There is a good chance you have been searching for Home Care Packages Melbourne after noticing small changes at home.
Maybe it is a parent who has come home from the hospital and is not quite managing the way they used to. It could be a partner who needs help with daily tasks. And suddenly, you are trying to understand a system you have never had to deal with before.
Here is the part that often catches families off guard.
The Home Care Package program has been replaced. Since 1 November 2025, Support at Home (SAH) is now the system in place, with new rules, new funding, and a different structure.
The good news is that the support available to Melburnians needing care at home has improved. We at Miracle Health Services remove the confusion and help you understand how the new system works. This guide will explain it clearly.
What Were Home Care Packages and What Replaced Them?
Home Care Packages were government-funded care packages that helped older Australians stay in their own homes rather than moving into residential aged care. They came in four levels – from Level 1 (basic care needs) to Level 4 (high-level needs) – with annual funding up to approximately $63,440 for Level 4.
From 1 November 2025, the new Support at Home (SAH) programme took over. The key changes:
| What Changed | Old Home Care Package | New Support at Home (2026) |
| Funding levels | 4 levels | 8 classifications + 2 short-term pathways |
| Maximum funding | Up to $63,440 (Level 4) | Up to $77,709 (Classification 8) |
| Budget structure | Annual lump sum | Quarterly budgets — rollover up to $1,000 or 10% |
| Provider management fee | Up to 35% | Care management capped at 10% |
| Unspent funds | Must be used within the year | ‘No worse off’ policy — HCP funds rolled over to SAH |
| Income contribution | Up to $35.95 per day | No income test; means-based contribution instead |
| End of life care | Limited provision | Up to $25,000 over 16 weeks |
If you or your loved one had a Home Care Package in place on 31 October 2025, you automatically moved to the SAH program on 1 November 2025. You are now called a ‘Participant’. Your funding level stayed the same (no worse off), and any unspent funds were carried over.
The new program provides more funding and better protections. But what does it actually mean in terms of the care you receive day-to-day?
What Support at Home Pays For — The Three Categories
Under Support at Home, services are grouped into three categories. Understanding these helps make the most of your funding.
1. Clinical Supports — 100% Government Funded
Clinical supports are specialised services delivered or supervised by a qualified health professional. The government pays 100% of the cost for all eligible participants – meaning no out-of- pocket expense for clinical care.
This includes in-home nursing services (professional nursing care at home), allied health services such as physiotherapy, occupational therapy, podiatry, and speech therapy, diabetic management, wound care, medication management, and catheter care.
2. Independence Supports — You Contribute a Portion
Independence supports help you manage activities of daily living. This includes personal care such as bathing, dressing, and grooming, individual social support, and in-home respite (temporary for family carers).
Your contribution depends on your pension status. Full pensioners contribute 5% of the cost. Self-funded retirees who are not eligible for the Commonwealth Seniors Health Card contribute 50%.
3. Everyday Living — You Contribute a Larger Portion
Every day living supports help you keep your home in a liveable state. This includes domestic assistance such as cleaning and laundry, meal preparation and shopping assistance, and transport to appointments.
Full pensioners contribute 17.5% of everyday living costs. Self-funded retirees contribute up to 80%.
An older woman in Craigieburn had been receiving a Level 3 Home Care Package. After the transition to Support at Home in November 2025, she became a Classification 5 Participant. Her quarterly budget is now higher than her previous annual budget divided by four. Her in-home nursing visits for complex wound care are now fully government funded with no contribution from her. Her cleaning and meal preparation visits now require a small contribution based on her part-pension status. Her overall out-of-pocket cost is lower than before, and she has more nursing hours available.
The three categories give you flexibility. But the real question families ask is: What specific services can come to my home?
What Home Care Services Are Available in Melbourne?
