Support at Home Provider
Make the most of your Support at Home funding with a caring, family-run team. Flexible, fair and personal care.
Support at Home and Aged Care Services You Can Trust
More Than 35 Years of Experience in Aged Care, in Melbourne and NSW
Support at Home is the Australian Government’s in-home aged care program. It helps older Australians keep living safely and independently in their own homes. Based on your assessed needs, you receive government funding for services such as personal care, help around the home, nursing care, allied health, transport and social support.
Esse Care is a registered Support at Home provider. We bring everyday home support and clinical care together in one experienced team, led by managers with clinical experience who meet the Aged Care Quality Standards. We only promise what we can deliver, and we explain things plainly so you always know where you stand.
The Australian Government has introduced the Support at Home program which replaces Home Care Packages as of 1 November 2025.
Support at Home Explained Simply
Everything you need to know before you start, in plain language.
Am I Eligible for Support at Home?
An aged care assessment decides whether you are eligible for Support at Home.
You may be able to have an assessment if you need care and you are:
- 65 years or older
- 50 years or older and Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander
- 50 years or older and homeless or at risk of homelessness
- already receiving aged care under certain existing arrangements
The assessor looks at much more than your age. They will talk with you about how you move around, your personal care, housework, your health and memory, any recent falls or hospital stays, and whether the help you receive from family or carers has changed.
The assessment shows whether you are eligible, which services you are approved for, and how much ongoing or short-term funding you may receive.
How Does a Support at Home Package Work?
Your aged care assessment decides your funding level (classification). Each level provides a different amount of government funding, so that your services can match your needs.
Classification | Annual Budget | Essecare | Other Providers |
|---|---|---|---|
Home Care Packages | |||
Level 1 | $11,272 | ~3.7 hours | ~3.1 hours |
Level 2 | $19,821 | ~6.5 hours | ~5.5 hours |
Level 3 | $43,148 | ~14.2 hours | ~12 hours |
Level 4 | $65,415 | ~21.6 hours | ~18.3 hours |
Support at Home | |||
Level 1 | $11,010 | ~3.6 hours | ~3.1 hours |
Level 2 | $16,451 | ~5.4 hours | ~4.6 hours |
Level 3 | $22,536 | ~7.4 hours | ~6.3 hours |
Level 4 | $30,468 | ~10 hours | ~8.5 hours |
Level 5 | $40,729 | ~13.4 hours | ~11.4 hours |
Level 6 | $49,365 | ~16.3 hours | ~13.8 hours |
Level 7 | $59,660 | ~19.7 hours | ~16.7 hours |
Level 8 | $80,137 | ~26.4 hours | ~22.4 hours |
What Does Support at Home Cover?
- Clinical Supports: health care such as nursing care and allied health.
- Independence services: help with daily life and staying connected, such as transport, respite care and social support.
- Everyday Living services: practical help at home, such as cleaning, gardening and meal preparation.
How Much Does Support at Home Cost?
The Australian Government pays for your approved services, but you may be asked to contribute to some of them. What you pay depends on your income, your assets and the type of service.
Clinical Supports are fully funded for you. Independence and Everyday Living services may require a contribution, based on your financial situation. Providers also set their own prices, so two providers can charge different amounts for the same service.
That is why it is worth comparing both service prices and your contributions, because a lower price can mean more hours of care from the same funding. We keep our pricing clear, so you know what you will be charged before any service starts.
Choosing a Support at Home Provider, or Changing to a New One
If your provider is not meeting your needs, you are free to change.
People move for many reasons: services are not available when they are needed, communication is poor, the prices are not right, or another provider simply feels like a better fit.
You can change provider at any time, and your current provider must help with the move. There is no exit fee just for changing.
Before you choose, please do not look at price alone. It is also worth asking:
- Does the provider offer the services you need?
- Are there any extra or hidden charges?
- Are workers available when you need them?
- How quickly do they respond when something changes?
