Restorative Care Pathway
up to 12 weeks of short-term, mostly allied health care to help you regain independence, for example after an illness or fall.
Nurse-led home care, Brisbane North
Support at Home and the cost of home care
Last reviewed:
Support at Home is the Australian Government's in-home aged care program. It started on 1 November 2025, replacing the Home Care Packages Program and the Short-Term Restorative Care Programme. This page explains, in plain English, how it works, who can access it, what you might pay and how Wattle Home Care can help.
We call back within one business day
- Founded by registered nurses
- Call back within one business day
- No lock-in contracts
- Brisbane North West and Moreton Bay
Who is eligible for Support at Home?
You may be eligible if you:
- are aged 65 or older, or 50 or older if you are an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander person
- live at home and need help to keep living independently
- are assessed through My Aged Care as needing in-home aged care
How to apply
- 1Contact My Aged Care. Check your eligibility online at myagedcare.gov.au or call 1800 200 422. A family member or someone you trust can do this with you.
- 2Have an assessment. An assessor visits you at home to talk about how you are managing day to day.
- 3Receive your decision and support plan. If approved, you are given a Support at Home classification, a quarterly budget and a support plan listing the services you can use.
- 4Choose a registered provider. You choose who delivers your care and agree a service agreement with them.
Waiting times for a funded place vary. While you wait, you can arrange private care so you are not left without help.
What Support at Home can pay for
Services fall into three categories:
| Category | Examples | Your contribution |
|---|---|---|
| Clinical supports | Nursing, physiotherapy and other allied health | No contribution |
| Independence | Personal care, respite, social support, transport | Contribution based on your income and assets |
| Everyday living | Cleaning, laundry, gardening, home maintenance, meal preparation | Contribution based on your income and assets, usually the highest |
Services must match your assessed needs and appear in your support plan.
Short-term support
End-of-Life Pathway
extra funding for in-home care for people who have about three months or less to live.
Assistive Technology and Home Modifications scheme
equipment such as walking aids and shower chairs, and home changes such as handrails and ramps.
What will I pay?
Your contribution depends on the type of service and your financial situation, worked out by Services Australia through an income and assets assessment.
- Clinical care, such as nursing, attracts no contribution.
- Full pensioners pay the lowest contribution rates for other services.
- Part pensioners and Commonwealth Seniors Health Card holders pay rates based on their income and assets.
- Self-funded retirees without a Seniors Health Card pay the highest rates.
- There is a lifetime cap on contributions, and people who were approved for a Home Care Package on or before 12 September 2024 are covered by a "no worse off" principle.
- Financial hardship assistance is available through Services Australia.
The Support at Home fee estimator on the My Aged Care website gives a personal estimate. We are always happy to walk you through what you are likely to pay with us before you commit.
Paying privately
You do not need a government-funded place to receive care from us. Many people pay privately while they wait for an assessment or a funded place, or to top up their funded services. We will give you a clear quote before any service begins, with no lock-in contract.
How we can help while you wait
We can explain how Support at Home works and arrange private care while you wait.
Already with another provider?
You can change providers under Support at Home. Any unspent funds move with you. Tell us who you are with now and we will explain the steps.
Talk to a nurse-led team about care at home
Tell us a little about the support you or your loved one needs and we will call you back within one business day.
- No lock-in contracts, no hidden fees
- Clinical and personal care from one provider
- Goals reviewed every three months