What you need to know
The Support at Home program supports older people to remain at home for longer.
The Support at Home program supports older people to remain at home for longer though the provision of:
- upfront supports to maintain independence, such as assistive technology and home modifications
- new classification and budget levels to better meet a person's aged care needs
- participant contributions based on an assessment of income and assets.
Accessing services
An aged care needs assessment is required to determine your eligibility for the Support at Home program. Based on this assessment, you will receive a Notice of Decision with an individual support plan to share with your chosen provider. Your individual support plan will include:
- a summary of your care needs and goals
- a classification with an associated ongoing quarterly budget and approved list of esrvices
- an approval for short-term supports if applicable, which may include a budget for:
- assistive technology
- home modifications
- Restorative Care Pathway (for example, intensive allied health services)
- End-of-Life Pathway.
Once your assessment has been completed you will be allocated for funding for ongoing services through the Support at Home Priority System. The Support at Home Priority System will consider:
- the priority level for in-home care services (urgent, high, medium, standard) determined
- information collected during the aged care assessment
- the date of approval for in-home care.
This system ensures equitable and efficient allocation of funding based on standardised criteria. The higher your priority level, the less time you will need to wait to begin receiving your approved funding.
The allocation of funding for the Restorative Care and End-of-Life pathways is immediate on approval.
Transitioning from the Home Care Packages Program
The Home Care Packages (HCP) program transitioned to the Support at Home program on 1 November 2025. HCP care recipients transitioned to Support at Home at their current funding levels.
People on the National Priority System awaiting allocation of a HCP will transition to the Support at Home Priority System and have a budget allocated once a place is available. They will retain an equivalent budget to their assessed HCP budget. They won’t need a new assessment unless their needs change.
Ongoing services
Support at Home has 8 classifications for ongoing services and 4 classifications for transitioned HCP recipients. Each classification has a quarterly budget for participants to access government-funded services based on their assessed needs.
Each participant will have a single service provider. The provider will be responsible for delivering direct care services or arranging a third party to do so. They will also provide care management, which ensures participants receive care that aligns with their preferences and needs. Participants may have the option to self-manage aspects of their care.
Short-term pathways
- Restorative Care Pathway – replaces the Short-Term Restorative Care Programme. It provides participants access to intensive allied health and nursing care for up to 16 weeks. The pathway is designed to regain independence and prevent the need for higher levels of ongoing care.
- Assistive Technology and Home Modifications (AT-HM) scheme provides participants funding to access a defined list of assistive technology and home modifications, without needing to save up funds from their ongoing services budget.
- End-of-Life Pathway will provide participants with 3 months or less to live access to more funding for in-home aged care services for 12 weeks. This aims to help older people remain at home if that is their preference.
Participant contributions
Participants will pay contributions based on an assessment of their income and assets. Contributions will differ for:
- clinical supports – no contribution
- independence services – moderate contributions
- everyday living services – highest contributions.
HCP care recipients and older people approved for a package on or before 12 September 2024 will be no worse off under Support at Home. This means they will make the same contributions, or lower, than they were assessed as having to pay under HCP program arrangements.
In-home care for older Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people
It is critical that older Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people can access culturally safe, trauma-aware and healing-informed aged care in or close to their community. Support at Home is responsive to the diverse and changing needs of older Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people through:
- including culturally-safe care services on the service list – such as assistance to participate in cultural activities and access to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health practitioners and health workers
- providing a supplement for extra hours of care management to providers that support older Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander participants.
Pricing
Prices for services include the entire cost of delivering a service (e.g. administrative costs, staff travel and third-party charges).
Support at Home pricing schedule (pdf, 115KB)
Contact
If you are considering choosing Moonee Valley City Council as your provider for Support at Home, please contact the Aged Care team 9243 8748 or email SAH@mvcc.vic.gov.au.
To learn more about Home Care Packages and find out if you are eligible contact My Aged Care 1800 200 422.
Our Aged Care Navigation Officer can help you with information, support you to register and guide you through the My Aged Care process. If you need assistance in your language, our officer can organise an appointment with an interpreter.
Contact Aged Care Navigation Officer 9243 8826 or AgedCareNavigation@mvcc.vic.gov.au