- Can you choose or change your workers?
- Do they have clinical skills, such as nurses?
- Do they explain your budget and statements clearly?
Self-Manage Your Support at Home Services
You do not have to leave everything to your provider. You can self-manage only the services you want to.
Esse Care offers Support at Home self-management for people and families who would like more say in choosing workers, setting schedules or using their own approved suppliers.
You arrange and agree on rates directly with your workers, and we continue to look after the provider duties for your funding. That means we still help with your budget and clinical needs, pay your workers and check them on your behalf.
Why Choose Esse Care?
Trusted Care Built on 35 Years of Experience
With over three decades of providing quality care, Esse Care has grown from a family-run business into a trusted, second-generation provider. Our long-standing commitment to honesty and reliability ensures that we deliver the support we promise, tailoring services to meet the evolving needs of our clients.
Multicultural, Inclusive, and Diverse Team
At Esse Care, diversity is our strength. Our team of case managers, support workers, and clients come from various cultural backgrounds, creating an inclusive environment. We welcome all cultures and offer services in multiple languages, ensuring clients feel comfortable and understood at every step of their care journey.
Honest, Transparent, and Ethical Care
We prioritise open communication and ethical service delivery. We never overpromise or mismanage client funding. Instead, we focus on providing services that meet genuine needs, ensuring clients are always informed and supported. Our feedback-driven approach ensures continuous improvement and high standards in every aspect of care.
Common Questions About Support at Home
What is Support at Home?
Support at Home is the Australian Government’s in-home aged care program for eligible older Australians who need help to keep living safely and independently at home. It replaced the Home Care Packages Program and the Short-Term Restorative Care Programme on 1 November 2025. Depending on your assessment, it can include ongoing services, assistive technology and home modifications, restorative care or end-of-life support.
Is Support at Home the same as a Home Care Package?
Support at Home replaced Home Care Packages in November 2025. They share the same purpose, which is government-funded care to help older Australians stay at home, although the way funding and contributions work has changed.
Who is eligible for Support at Home?
Eligibility depends on your age and your assessed care needs.
Generally, you need to be 65 or older, or 50 or older if you are Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander or homeless or at risk of homelessness, and have care needs shown in an aged care assessment. You do not have to wait until you can no longer cope. Changes in movement, memory, health or family support, falls, or difficulty with daily tasks are all good reasons to ask for an assessment.
What is included in a Support at Home package?
You can use your package for services on the Support at Home service list. Depending on your assessment, this may include nursing care, allied health, personal care, respite care, transport, social support, cleaning, gardening, shopping and meal preparation. You may also be approved for separate funding for assistive technology and home modifications, or for short-term care.
Your support plan lists the services you are approved for. If a service is not on your plan, it cannot be funded from your package, and the only way to add one is another assessment through My Aged Care.
What does a Support at Home provider actually do?
Your provider does far more than send workers to your door. We will:
- Work with you to build your care plan and personal budget
- Organise your approved services
- Keep a careful eye on your needs, especially clinical needs
- Provide care management
- Manage claims (we pay your workers and claim the cost back from the government)
- Collect your contributions and send you monthly statements showing your services and remaining funding
Will I contribute to the cost of my care?
You may need to contribute to some services, but not every service carries the same contribution.
Clinical Supports, such as nursing and physiotherapy, are fully funded by the Australian Government. Some Independence and Everyday Living services may require a contribution based on your finances. Your contribution is worked out from the price of the service you receive and your personal situation, such as whether you receive a pension. Learn more about contributions here.
What is interim Support at Home funding?
Some people waiting for their full funding may receive interim funding, so that important services can start sooner.
Interim funding is currently 60% of your full funding level. When the remainder becomes available, you move to your full budget, although the difference is not backdated. Your provider can help you prioritise your approved services while you are on the interim amount.
We're here to help
Have a question or just comparing providers? Call us on 1300 662 339, email info@essecare.com.au, or enquire online.
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