Home Care FAQs

Australia’s Support at Home program commenced on 1 November 2025, replacing the former Home Care Packages and Short-Term Restorative Care programs. For those on the Commonwealth Home Support Programme (CHSP), changes apply from no earlier than 1 July 2027.

For full information about these changes, including funding levels and eligibility, visit our Support at Home program page.

A Referral Code is a unique number that you receive when you are assigned a Support at Home Care Package.

You will need to provide this Referral Code to your chosen Provider so they are able to trigger your funding. It also enables your chosen Provider to access the details from your ACAT/ACAS assessment and ensure that they can meet your specific care needs.

Therefore, we request your Referral Code prior to accepting you as a client. We like to view these documents and ensure that we can meet your unique care needs. Once this has been confirmed and you are keen to come on board, we accept your Referral Code and you become a valued client.

Your Referral Code is a unique code. Whether you have just received your Support at Home Care Package or have been with another Provider and are wanting to switch.

Finding your Code

• New Support at Home Care Packages: If you have recently been allocated funding you can find your Referral Code on the letter you received from My Aged Care assigning you your package. If you can’t find your letter, you can call My Aged Care on 1800 200 422 and simply ask for them for it.
  
  
• Switching Providers: If you’re switching Providers, you will need to get your code reactivated. This is because when you signed with your previous Provider they would have activated your code. All you need to do is call My Aged Care on 1800 200 422 and ask them to do it.

Participant contributions are the amount you may need to pay toward your Support at Home services, based on your individual financial circumstances. The contribution amount is determined through an income and assets assessment and depends on the types of services you receive. At Aunty Grace, we’ll clearly explain any costs upfront and help you understand what you may need to contribute, so there are no surprises.

You can read more about how contributions work here: Support at Home | Your Contributions

It’s easy to switch to Aunty Grace. It takes three simple steps! We can organise this transition with you to ensure there are minimal disruptions to your continuity of care and support. You can learn more about switching here

If you need help, call us and we can assist you to make the switch.

We understand that it can be stressful navigating and waiting for a Home Care Package, especially when you need timely support.

To get the support you need while navigating this process, you can purchase in-home care services privately from Aunty Grace through our Self-funded Services option. This means you receive services immediately. Find out more about our private funding.

Under the Support at Home program, participant contributions are subject to a lifetime cap, as outlined in the Government's Schedule of Fees and Charges. Once you reach this lifetime cap, you will not be required to pay any further participant contributions for Support at Home services. Services Australia will notify both you and your provider when the cap has been reached, and the Government will cover any remaining contributions through increased funding to your provider.

For those Grandfathered clients who have contributed ITCF contributions previously, lifetime caps are set from the date you started receiving a Home Care Package. The lifetime cap follows you as your services and care levels change, or if you move providers. Centrelink will advise you if you reach your lifetime cap.

Under the previous Home Care Package program, some clients approved before 12 November 2024 (known as grandfathered clients) may have paid an Income Tested Care Fee (ITCF). Under Support at Home, any ITCF you previously paid is taken into account when calculating your participant contributions. This is covered by the no worse off principle, which ensures your contributions are capped so you do not pay more out of pocket than you would have under the former ITCF arrangements.

Unless you are a full pensioner, Services Australia (Centrelink) will assess your income and advise both you and Aunty Grace of any contribution you are required to pay, with assessments reviewed quarterly. Contribution amounts are set by the Government and cannot be waived or discounted by providers.

Once you have been through the application process and allocated a Home Care Package, you will need to work with an approved provider to select the specific services and additional support that you need. This is called a Care Plan.

A Care Plan is tailored to your individual needs and wants. So, the answer to the question ‘What can my Home Care Package be used for?’ is unique to everyone. Everything is also specified in your home care agreement, so that you and any involved loved ones have a clear understanding of what to expect.

For more information, view our article that outlines the Government guidelines on what can and cannot be included.