Under the Support at Home programme, a wide range of services can be delivered to your home in Melbourne. Miracle Health Services makes sure that you get the personal care, in-home nursing, and Disability Services Melbourne tailored to individual needs. Here is what we provide:
- Personal care – help with bathing, dressing, grooming, and daily hygiene
- In-home nursing – professional nursing care for wound management, diabetic care, catheter management, bowel care, subcutaneous injections, and medication management
- Community nursing specialists – complex wound care, enteral feeding management (tube feeding support), compression stocking application
- Domestic support – cleaning, laundry, and household tasks to maintain a safe home environment
- Meal preparation – help with planning and preparing nutritious meal at home
- Transport – assistance getting to medical appointments, social activities, and community events
- Home and garden maintenance – keeping the home safe and liveable
- Companionship – social support, outings, and connection with the community
- Respite care – short-term care to give family carers a break
- Hospital to home – transition support after hospital discharge, helping you recover safely at home
- Case management – coordination of all your care services by an experienced case manager
Wait Times for Support at Home in 2026 — What to Expect
As of late 2025, more than 130,000 Australians were waiting for home care funding at their approved level. Under the new Support at Home system, the government introduced a National Priority System, but wait times still exist.
For Melbourne families, this means:
• Lower classifications may be approved faster
• Higher classifications (complex care needs) can take 6 to 12 months or more
• Priority is based on urgency, not just application date
This is why many families feel stuck after the assessment.
What can you do while waiting?
• Access support through the Commonwealth Home Support Programme (CHSP)• Use private services temporarily if urgent care is needed
• Stay in contact with your provider to monitor status
This “waiting period strategy” is something most providers do not explain clearly, but it can make a significant difference to safety and stress levels at home.
How to Access Support at Home in Melbourne
Accessing government-funded home care support in Melbourne involves a few steps. Here is the straightforward version.
Step 1 — Contact My Aged Care
My Aged Care is the Australian Government’s aged care information and access service. You (or a family member on your behalf) can call 1800 200 422 or visit myagedcare.gov.au to register and request an assessment. This is the gateway to government-funded Support at Home services.
Step 2 — Get an Assessment
An assessor will contact you to discuss your needs. Under the new system, the assessment uses the Integrated Assessment Tool (IAT). The assessment determines which classification of Support at Home funding you are eligible for. Assessments can be done at home or over the phone, depending on your circumstances.
Step 3 — Choose Your Provider
Once assessed and allocated funding, you choose a registered aged care provider. You have the right to choose any registered provider in your area — you are not assigned one. Miracle Health Services is a registered provider offering Support at Home services in Craigieburn and across Melbourne.
Step 4 — Build Your Support Plan
Your provider works with you to build a support plan that reflects your goals, needs, and preferences. Under the Statement of Rights in the new Aged Care Act, you have the right to make your own choices, be supported to make decisions, stay connected to your community, and receive safe and quality services.
Choosing the right provider is not just about services. It is about finding a team that respects your independence and listens to what matters to you.
What If You Are Still Waiting for Support at Home Funding?
If you were assessed as needing support but are still waiting for funding to become available, you move into the SAH National Priority System. This is the queue for available funding.
While waiting, you may be eligible for the Commonwealth Home Support Programme (CHSP). The CHSP provides entry-level support services at lower cost — domestic assistance, personal care, meals, and transport — while you wait for full Support at Home funding. Miracle Health Services delivers CHSP services and can help you access this support during the waiting period.
Conclusion
If you have been searching for home care packages in Melbourne, you are in the right place — even though the program name has changed.
The Support at Home programme that replaced Home Care Packages in November 2025 provides more funding, better protections, and a clearer structure. For families in Melbourne navigating this for the first time, the key steps are: contact My Aged Care, get assessed, choose a registered provider, and build a plan that reflects your actual needs.
Miracle Health Services provides Support at Home, CHSP, DVA support, in-home nursing, and hospital-to-home services across Melbourne. The team is available Monday to Friday and can help you understand your options, navigate the My Aged Care process, and put a care plan in place quickly.