When you are approved for Support at Home, you are given a classification. It decides how much funding you have for services each quarter. This guide explains the 8 ongoing classifications, how quarterly budgets work and the current amounts, with the date they apply from. Our plain-English glossary explains the other terms you will meet.
What is a Support at Home classification?
A classification is a funding level linked to how much care you need. There are 8 classifications for ongoing services. The more care you need, the higher your classification, and each one comes with a quarterly budget.
Your classification is set by an aged care assessor after your assessment. It appears in your assessment outcome letter and support plan.
How much is each classification worth?
These are the amounts published by the Department, effective from 1 October 2026. They change each July with indexation.
- Classification 1: $2,757.89 a quarter ($11,031.56 a year)
- Classification 2: $4,120.89 a quarter ($16,483.55 a year)
- Classification 3: $5,645.23 a quarter ($22,580.93 a year)
- Classification 4: $7,632.04 a quarter ($30,528.15 a year)
- Classification 5: $10,202.32 a quarter ($40,809.27 a year)
- Classification 6: $12,365.48 a quarter ($49,461.91 a year)
- Classification 7: $14,944.20 a quarter ($59,776.80 a year)
- Classification 8: $20,073.50 a quarter ($80,294.00 a year)
What about people who had a Home Care Package?
Former Home Care Package recipients moved to one of 4 transitioned classifications with the same funding level as their old package. From 1 October 2026 the quarterly budgets are $2,823.55 (level 1), $4,965.14 (level 2), $10,808.30 (level 3) and $16,385.99 (level 4). If you are reassessed, you move to one of the 8 ongoing classifications.
How do quarterly budgets work?
- Your annual amount is split into 4 quarterly budgets, and the full quarterly amount is available at the start of each quarter.
- If you start part-way through a quarter, you get a pro-rata amount.
- Services Australia holds the budget on your behalf, so you do not manage the money yourself.
- You can carry unspent funds into the next quarter, up to $1,000 or 10% of your quarterly budget, whichever is higher.
- Your provider must send you an itemised statement every month.
How much goes to care management?
For ongoing services, 10% of your quarterly budget goes towards care management, and is allocated to your provider. Care management includes developing and reviewing your care plan and helping manage your services. Providers can receive a supplement for extra care management if you have specific needs.
What are the short-term pathways?
- Restorative Care Pathway: about $6,179.40 for up to 16 weeks of mainly allied health, which may be increased to about $12,358.80 if eligible.
- End-of-Life Pathway: about $25,736.57 for up to 16 weeks, for people with 3 months or less to live.
- Assistive Technology and Home Modifications (AT-HM) scheme: low, medium or high funding tiers, separate from your ongoing budget.
What is in your assessment outcome letter?
After approval, the assessment outcome letter and support plan include a summary of your aged care needs and goals, your classification and ongoing quarterly budget, and a list of your approved services. If you are eligible for short-term supports, they also show the classification and budget for those.
What happens to unspent Home Care Package funds?
People who moved across from a Home Care Package kept any unspent funds. These can be used for approved assistive technology and home modifications, or towards ongoing services once the quarterly budget has been used in full. The Department says there are no caps on using these funds.
How is the AT-HM scheme funded?
Assistive technology and home modifications are funded upfront and separately from your ongoing budget, so you do not have to save up. My Aged Care lists funding tiers, with a high tier cap of $15,000 over 12 months. Funding can be extended by a further 12 months to finish complex home modifications, and assistance dog maintenance is funded at $2,000 a year (as published on My Aged Care, last updated 1 November 2025).
What can you do if your budget is not enough?
Talk to your provider about the mix of services first. Sometimes a different combination works better. If your needs have changed, you can ask for a reassessment through My Aged Care, which may lead to a higher classification.
Read more in Support at Home contributions explained and Support at Home vs Home Care Packages. Kindora Connect delivers services such as domestic assistance, social support and personal care as an associated provider through VitalCare Support.