The Support at Home Reform marks one of the most significant changes to aged care service delivery in many years. For providers, this reform brings new compliance requirements, updated business rules, and substantial operational impacts.
With the start date fast approaching, understanding what’s changing — and preparing your organisation accordingly is critical.
New Compliance Requirements
The Support at Home program introduces strengthened Aged Care Quality Standards alongside a revised set of business rules. These changes affect both how services are delivered and how claims are processed through Services Australia.
Key areas of change include:
- Additional compliance obligations for providers
- More detailed service delivery requirements
- Updated claiming processes and documentation standards
Impact on Staffing and Rostering
Providers are now busy re-evaluating staffing models and rostering and rolling out operational changes.
This is because –
- There’s now a cap on the percentage they can charge for care management
- Claiming rules for face-to-face time, travel time, and non-face-to-face time have changed
- Frontline staff will need to adjust how they record and report work for billing
Providers need to update and align rostering, brokerage agreements, claiming and more to ensure compliance while maintaining operational efficiency.
Updates to Care Plans
Under Support at Home, care plans require updating to meet the revised standards and program structure.
Changes include:
- The introduction of quarterly budgets with specific rollover rules
- The introduction of a new assistive technology and home modifications scheme
- The replacement of the Short-Term Restorative Care Program with the Restorative Care Pathway
Providers need to ensure their care planning processes — and associated software systems — are equipped to manage these updates.
Software and Reporting Changes
Providers must confirm that their systems can:
- Manage quarterly budgeting and rollover requirements
- Support care planning for assistive technology and home modifications
- Align reporting functions with the revised business rules
Funding and Budgeting Overhaul
Funding arrangements will undergo substantial revision.
- Paid in arrears: Providers will continue to be paid after services are delivered, not upfront
- Care management will be a smaller percentage of the budget
- Purchases like assistive technology and home modifications are also claimed in arrears
- No more budget surplus: Participants can no accrue stockpile unspent funds
For participants, contribution rules are changing too:
- No contributions for clinical services
- Asset-tested contributions for non-clinical services like gardening
- Special grandfathering rules for people moving from Home Care Packages into Support at Home
Resources for Providers
The Department of Health, Disability and Ageing offers a range of resources to assist providers, including:
- Regular webinars hosted by the Support at Home Transformation Team
- Detailed guidance documents and support materials
- Access to industry consultants for tailored advice and change management support
Industry consultants are also working directly with providers to help navigate the transition.
Training Your Team Effectively
One of the hardest parts of a major reform is making sure every staff member understands the new requirements.
Take Five Learning has developed bite-sized training modules covering:
- The Aged Care Code of Conduct
- The Statement of Rights
- Strengthened Aged Care Quality Standards
- The Serious Incident Reporting Scheme
These modules are designed to be accessible, practical, and aligned with adult learning principles, helping staff to quickly and effectively meet their responsibilities.
Final Thoughts
The Support at Home Reform represents a major shift in aged care delivery. By preparing early providers can navigate the transition smoothly and position themselves to deliver high-quality, compliant care under the new framework.
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September 29, 2025
