Being approved for Support at Home Classification 8 can bring relief, but it also raises new questions. How much funding does this level provide? What kinds of services are usually included? And how do you actually turn the funding into care at home?
This guide breaks it down clearly. We’ll explain the budget, the services this classification can support, the hours of care people commonly receive, and the steps to take after your approval letter arrives. Everything is explained in simple terms so you can move forward with confidence.
Table of Contents
What is Support at Home Classification 8?
Support at Home Classification 8 is the highest level of in‑home funding available under the Support at Home program. It is designed for people with very high, critical or end‑of‑life care needs who require intensive, often continuous support to remain safely at home.
In the Support at Home system there are 8 classifications, from minimal support (Classification 1) through to Classification 8 at the top. While Classification 7 already provides intensive daily multidisciplinary care, Classification 8 goes further with maximum funding, palliative care and, where appropriate, 24‑hour or overnight support.
Who is Support at Home Classification 8 Designed For?
This level is for people whose needs cannot be safely met at lower classifications and who might otherwise need residential aged care or hospice.
Classification 8 might be right for you or your loved one if:
- You are living with an advanced or terminal illness, such as late‑stage cancer, advanced organ failure or end‑stage neurodegenerative disease.
- You need help with almost all daily activities including showering, dressing, feeding, toileting and transfers.
- You require intensive symptom management, such as pain control, breathlessness support or nausea and fatigue management.
- You need frequent nursing visits and may require overnight or continuous support to stay safe.
- Your family or carer needs regular respite and professional support to sustain caring at home.
The goal at this level is to maintain comfort, dignity and quality of life, and to allow people to stay in a familiar home environment for as long as it is safe and clinically appropriate.
How Much Funding Do You Receive With Support at Home Classification 8?
The Government allocates a set budget for each classification level. For Classification 8, the current funding is:
- Quarterly Budget: $19,526.59
- Annual Budget: $78,106.35
Important things to know about this funding:
- It is not paid to you directly. The Government holds the funds and your chosen provider draws from that budget to deliver services and care management.
- It is indexed on 1 July each year, so the amount may increase over time.
- It represents the highest ongoing support for in‑home care in the program, above Classification 7 at around $58,148 per year.
The funding amount for Classification 8 is the same for everyone at this level, but the actual support you receive depends on provider pricing and how your services are arranged. Providers with lower hourly rates and lower fees can generally deliver more direct care hours from the same budget
How Many Hours of Care Does Support at Home Classification 8 Usually Provide?
There is no fixed number of hours attached to any classification, including Classification 8. Hours depend on:
- Your provider’s hourly rates for personal care, nursing and allied health
- How much of your budget is used for care management
- Whether you also receive specific supplements or short‑term funding pathways
Based on typical market pricing, an annual budget of about $78,106 often funds around 25 to 35 hours of support per week, sometimes more if pricing is lower. This can include a mix of personal care, nursing, allied health and, where clinically justified, some evening or overnight support.
A typical weekly pattern at Classification 8 might include:
- Multiple daily personal care visits for showering, dressing, continence and transfers
- Daily or near‑daily nursing visits for symptom and medication management
- Regular allied health input (for example, physiotherapy or occupational therapy) to maintain comfort and positioning
- Domestic assistance and meal support several times a week
- Scheduled respite and overnight support where clinically appropriate
At this level, the focus shifts from “extra help” to intensive, coordinated care designed to manage complex symptoms and support both the person and their family at home.
What Does Support at Home Classification 8 Cost?
Support at Home uses a co‑contribution model. The Government pays part of the cost of each service and you may pay the rest. Your contribution depends on your income and assets and on what category each service sits in.
My Aged Care groups services into three categories:
- Clinical supports: You pay 0%.
- Independence: You pay 5% if you are a full pensioner, between 5% and 50% if you are a part pensioner, and 50% if you are self‑funded.
- Everyday living: You pay 17.5% if you are a full pensioner, between 17.5% and 80% if you are a part pensioner, and 80% if you are self‑funded.
There is also a lifetime cap (indexed twice yearly on 20 March and 20 September) on what you can be asked to contribute across aged care. Once you reach the cap, you do not pay further income‑tested contributions.
Learn more about Support at Home co-contributions
What Services are Included with Support at Home Classification 8?
Your Classification 8 budget is designed to cover an extensive range of services so you can receive hospital‑grade and palliative care‑style support at home, where clinically safe.
Common services include:
- Personal Care: Multiple daily visits for bathing, dressing, grooming, feeding assistance and full continence support.
- Clinical Nursing: Frequent nursing for pain control, symptom management (such as breathlessness or nausea), wound care, injections and complex medication regimes.
- Palliative Care Supports: Comfort measures, advanced symptom control and coordination with palliative care specialists and GPs.
- Allied Health: Physiotherapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy and dietetics focused on comfort, positioning, safe swallowing and nutritional support.
- Equipment and Environment: Access to specialist equipment via AT‑HM, such as hospital beds, pressure‑relieving mattresses, hoists and mobility aids, plus minor modifications to support safe care at home.
- Domestic Assistance: Regular cleaning, laundry and linen changes to maintain a safe and hygienic environment.
- Meal Preparation: Support to prepare meals that match dietary needs, plus help with eating and maintaining hydration.
- Respite and Overnight Support: Planned in‑home respite and, where clinically appropriate, overnight support or 24‑hour arrangements to support both the person and their carers.
- Emotional, Social and Spiritual Support: Social visits, emotional support for the person and family, and help respecting cultural or spiritual wishes at end of life.
