you cover my suburb?
We service Perth metro both north and south of the river. Call (08) 9385 5675 and we'll confirm.
Related guides
- How to apply for Support at Home: a step-by-step guide
- What does the Support at Home package actually pay for?
- A guide to Support at Home, Australia's new in-home care programme
- How to prepare for your aged care assessment in Perth
- How much does home care cost in Perth?
- Changing your Support at Home provider
Your Care Team Awaits
We are here to help you navigate the process. For a straightforward conversation with a real person about whether you're eligible, what you'd be entitled to, what the next step is, or to change your Support at Home Provider - just call us! We will make it easy - send us an online enquiry, and we will get back to you soon.