Aged Care
Level 4 Home Care Package in 2026: Funding, Costs and What Changed Under Support at Home
Quick Answer
New Level 4 Home Care Packages are no longer issued, because Home Care Packages were replaced by the Support at Home program on 1 November 2025. People who held or were approved for a Level 4 package moved to a Transitioned HCP Level 4 classification, which provides $16,353.98 per quarter, or $65,415.91 a year, from 1 July 2026.
For years, the Level 4 Home Care Package was the highest level of government-funded support for older Australians living at home. It was designed for people with complex needs who wanted to stay in their own home with daily personal care, nursing and allied health. On 1 November 2025, Home Care Packages were replaced by the Support at Home program, and that changed how Level 4 funding works.
This guide explains what a Level 4 Home Care Package means in 2026, how much funding it provides, what you may contribute, how new applicants receive equivalent support today, and what to consider when home support is no longer enough.
2026 update
New Level 4 Home Care Packages are no longer issued. People who held or were approved for a Level 4 package moved to a Transitioned HCP Level 4 classification under Support at Home. Everyone assessed since 1 November 2025 receives one of 8 Support at Home classifications instead.
What Is a Level 4 Home Care Package?
The former Home Care Packages Program had four levels, from Level 1 for basic needs to Level 4 for high care needs. A Level 4 Home Care Package was typically approved for people who needed help every day with personal care, regular clinical support from nurses or allied health professionals, and coordinated services across the week to remain safely at home.
In practice, people on a Level 4 package often live with several chronic health conditions, have limited mobility or a history of falls, are recovering from a major hospital stay, or rely heavily on a spouse or adult child for daily help. The package aimed to bring nursing, personal care, allied health and practical help together under one coordinated plan.
Many families still search for “Level 4” because it is the term they know, and because thousands of older Australians continue to receive Level 4 funding today under transitional arrangements. Our overview of aged care packages explains how the different levels and programs fit together.
What Happened to the Level 4 Home Care Package on 1 November 2025?
The Aged Care Act 2024 introduced the Support at Home program, bringing Home Care Packages and Short-Term Restorative Care into one system. Here is how the key features compare.
| Home Care Packages (before Nov 2025) | Support at Home (now) | |
|---|---|---|
| Funding levels | 4 levels | 8 ongoing classifications, plus 4 transitioned HCP levels |
| Budget | Daily subsidy, unspent funds could build up | Quarterly budget, carry-over capped at $1,000 or 10%, whichever is higher |
| Management fees | Package and care management fees varied by provider | 10% of each quarterly budget set aside for care management |
| What you pay | Basic daily fee and income-tested care fee | Contributions based on the type of service and your pension status |
| Equipment and home modifications | Paid from the package budget | Separate Assistive Technology and Home Modifications (AT-HM) scheme |
Level 4 Home Care Package Funding in 2026
According to the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing, the Transitioned HCP Level 4 classification provides $16,353.98 per quarter, or $65,415.91 a year, from 1 July 2026. Amounts are indexed each July. The table shows how this compares with the new Support at Home classifications.
| Classification | Quarterly budget | Annual amount |
|---|---|---|
| Classification 5 | $10,182.38 | $40,729.53 |
| Classification 6 | $12,341.32 | $49,365.27 |
| Classification 7 | $14,915.00 | $59,660.00 |
| Transitioned HCP Level 4 | $16,353.98 | $65,415.91 |
| Classification 8 | $20,034.28 | $80,137.12 |
Source: Department of Health, Disability and Ageing, Support at Home classifications and budgets, July 2026.
In funding terms, a Level 4 package now sits between Classification 7 and Classification 8. A few rules shape how far that money goes:
- 10% for care management. This is taken from each quarterly budget, leaving 90% for services.
- Carry-over is limited. Unused funds of up to $1,000 or 10% of the quarterly budget, whichever is higher, roll into the next quarter.
- Old unspent funds are protected. Former HCP recipients kept their unspent package funds, which can be used for approved equipment and home modifications, or for services once the quarterly budget is used. There is no cap on using them.
- Monthly statements. Your provider must give you an itemised statement each month showing spending, your remaining budget and contributions.
What a Level 4 Budget Can Pay For
Support at Home groups services into three categories. Each category affects what you may contribute.
Clinical supports
Nursing care
Wound care
Physiotherapy
Occupational therapy
Podiatry
Personal care (from 1 Oct 2026)
Independence
In-home respite
Transport
Social support
Therapeutic services for daily living
Everyday living
Cleaning
Laundry
Meal preparation
Gardening
Home maintenance
Equipment such as shower chairs, walkers and pressure-care mattresses, and home modifications such as grab rails and ramps, are now funded through the separate AT-HM scheme. This means a Level 4 budget is no longer used up by one large equipment purchase.
How Much Will You Contribute?
