If you or a loved one has been approved for Support at Home Classification 6, you may be wondering what this actually means in practical terms. What type of help does this level cover? How much support can you expect each week? And what should you do next?
This guide explains it step by step. We’ll walk through the funding, the types of services typically included, the hours of support you may receive, and the next steps to get care started. You don’t need to understand the aged care system to follow along. We’ve translated it into plain English so you can stop searching and start planning.
What is Support at Home Classification 6?
Support at Home Classification 6 is designed for people with significant or complex health conditions who need advanced support at home daily. In the Support at Home system there are 8 classifications, from minimal support (Classification 1) to the highest level of care (Classification 8). Classification 6 sits towards the upper end, just below the very highest support levels.
Classifications 1–4 generally cover lighter to high‑frequency support with limited clinical input. Classifications 5 and 6 are for people who need intensive, frequent assistance with personal care, health monitoring and household tasks to safely avoid hospital or residential aged care. At Classification 6, regular nursing, frequent personal care and routine allied health visits are usually part of the picture.
Who is Support at Home Classification 6 designed for?
This level is for people with high to very high care needs, but who do not yet require the 24/7 or end‑of‑life focus of Classification 8.
Classification 6 might be right for you if:
- You live with a significant health condition such as advanced heart or lung disease, Parkinson’s disease, advanced diabetes complications or post‑stroke disability.
- You need daily personal care, including help with showering, dressing, continence and transfers.
- You require regular nursing for wound care, injections, catheter care, medication management or glucose monitoring.
- You rely on mobility aids or specialised equipment like hoists or hospital beds to move safely around your home.
- You need ongoing allied health input, like physiotherapy, occupational therapy or speech therapy, to maintain function and reduce hospital risks.
Classification 6 is often where a full care team comes together around you so you can remain safely at home instead of moving into residential aged care.
How much funding do you receive with Support at Home Classification 6?
The Government allocates a set budget for each classification level. For Classification 6, the current funding is:
- Quarterly Budget: $12,028.58
- Annual Budget: $48,114.30
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 reflects high to very high care needs. It sits above Classification 5 at around $39,697 per year and below Classification 7 at around $58,148 per year.
While the funding amount is the same for everyone at Classification 6, the amount of care you receive can vary. Each provider sets their own prices for services and administration. A provider with lower fees will generally be able to deliver more hours from the same budget than one with higher overheads.
How many hours of care does Support at Home Classification 6 usually provide?
This is the question everyone asks. The number of hours is not fixed because it depends on provider pricing, any supplements and the types of services you choose. But we can give you a realistic estimate based on typical industry pricing.
With an annual budget of about $48,114, many people see roughly 14 to 18 hours of support per week at Classification 6. This estimate assumes average provider fees and that some of your budget goes towards care management and coordination as required by the program.
- A typical weekly schedule might include:
- Personal care once or twice daily, most days of the week
- Nursing visits 2–4 times per week for clinical tasks and health monitoring
- Allied health (such as physiotherapy or occupational therapy) weekly or fortnightly
- Domestic assistance 1–2 times per week to keep the home safe and manageable
- Meal preparation support several times per week
- Transport to appointments or therapy as needed
This level of funding is designed to cover comprehensive daily support, with a mix of hands‑on care and clinical input, for people whose needs are more complex than Classification 5 but who do not yet require continuous supervision.
What does Support at Home Classification 6 cost?
Support at Home uses a co‑contribution model. This means the Government pays part of the cost of each service and you may pay the rest. How much you pay depends on your income and assets and which service category the support 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 on what you can be asked to contribute. Once you reach the cap, you do not pay further contributions. The current cap is indexed twice yearly on 20 March and 20 September.
Learn more about Support at Home co-contributions
What services are included with Support at Home Classification 6?
Your Classification 6 budget is flexible. You can use it across a wide range of services from the Support at Home service list, tailored to your assessed needs.
Common services include:
- Personal Care: Daily or twice‑daily help with showering, dressing, grooming, toileting and continence support.
- Clinical Nursing: Regular visits for wound care, injections, catheter or stoma care, medication management and health monitoring.
- Allied Health: Routine physiotherapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy or dietetics to support mobility, swallowing, communication and nutrition.
- Health Monitoring: Observation of changes in your condition, vital signs checks and early flagging of any concerns to your GP or specialist.
- Domestic Assistance: Cleaning, laundry, dishwashing and linen changes to keep your home safe and hygienic.
