Home Care Packages explained

A Home Care Package is an Australian Government funding subsidy that allows individuals to purchase services to enable them to live independently in their own home.

To receive a Home Care Package, you will likely need a free assessment by an Aged Care Assessment Team (NSW), or Aged Care Assessment Services (Victoria).

You may be eligible for a Home Care Package if you are:

  • an older person who needs coordinated services to help you to stay in your home,
  • a younger person with a disability in unique circumstances where your care needs are not met through other specialist services.

Once a Home Care Package has been allocated to you, you will receive a letter of notification detailing your package ‘Referral Code’ ‘Level’ (value).

There are four Home Care Package levels:

  • Level 1 – basic care needs
  • Level 2 – low-level care needs
  • Level 3 – intermediate care needs
  • Level 4 – high-level care needs.

Your Referral Code will enable you to access services after it has been activated by an approved provider, such as Community Interlink.

 

Ensure that you contact an approved Home Care Package provider within 56 days of the date of issue on your letter.

After this time your funding allocation will expire and you may have to undergo another Aged Care Assessment to receive a new Home Care Package.

To find out if you are eligible for a Home Care Package call My Aged Care on 1800 200 422.

The My Aged Care contact centre will ask you a series of questions to determine if you qualify for an assessment.

If you are not eligible for a Home Care Package, you can still access in-home care by privately funding your care services.

Call us on 1300 203 203 for Home Care Package application support or to find out more about privately funded care.