Under Support at Home, what you pay depends on the type of service and your pension status, as assessed by Services Australia. Clinical supports are fully funded by the government. The bars below show the contribution ranges for independence and everyday living services.
Clinical supports
0% for everyone
Independence
5% full pensioner
50% self-funded
Everyday living
17.5% full pensioner
80% self-funded
Part pensioners and Commonwealth Seniors Health Card holders contribute somewhere between these rates, based on their means.
Personal care is now free. From 1 October 2026, personal care such as showering, dressing and continence support moved into the clinical category, so it no longer attracts a contribution. For people on a Level 4 package, who often use a lot of personal care, this can make a meaningful difference.
The no worse off principle. If you were receiving or approved for a Home Care Package on or before 12 September 2024, you will contribute the same as or less than you would have under the old rules. If you paid no income-tested fee before, you will not start contributing now.
A lifetime cap applies. Contributions toward non-clinical care count toward a lifetime cap that is shared with residential aged care, so people who need care for many years are protected.
How to Get Level 4 Equivalent Support Today
If you were not already on a Home Care Package, you cannot apply for a Level 4 package. Instead, you are assessed for Support at Home and given a classification that matches your needs. People with high needs may receive Classification 7 or 8.
Apply through My Aged Care
Apply online or call 1800 200 422. Your application is triaged before an assessment is booked.
Complete your assessment
An assessor looks at your health, daily living, safety and carer support. Read our guide to the aged care assessment to prepare.
Receive your classification and priority
Your letter shows your classification, quarterly budget and priority category.
Wait for funding
Funding is allocated through the Support at Home Priority System. If waits run longer than expected, you may receive interim funding of 60% of your budget.
Choose a provider within 56 days
Once funding is assigned, you have 56 days to sign a service agreement, with a possible 28-day extension. Otherwise the funding goes to the next person.
Review as needs change
If your current budget no longer meets your needs, ask My Aged Care about a reassessment for a higher classification.
Choosing a Provider for High-Level Home Support
With a budget of more than $65,000 a year, the provider you choose has a big influence on the care your loved one actually receives. Before signing a service agreement, ask each provider these questions:
Clinical capability. Can they provide Registered Nurse visits, wound care and allied health quickly, including on weekends?
Pricing. What are their hourly rates for each type of service, and how do these compare with other providers in your area?
Continuity. Will your loved one see the same support workers regularly, and is there a named care partner?
Responsiveness. How quickly can services start, and what happens if a worker cancels at short notice?
Budget transparency. Will they walk you through the monthly statement and help you plan spending across each quarter so funds are not lost?
Complaints and feedback. How are concerns handled, and who can you speak to if things go wrong?
You can compare registered providers on the My Aged Care Find a Provider tool, and free independent advice is available from the Older Persons Advocacy Network on 1800 700 600.
How Long Is the Wait?
Waits for high-level home support are long. The first Aged Care Act 2024 Wait Times Report, published in May 2026, found a national median wait of 347 days for ongoing Support at Home services. Queensland recorded the longest median wait of any state across all aged care services, at 322 days.
People in the urgent priority category receive full funding within one month. Everyone else should plan ahead and use interim options such as the Commonwealth Home Support Programme while waiting. Our guide to aged care waiting lists in Queensland covers practical steps.
When a Level 4 Home Care Package Is No Longer Enough
Even the highest level of home support is built around visits. Families often reach a point where their loved one needs someone close by around the clock, particularly overnight. Signs to watch for include repeated falls, needs during the night, frequent hospital admissions, and a family carer who can no longer safely keep up.
At that stage, residential aged care offers what home care cannot: a Registered Nurse on site 24 hours a day and care minutes targets based on a national average of 215 minutes of direct care per resident per day, as explained in our guide to care minutes in aged care.
Residential respite can also help before a permanent decision. A short stay gives a family carer a break and lets your loved one experience residential life. Our guide to ageing in place vs residential care explains how to weigh up the options, and if you are the main carer, our guide for the ageing carer in Australia covers payments and support.
When Home Support Is No Longer Enough, Superior Care Group Can Help
Superior Care Group is a family-owned residential aged care provider that has cared for older Queenslanders for over 45 years. At Wellington Park in Wellington Point and Merrimac Park on the Gold Coast, we offer respite care, permanent residential care and palliative care, with Registered Nurses on site around the clock. If a Level 4 package is no longer meeting your loved one’s needs, or a family carer needs a break, our team can talk you through the next step and our full range of aged care services.
Need more care than home support can give?
Talk to us about respite or permanent care.
Wellington Park
Wellington Point
Merrimac Park
Gold Coast
Sources: Support at Home classifications and budgets (July 2026) · Funding classifications for Support at Home · My Aged Care: Assessment outcome · Aged Care Act 2024 Wait Times Report
