If you have been approved for Support at Home (SaH) but are waiting for funding, check your Notice of Decision letter to find your priority category. This helps indicate how long you may wait and confirms the services you have been approved to receive. While you wait, compare local providers and prepare a shortlist. A spouse, family member or friend who provides regular care may be eligible for Carer Payment or Carer Allowance. Tell My Aged Care if the person’s health, safety or care arrangements change, as they may arrange a reassessment
Key Takeaways
- Support at Home (SaH) wait times depend on the priority category set at assessment.
- My Aged Care publishes current wait estimates for each priority category.
- You can compare Support at Home providers before funding is assigned.
- Family members providing informal care while waiting may be eligible for Carer Payment or Carer Allowance.
- Contact My Aged Care if health needs, safety concerns or caring arrangements change.
- If the wait runs long, interim funding can release part of the approved budget early.
Being approved for the Support at Home Program is a genuine milestone, but most families spend months waiting between approval and funding being assigned.
For a full breakdown of current wait times and how the priority queue works, read our guides to Support at Home wait times and the Support at Home priority system.
How Family and Friends can Help During the Wait
Many people find that friends and relatives step in to help while waiting for government-funded aged care services to begin. Rather than simply falling into a routine, it helps to plan this support together from the outset.
Informal care can include cooking meals and driving to appointments, as well as helping with medication and personal care. Talking openly about the support each person can provide helps everyone plan together and set realistic expectations.
Work commitments, distance and family members’ own health may influence the level of support they can offer over time. Regular check-ins help ensure the arrangement remains safe, practical and comfortable for everyone involved.
Financial Support for Family Carers
Providing daily support takes time, and government payments may be available to help a spouse, family member or friend. The Carer Payment may be available for people who provide constant care and meet the eligibility rules, including income and assets tests.
There is also the Carer Allowance, a supplementary payment for people providing daily care and attention. Depending on their circumstances, a carer may be eligible for either payment or both.
Both payments sit outside the Support at Home system, so they will not change a person’s priority category or speed up funding
They can, however, ease the financial concerns that day-to-day caring can create. As Services Australia may take time to process claims, consider applying as soon as possible rather than waiting for aged care funding to arrive.
How to Compare Support at Home Providers While You Are on the Waitlist
You do not need to wait for funding to be assigned before looking at Support at Home providers. Starting early gives you time to understand your options, so you are ready to act when funding becomes available.
First, check your My Aged Care online account shows that you are ‘seeking services’. If it says ‘not seeking services’, contact My Aged Care to update your status. Funding cannot be assigned while you are not seeking services.
Keep your Notice of Decision letter somewhere safe too. It confirms the services you have been approved to receive and will help when you start comparing providers.
This is where Aged Care Decisions can take the research off your plate. Our Aged Care Specialists can prepare a free Options Report with suitable Support at Home providers for your needs, location and budget.
We can also help you understand likely costs through a free Support at Home Costs Report. This will give you a clearer picture before you speak with providers or make any decisions.
You will not need to sign a service agreement until funding has been assigned. For now, the aim is to have suitable options ready when the time comes.
What if My Circumstances Change?
Contact My Aged Care whenever care needs or support arrangements change after the assessment. Report the change as soon as it happens rather than waiting for funding to arrive.
Changes worth reporting include:
- A fall, a hospital stay or reduced mobility
- New difficulty with showering, dressing, meals or medication
- Changes in memory, judgement or cognition
- A family member or friend who can no longer provide regular support
- New safety concerns at home
Explain what’s changed and when it happened. Specific examples help, so describe how it’s affecting the person’s everyday routine or safety.
A review may follow and it can lead to a change in priority, although it does not guarantee faster funding. If your day-to-day needs have changed, but the change does not appear to require a full reassessment, ask My Aged Care about a Support Plan Review. You can request one while waiting for Support at Home funding.
Where to Find Immediate Support
Support at Home runs on a funding timetable, so it is not built for emergencies. If you notice a sudden decline in health, your first call should always be to a GP or treating doctor for medical advice.
If you have just returned from hospital, the discharge planner or hospital social worker can explain what short-term support is already in place.
For day-to-day advice on your family’s caring role, try Carer Gateway. For any immediate safety emergencies, always call emergency services on 000.
How Support at Home Interim Funding Works
When wait times stretch out longer than expected, you may be granted interim funding. This releases 60% of your approved budget upfront, so you can start your most critical services while waiting for the rest.
You still need to choose a provider and sign a support at home service agreement before you can use interim funding. Once this is in place, your provider can help you decide which approved services to start with while you wait for the remaining funding.
You generally have 56 calendar days from the date on your letter to choose a provider and sign a service agreement. If you need more time, you can apply for an extra 28 days.
Moving From Interim to Full Funding
If you are already receiving services through interim funding, you will receive a second letter when your full Support at Home funding becomes available. You can keep working with your existing provider, so you will not need to choose a provider or sign a new service agreement.
Your provider will review your care plan with you and discuss whether to add services or increase the support you already receive. This should reflect the services approved in your Support Plan and your most important current needs.
The remaining 40% of funding is added from the date full funding is assigned. It is not backdated for the time you received interim funding
Receiving Full Funding Directly
If you did not receive interim funding, you should receive a letter confirming your full funding is available, along with a referral code. Give this code to your chosen provider so they can view your support plan and start arranging services.
As with interim funding, you generally have 56 calendar days from the date on your letter to choose a provider and sign a service agreement.
Need Help Preparing for Support at Home?
Aged Care Decisions is 100% free and independent. Our Aged Care Specialists can help you understand your Support at Home options and compare suitable providers.
We match options to the person’s needs, location and budget, and can help you prepare questions before you speak with providers.
Request an Options Report or speak with an Aged Care Specialist today.
Here’s how Aged Care Decisions’ FREE aged care matching service works:
How long is the wait for Support at Home funding?
Wait times depend on the priority category assigned during your assessment. My Aged Care publishes estimated wait times for each category, ranging from a few weeks for urgent needs to several months for standard priority. Check your Notice of Decision letter to find your priority category.
Can I compare Support at Home providers before funding is assigned?
Yes. This is one of the most useful things you can do while you wait. Researching local coverage, checking available services and building a shortlist means you are ready to sign a service agreement as soon as your funding arrives.
What should I do if my parent's needs change while waiting?
Call My Aged Care and explain what has changed. Describe when the change happened and how it is affecting their safety or everyday routine. If their day-to-day needs have shifted, My Aged Care may arrange a Support Plan Review or reassessment.
Can we pay for private home care services while we wait?
Yes. Many families choose to pay privately for domestic help, gardening or personal care while waiting for government funding. You can use any private service you choose, and it will not affect your Support at Home priority category or wait time.
Can family members get financial help while providing care?
Possibly. The Carer Payment and Carer Allowance are available through Services Australia for people providing ongoing care. You should apply for these now rather than waiting for Support at Home funding. These payments sit outside the aged care system, so they will not make Support at Home funding arrive sooner.
Does interim funding mean I can skip choosing a provider?
No. Interim funding still requires you to choose a provider and sign a service agreement before you can start using it. Once the agreement is signed, your provider will help you select the most critical services to start first.
