Home Care Packages are divided into four different levels and funds, with each level having different payment caps and expected hours of care. Home Care Packages are funded by the Australian Government, which gives a subsidy to providers to correctly manage senior Australians' levels of care. Let’s have a look at how much funding is in a level 1, 2, 3, and 4 home care package, and what services are included in each level.

Level 1: How much funding is a level 1 Home Care Package A level 1 Home Care Package provides $9,026.45 of yearly government funding, which can be considered $24.73 per day. This funding level is updated on July 1 of each year. Services Australia will conduct an income assessment to determine if you are required to pay an income-tested fee.

What is included in a level 1 Home Care Package?

A level 1 Home Care Package is assigned to senior Australians who have basic care needs. Typically, they will only require visits once or twice a week, as those on this package can usually complete most day-to-day tasks without assistance. Those on a level 1 home care package tend to receive help with social and physical tasks, often in the form of:

• Personal care, such as help with bathing, dressing, getting out of bed, and taking medication
• Domestic assistance such as cleaning, gardening, and home maintenance
• Meal preparation
• Transport
• Social support

Level 2

How much funding is a level 2 Home Care Package?

A level 2 Home Care Package provides $15,877.50 of yearly government funding, which can be thought of as $43.50 per day. This funding level is updated on July 1 of each year. Services Australia will conduct an income assessment to determine if you are required to pay an income tested care fees.

What is included in a level 2 Home Care Package?

A level 2 Home Care Package is assigned to senior Australians who have low care needs. Typically, they will only require visits three or four times a week, as those on this package only require assistance with small number of tasks.

Those on a level 2 home care package tend to receive help with social, physical, and medical tasks, often receiving care in the form of:

• Personal care, such as help with bathing, dressing, getting out of bed, and taking medication
• Domestic assistance such as cleaning, gardening, and home maintenance
• Meal preparation
• Transport
• Social support
• Hire of basic care equipment such as walking frames
• Basic nursing care

Level 3

How much funding is a level 3 Home Care Package?

A level 3 Home Care Package provides $34,550.90 of yearly government funding, which can be thought of as $94.66 per day. This funding level is updated on July 1 of each year. Services Australia will conduct an income assessment to determine if you are required to pay income-tested care fees.

What is included in a level 3 Home Care Package?

A level 3 Home Care Package is assigned to senior Australians who have intermediate care needs. Typically, they require visits on most days of the week, as those on this package need frequent assistance with many day-to-day tasks to remain healthy and independent.

Those on a level 3 home care package tend to receive assistance with social, physical, and medical tasks, and may also have psychological care needs. Those on a level 3 package often receive care in the form of:

• Personal care, such as help with bathing, dressing, getting out of bed, and taking medication
• Domestic assistance such as cleaning, gardening, and home maintenance
• Meal preparation
• Transport
• Social support
• Hire of care equipment
• Nursing care
• Allied health support
• Support with managing memory and behavioural changes

Level 4

How much funding is a level 4 Home Care Package?

A level 4 Home Care Package provides $52,377.50 of yearly government funding, which can be thought of as $143.50 per day. This funding level is updated on July 1 of each year. Services Australia will conduct an income assessment to determine if you are required to pay income-tested care fees.

What is included in a level 4 Home Care Package?

A level 4 Home Care Package is assigned to senior Australians who have high care needs. Typically, they require daily visits, as those on this package have complex needs, and have experienced changes to their memory and behaviour. Those on a level 4 home care package tend to receive daily assistance with social, physical, and medical tasks, and usually have complex psychological care needs. Those on a level 4 home care package often receive care in the form of:

• Personal care, such as help with bathing, toileting, dressing, getting out of bed, and taking medication
• Pain management and medication
• Mobility assistance
• Domestic assistance such as cleaning, gardening, and home maintenance
• Meal preparation and eating assistance
• Transport
• Social support
• Hire of complex care equipment
• High level nursing care
• Allied health support
• Support with managing memory and behavioural changes
• Specialised support

Home care Package levels and hours of care

Depending on the home care package level that you have been assigned, you will be able to receive different levels and hours of care. The exact number of hours per week you will be able to receive will depend on your home care package level, the types of services you require, and whether you have any remaining unspent funds in your package. Which provider you choose will also make a significant impact on the hours of care you receive.

At Continuity Care, you can double the care hours than you would receive at a traditional provider by self-managing your home care package. If you haven’t heard of self-management.

Check out the table below, which gives you a rough estimate of the hours of care you can expect to receive for each home care package level:

What level Home Care Package will I be assigned?

You will be assigned a Home Care Package level following an ACAT Assessment. This assessment involves a comprehensive assessment of your situation, lifestyle, and health, to identify where you need help with daily tasks, and to recommend the right services which meet your needs. This assessment helps determine if you are suitable for a home care package or may be more suitable for a nursing home or retirement home. During the COVID-19 pandemic, most ACAT assessments are conducted over the phone or through video.

How do I increase my Home Care Package level?

If your care requirements have changed and you believe you now need to upgrade your Home Care Package to an increased level, you will need to apply for an ACAT reassessment. This process will involve a comprehensive assessment of your situation, lifestyle, and health, to identify where you need help with daily tasks, and to recommend the right services which meet your needs. If you have been identified as eligible for a higher-level package, then you will be assigned one once a higher-level package becomes available.

If you have been determined as eligible for a higher-level package, you have the option to accept a lower-level package as soon as one becomes available, as well as the option to access CHSP services. Acceptance or non-acceptance of a lower-level package or CHSP services will not impact your expected wait time – it simply allows you to access basic care services sooner.