What Is Not Included at This Classification
Even at this level, Support at Home funding is limited to care and support services. It does not cover:
- Rent or mortgage payments
- General living expenses like groceries, utilities or entertainment
- Major structural home renovations (beyond clinically recommended safety modifications funded through AT‑HM)
Read the complete Support at Home Service List for more information.
Start comparing providers rightaway with a tailored report sent to you within 20 minutes. Get started here.
A Real-World Example of Life on Support at Home Classification 8
Meet Margaret, 86.
Margaret lives with advanced heart failure and late‑stage kidney disease. Her symptoms include severe fatigue, breathlessness at rest and recurring fluid build‑up, and her doctors have recommended a palliative approach to care.
Her Classification 8 budget of roughly $78,106 per year provides her with a typical mix of:
- Personal Care (multiple times daily): Support workers visit in the morning and evening to help with showering, dressing, toileting and transfers, and to assist with meals.
- Nursing (daily): A registered nurse visits most days to manage medications, monitor symptoms, adjust pain relief and coordinate with her GP and palliative care team.
- Overnight Support (scheduled nights): Overnight support several times a week to reduce fall risk, manage breathlessness and provide reassurance if she wakes distressed.
- Equipment and Environment: A hospital bed, pressure‑care mattress, shower chair and mobility aids are installed at home through the AT‑HM scheme to keep her comfortable.
- Respite and Support for Family: In‑home respite is arranged regularly so her daughter, who is the main carer, can rest, attend her own appointments and avoid burnout.
Without Classification 8, Margaret would almost certainly need to move into residential aged care or spend long periods in hospital. With this level of funding and support, she is able to stay at home, surrounded by familiar people and routines, while her symptoms are actively managed and her family is supported.
How Does Support at Home Classification 8 Compare to Other Levels?
Understanding how Classification 8 sits within the broader system can help you decide whether it’s the right level of care.
Classification 8 vs Classification 7
Classification 7 provides very high funding for multiple daily visits, intensive supervision and strong clinical oversight.
Classification 8 goes further, offering the highest funding, more intensive palliative supports and, where clinically suitable, continuous or overnight care. If constant supervision, complex symptom control or overnight support is required, Classification 8 is generally more appropriate than Classification 7.
Classification 8 vs Residential Aged Care
For some people, Classification 8 can act as a direct alternative to entering residential aged care, particularly when they strongly wish to remain at home and it is clinically safe to do so.
While residential aged care offers on‑site 24/7 staff, Classification 8 focuses on bringing as much of that support as possible into the home environment. It will not always replace residential care, but it can significantly delay or avoid that move for many people.
Read the complete Support at Home Service List for more information.
Is Support at Home Classification 8 The Right Level of Care For Me Or My Loved One?
Classification 8 is intended for people with critical or end‑of‑life needs who require intensive in‑home support to remain safe and comfortable.
It may be suitable if:
- You need help with almost every aspect of daily life, multiple times per day
- You are living with an advanced or terminal illness requiring palliative care
- You need frequent nursing and symptom management, and possibly overnight support
- Remaining at home is a key goal, and it is clinically safe with intensive support in place
Signs that even this level may not be enough include:
- You require constant, immediate access to medical support that can’t be safely delivered at home
- Your home environment cannot be made safe or suitable even with modifications and equipment
- Your main carer can no longer continue safely even with respite and in‑home services
If you feel the current funding isn’t covering your essential needs, it is valid and important to ask for a review.
What Happens if Care Needs Change?
Care needs at this level can change quickly. The system is designed so your plan can be reviewed if things improve, stabilise or deteriorate.
If your needs change:
- You or your carer can contact My Aged Care to ask for a Support Plan Review or reassessment if there has been a significant change in your health or circumstances.
- If there is a short‑term spike in needs—for example, after a hospital stay—additional short‑term pathways like the Restorative Care or End‑of‑Life Pathway may be available alongside your existing classification.
- If hospital or residential care becomes necessary, your Support at Home services, equipment and supports can help with a smoother transition.
How to Access Support at Home Classification 8
Getting started with Support at Home involves a few simple steps:
- Register with My Aged Care – Begin by contacting My Aged Care, the government’s entry point for aged care services. You can register online at the My Aged Care website or by calling 1800 200 422.
- Screening and Assessment – After registering, you’ll complete a short screening. If you’re eligible, you’ll be referred for a full aged care assessment using the Integrated Assessment Tool (IAT).
- Receive Your Support Plan – Once assessed, you’ll receive an outcome letter with a personalised Support Plan that sets out your care needs, goals, and the services recommended for you.
- Enter the Priority System – You’ll be assigned a priority rating (urgent, high, medium, or standard) based on your care needs. This new system, which replaces the previous National Priority System, helps make sure those with the greatest needs receive funding and services first. Your place in the queue depends on how urgent your needs are, not just when you applied.
- Choose a Provider and Begin Services – Once funding is allocated, you’ll have 56 days (or up to 84 days with an extension) to select a provider and sign a Service Agreement so your services can begin.
Learn more: How to apply for Support at Home
What Should You Do After Receiving Support at Home Classification 8?
Once your funding is officially allocated, here’s what to do:
- Check your letter and note the deadline
Your funding assignment letter shows your budget, classification, and the date funding was assigned. From that date, you have 56 days to choose a provider and sign a Service Agreement (extendable to 84 days if needed).
- Compare providers quickly
Not all providers charge the same. Some may stretch your budget to 7 hours of care per week, while others deliver only 5. Look for providers with current availability in your area, transparent pricing, and fees that leave more money for actual care rather than administration.
- Choose and sign within 56 days
Select a provider that offers good value, availability, and the services you need. Sign your Service Agreement before the deadline to lock in your funding.
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