About the program
We are implementing the Support at Home program in response to the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety.
Support at Home will bring together current in-home aged care programs, ensuring a simpler and more equitable system for older people that helps them to stay at home for longer.
Support at Home will ensure improved access to services, equipment and home modifications to help older people remain healthy, active and socially connected to their community.
Read more about the features of the Support at Home program.
Support at Home program handbook
When Support at Home will start
From 1 July 2025, Support at Home will replace the existing Home Care Packages (HCP) Program and Short-Term Restorative Care (STRC) Programme.
The Commonwealth Home Support Programme (CHSP) will transition to the new program no earlier than 1 July 2027.
The staged approach will give all CHSP providers time to change their business systems and adjust to new payment arrangements. This will ensure they can operate successfully under Support at Home and avoid disruptions for their clients.
Support at Home will be enabled by a Single Assessment System, which started with the introduction of a new Integrated Assessment Tool on 1 July 2024. This will simplify and improve access to aged care services for older people.
Current in-home aged care programs will continue to operate as normal until they transition into the new program.
Where we’re up to
The final Support at Home program design has now been finalised.
This is the result of:
- extensive consultation with older people, service providers, aged care workers and other stakeholders
- several studies and trials.
We continue to engage with the aged care sector, older people, families and carers to ensure everyone is prepared for Support at Home to start on 1 July 2025.
You can now read the Support at Home handbook, which has been developed to support in-home aged care providers to understand the core components of the Support at Home program design and arrangements from 1 July 2025.
The Support at Home program manual provides detailed information for providers to assist them to understand and comply with the Support at Home program rules, procedures and obligations.
Learn more about past, current and future research, consultation and engagements.
Stay up to date
To receive the latest information and learn about engagement opportunities:
- visit the Aged Care Engagement Hub
- subscribe to the aged care sector newsletter and alerts.
Related topics
- Single Assessment System for aged care
- Home Care Workforce Support Program
- Home Care Packages Program
- Commonwealth Home Support Programme (CHSP)
