Home Care Packages
About Home Care Packages
Home Care Packages have been the main Australian Government program for a coordinated package of in-home aged care. It covers support such as personal care, domestic assistance, nursing and allied health, at one of several funding levels based on assessed need, and is managed through an approved provider.
Aged care funding has been through major reform, including changes to how in-home programs are structured and named. The program a person is assessed into, and its exact rules, can depend on when they are assessed. The starting point is an assessment through My Aged Care (1800 200 422), which is also the current source on what applies and what it covers.
At a glance
- A coordinated package of in-home support, at a funding level based on assessed need.
- Managed through an approved provider.
- Programs and names have changed through reform, so check what applies now.
- Start with an assessment through My Aged Care: 1800 200 422.
This is general information, not financial or funding advice. Program names, amounts and eligibility rules change over time. Always confirm current detail with the relevant official body before relying on it.
How to prepare before arranging support
- Contact My Aged Care on 1800 200 422 and ask for an aged care assessment.
- Ask which program you are assessed into and what it covers now, because programs and names have changed through reform.
- Choose an approved provider to manage the package.
- Ask which funding level applies, based on your assessed need.
Information and records to have ready
- My Aged Care reference number and assessment outcome
- Support plan, approval notices and provider agreement
- Current fee schedule, budget statements and invoices
- Health, safety and communication information shared with consent
Questions to ask a provider
- Are you approved to deliver the current program and required services?
- What fees, contributions, management charges, travel or establishment costs apply?
- When can support start, and what happens if needs increase or a regular worker is absent?
- How are service changes, complaints and moving to another provider handled?
- Which costs are government funded and which remain the person’s responsibility?
Common mistakes to avoid
- Relying on an old program name or fee description
- Comparing headline prices without all recurring charges
- Assuming approval means immediate provider capacity
- Signing before understanding suspension, change and exit terms
Frequently asked questions
How do I start?
With an aged care assessment through My Aged Care on 1800 200 422. They can also tell you which program applies now, because aged care programs have changed through reform.
Who can confirm what Home Care Packages means for me?
Ask My Aged Care. A provider can explain its services and billing, but it cannot make a binding funding decision for the responsible body.
Does a provider listing prove it accepts home care packages?
No. A directory or public-register listing describes a provider and the supports it lists. Confirm the funding arrangement, approval and current availability with the provider before booking.
What if the rules or my circumstances change?
Check the current guidance with My Aged Care, tell your providers promptly and update written agreements or approvals before relying on the changed arrangement.
Official sources
Other Aged Care topics
Browse providers or explore other funding topics.
Helpful reading
- NDIS jargon explained: the terms you will hear and what they mean: Plans, supports, coordinators, managers, registered providers: a plain-language glossary of the words that come up most often.
- NDIS or My Aged Care: which system supports you?: Two government systems support people with disability and older people. Here is how to think about which one applies and what to do if you are not sure.
- Keeping records of your NDIS supports: a simple system: Good records make plan reviews, claim queries and changes of provider far easier. Here is a light-touch way to keep them.