- Meal Preparation: Help preparing specialised meals to manage chronic conditions, plus support with eating if fatigue, weakness or swallowing issues are present.
- Transport: Support to attend GP, specialist, allied health or hospital appointments and key community activities.
- Assistive Technology and Home Modifications: Access to equipment and minor home changes funded through the separate AT‑HM scheme where clinically recommended (for example, hoists, rails, ramps).
- Care Management: Ongoing coordination of your services and regular reviews to keep your plan aligned with your needs.
What Is Not Included at This Classification
Support at Home funding is limited to care and support services. It does not cover general living expenses or items already funded through other programs.
It does not cover:
- Rent or mortgage payments
- General living costs such as groceries, utilities or entertainment
- Major structural renovations. Larger safety modifications may be covered separately via the AT‑HM scheme if prescribed by an appropriate health professional.
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 6
Meet Irene, 79.
Irene lives at home with advanced COPD (chronic lung disease) and heart failure. She becomes breathless with even short walks around the house and has had several hospital admissions in the past year.
Her Classification 6 budget of roughly $48,114 per year provides her with a typical mix of:
- Personal Care (daily): A support worker visits every morning to help her shower, dress, manage continence and get safely set up for the day.
- Nursing (3x week): A registered nurse checks her oxygen levels, manages medications, monitors for early signs of infection and coordinates with her GP.
- Meal Preparation (4x week): A worker prepares main meals and snacks that match her dietary needs and portions them into easy‑to‑heat containers.
- Domestic Assistance (weekly): A cleaner comes once a week to vacuum, mop, clean the bathroom and change her linen so she is not exerting herself.
- Allied Health (fortnightly): A physiotherapist visits to support gentle breathing exercises and mobility to reduce her risk of further hospital stays.
Without this coordinated support, Irene’s family were worried she would keep cycling in and out of hospital or need to move into residential care. With Classification 6, she can remain at home with strong clinical oversight, and her family can focus more on visits and emotional support rather than doing everything themselves.
How does Support at Home Classification 6 compare to other levels?
Understanding where you sit in the system helps you work out if you are at the right level of care.
Classification 6 vs Classification 5
Classification 5 provides intensive daily support with frequent personal care and some clinical input for complex needs.
Classification 6 builds on this and is designed for more comprehensive daily care, with more frequent nursing visits, additional allied health involvement and higher overall clinical complexity. If you need very regular clinical interventions or are at high risk of hospitalisation without close monitoring, Classification 6 is more likely to be appropriate.
Classification 6 vs Classification 7
Classification 7 provides very high‑level funding for people who need multiple daily visits, intensive supervision and high‑level coordination, often for advanced dementia or severe disability.
Classification 6 offers comprehensive daily support, but may not cover the level of supervision and intensity needed when risks are extreme or care is approaching 24‑hour support
Read the complete Support at Home Service List for more information.
Is Support at Home Classification 6 the right level of care for me or my loved one?
Classification 6 is for people who need comprehensive daily support to manage significant or complex health conditions at home.
It may be suitable if:
- You need daily personal care and support with most everyday tasks
- You have one or more serious health conditions that require regular clinical monitoring
- You rely on specialised equipment or mobility aids to move around safely
- You need a mix of nursing, allied health and personal care to stay out of hospital
Signs it may not be enough:
- You need someone present or “on call” most of the day and night
- You are still having frequent emergency hospital visits despite current support
- Family members are providing intensive, daily supervision on top of funded 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?
Aged care needs change over time. You can request a reassessment through My Aged Care if your situation changes.
If there is a temporary setback such as a hospital stay, you may qualify for the Restorative Care Pathway, which provides short term additional funding of around $6,000 (up to $12,000 if needed) for up to 16 weeks without reducing your ongoing budget.
If your condition declines permanently, you may be reassessed to a higher classification with increased funding.
How to Access Support at Home Classification 6
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 6?
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.
Need help finding the right Support at Home provider for this level of care?
Finding a provider who has availability now and services your specific local area can be a challenge.
This is where Aged Care Decisions FREE SERVICE can assist.
We are Australia’s largest independent aged care matching service. We help tens of thousands of families every month find care, at absolutely no cost to you.
- We save you time: We only match you with providers who have current availability in your suburb.
- We know the market: We can help you find providers who suit your specific needs and budget.
- 100% Free & Independent: Our service is completely free for families.
Don’t spend hours calling providers who are full or don’t service your area. Let us do the running around for you.
Here’s how our FREE service works:
