Commonwealth Home Support Programme (CHSP) reforms

Aged care reforms

We are making changes to improve aged care in Australia for all, now and in the future. These changes will deliver safety, dignity and respect for older people across aged care.

The reforms will change in-home aged care, including the CHSP from 1 July 2025, through: 

• a new Aged Care Act 2024, which will start from 1 July 2025
• the Support at Home program, which will replace the Home Care Packages (HCP) Program and Short-Term Restorative Care (STRC) Programme on 1 July 2025, with the CHSP transitioning no earlier than 1 July 2027
• the Single Assessment System, which helps older people more easily access aged care and adapt services as their needs change.

Changes to the CHSP

The new Aged Care Act will:

• regulate CHSP providers the same way as other aged care programs
• standardise the CHSP service list which will mean new service type names and descriptions – we will align providers’ current contracted services to the new service list over the coming months.

We will implement changes gradually to help providers and clients prepare for the transition to Support at Home.

We held a provider webinar on 13 March 2025 and frequently asked questions will be available under the extension resources.

We also held a survey with CHSP providers in November 2024 to seek feedback on proposed changes.

For more information about changes to CHSP, see:

• CHSP 2025-27 extension – provider update
• Proposed changes to CHSP service list from 1 July 2025 – Fact sheet
• CHSP 2025–27 service catalogue
• Proposed changes to CHSP Data Exchange from 1 July 2025 – Fact sheet.

Next steps

In the lead up to 1 July 2025, we will update providers about:

• the changes
• any actions they need to take
• upcoming consultations and information sessions.

Draft Aged Care Rules (Release 4b)

The draft Rules (Release 4b) were publicly released for consultation on 15 April 2025 and feedback closes on 13 May 2025.

Additional information is available on how the draft Rules for service agreements, care and services plans and the provision of information to individuals will be applied to the CHSP.

For more information, please read the CHSP provider update – Draft Aged Care Rules (Release 4b). 

Transitioning CHSP clients under the new Aged Care Act

Under the new Act, CHSP clients must be assessed as eligible for CHSP through a My Aged Care assessment to receive government-subsidised CHSP services.

The vast majority of CHSP clients will be transitioned under the new Aged Care Act because they have previously been assessed as eligible for CHSP.

We are supporting current CHSP clients who have not had an aged care assessment to get an assessment before the new Aged Care Act commences on 1 July.

We are contacting and providing guidance documents to CHSP providers that have historically provided CHSP services to unassessed clients.

If your organisation provides CHSP services to clients who have not had an aged care assessment, you will not be able to keep providing services to these clients unless they apply for and have an aged care assessment by 30 June 2025. 

As it can take time to receive an aged care assessment, please support your impacted clients to request an assessment through My Aged Care as soon as possible. Additional assessors are available to support these clients to get assessed in a timely manner. 

For more information, please read:

• The new regulatory model – Guidance for CHSP providers
• CHSP client transition letter for providers
• CHSP client transition provider fact sheet 
• Letter template for unassessed CHSP clients.

CHSP funding extension

The CHSP is being extended from 1 July 2025 to 30 June 2027. 

We have sent all eligible currently contracted CHSP providers an invitation to apply to the CHSP 2025-27 Funding Extension Grant. 

This invitation outlines:

• their proposed 2025–27 funding and outputs
• details on the application process and steps they need to take.

We are sending grant agreements to eligible CHSP providers in May and June, prior to 1 July 2025.

Find more information in the CHSP 2025-27 extension – provider update.

Additional grants and rollover funding

The 2025–27 extension is not an opportunity to request additional funds.

Providers will not be allowed to roll over any unspent 2024–25 funds or any other funds related to their current grant agreement into 2025–27.

We are looking at additional funding opportunities for 2025–27. We will provide more information in the coming months.

Draft CHSP 2025–27 Manual

The draft CHSP 2025–27 manual will include further detail about the program changes and will be available under extension resources in early May 2025. The version will be draft and we will be seeking feedback on the content via an online survey. This feedback will inform the final Manual to be published prior to 1 July 2025.

DEX reporting changes – Stage 1

From 1 July 2025, Data Exchange (DEX) reporting requirements will change to ensure services align to the new CHSP service list and improve visibility of services being accessed by clients.

DEX changes will occur in 2 stages:

Stage 1: Reporting will be aligned with the new service list, commencing f1 July 2025.

Stage 2: Reporting of service type at a more granular level and will occur within the 2025/26 financial year.

Refer to the DEX Stage 1 Toolkit and Data Dictionary Stage 1 to understand the changes you need to make from 1 July.

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