If you or a loved one has received an assignment letter for the Support at Home program, it means government funding is now available to help with care at home. Your quarterly budget has started to accrue in your Services Australia account, but you cannot access these funds until you sign a service agreement with a registered provider. You have 56 days to choose a provider and start receiving the support.
This is where Aged Care Decisions’ free service can assist. We match you with registered Support at Home providers in your area who have current availability and can meet your loved one’s care needs, at no cost to you.
What does “assigned” mean?
When you are assigned to the Support at Home program, it means Services Australia has moved your application from approved to funded. Your funding allocation is now sitting in your account and accumulating each quarter.
For most families, this is the third key step in the Support at Home journey, after the initial approval and needs assessment. Your assignment letter confirms your priority level, your quarterly budget amount and the date your funding started. From this point, you have access to government-funded aged care support, but only once you have chosen a provider and signed a service agreement.
Why you need to act within 56 days
You have 56 calendar days from the date of your assignment letter to choose a registered provider and enter into a service agreement. If needed, you can request a 28-day extension through My Aged Care.
This system operates on a ‘use it or lose it’ basis. So, if you don’t find and sign up with a provider within the 56 days, you risk losing your government funding.
While your funding continues to accrue during this period, you won’t be able to access services until the agreement is signed with a registered provider.
Aged Care Decisions can help by matching you with providers who have current availability and meet your specific needs, at no cost to you.
How the funding works once you are assigned
Your Support at Home funding is allocated quarterly. Each quarter, your budget is based on your priority level, care needs and any supplements you are eligible for, minus your required participant contribution.
Once you have signed up with a provider, they deliver the services outlined in your care plan and then claim payment directly from Services Australia. You do not handle the government funding; it flows between Services Australia and your provider.
Any unspent funds at the end of a quarter can roll over to the next quarter, up to $1,000 or 10% of your quarterly budget, whichever is greater. This gives you flexibility if care needs change or the full budget is not used in a given period.
TIP: monitor your budget with your provider to ensure that you are maximising your use of funds.
How to choose and sign with a provider
Finding the right provider means checking who operates in your area, what services they offer and whether they have current availability. These steps can help you get started:
- Review your notice of decision letter and support plan to confirm your budget and approved Support at Home services.
- Contact Aged Care Decisions to be matched with suitable providers who have current availability.
- Meet with providers or arrange home visits, which Aged Care Decisions can book on your behalf.
- Sign the service agreement within 56 days of your assignment letter.
Your provider will work with you to finalise a care plan that uses your quarterly budget effectively. Services can start as soon as the agreement is signed.
What will it cost?
Support at Home services fall into three categories with different costs:
- Clinical Care: This includes nursing and allied health services, which are fully funded by the government. Participants do not pay any fees for these services.
- Independence Supports: These include personal care, social support (like companionship and group activities), and some home modifications. Participants contribute based on their income level. full pensioners pay lower contributions, and self-funded retirees pay higher contributions. Contributions range roughly from 0% up to 50%.
- Everyday Living Services: This covers domestic assistance, meal preparation, transport, and assistive technology. Contributions again vary by income, typically between 0% and 80%.
There is a lifetime contributions cap of $130,000 for non-clinical services, ensuring participants won’t pay more than this amount over their lifetime. Those who were approved or assessed for Home Care Packages before 12 September 2024 are “grandfathered” under the older fee structure and benefit from a “no worse off” principle, meaning their fees will remain the same or lower.
Your provider must give you a full schedule of fees before you sign a service agreement, so you know exactly what costs to expect. The government subsidy covers the rest, ensuring your loved one gets the care they need within their budget
See our Support at Home Hub for more information on fees and contributions.
What happens after you sign up?
The first step after signing the service agreement is to work with your chosen provider to create a detailed care plan. This plan outlines the exact services you will receive across the three service categories, based on your approved budget and care needs.
Once the care plan is finalised, your provider can begin delivering the agreed support. This may include personal care, nursing, allied health services, transport, home modifications or assistive equipment.
After delivering services, your provider will send invoices to Services Australia, while you pay your participant contribution directly to the provider. You will also receive regular statements showing what services have been delivered and how your quarterly budget is tracking.
Your care plan is not locked in forever. You can review and adjust it with your provider as needs change, and if the provider is not the right fit, you can change to a different registered provider at any time.
How Aged Care Decisions can help
Aged Care Decisions matches thousands of Australian families with suitable and available Support at Home providers. Our service is 100% free, 100% independent and 100% personal, helping you find providers that match your loved one’s location, care needs, budget and preferences.
If you’ve been assigned your funds are already accruing. So, let us help you access them before the 56‑day deadline. Reach out today to reduce the time, stress and uncertainty of organising Support at Home for your loved one.
Start comparing providers rightaway with a customised report sent to you within 20 minutes. Get started here.
