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Home Care Help Independent guide to Support at Home

How to apply for CHSP: one front door, a lighter assessment

Last updated 21 August 2026

The short version

  • Everything starts with My Aged Care - myagedcare.gov.au or 1800 200 422. It’s the same front door for CHSP and Support at Home.
  • CHSP-level needs get a home support assessment: a conversation at your home, not a test.
  • There’s no national waitlist for CHSP. After assessment you get referral codes and can start as soon as a local provider has capacity - typically days to a few weeks.
  • That’s far faster than Support at Home, where more than 100,000 people were queued at 30 June 2026 and waits run from about a month to nearly a year.

The steps

  1. Register with My Aged Care

    15-30 minutes

    Call 1800 200 422 or apply at myagedcare.gov.au - there’s an online eligibility checker if you want a quick sense first. You’ll need your Medicare card. A family member can call with you, or for you with your consent. You’ll answer screening questions about what you’re finding difficult.

  2. Have the home support assessment

    Usually within a few weeks

    Since the Single Assessment System rolled out, one assessment workforce handles all aged care assessments. For entry-level needs, that means a home support assessment - an assessor visits, talks through your day-to-day life, and works out what would help. It’s a conversation, not a test, and it helps to be frank about the hard days rather than putting on a brave face.

  3. Receive your support plan and referral codes

    At or shortly after the visit

    Your assessor agrees a support plan with you and issues referrals for specific services - either directly to providers you discuss, or as referral codes you can give to any CHSP provider you choose.

  4. Contact providers and agree services

    Days to a few weeks

    Ring the providers, check they have capacity, and ask for their contribution schedule in writing. You’ll sign a service agreement covering your services, agreed fees, and your rights. Then services begin.

Why CHSP starts faster

Support at Home funding is released through a national priority queue - 106,977 people were waiting at 30 June 2026, with typical waits from around a month (urgent) to 8-11 months (standard). CHSP has no such queue: once assessed, you can start the moment a local provider can fit you in. If you’ve been approved for Support at Home and are waiting, CHSP can bridge the gap.

One honest caveat

“No queue” doesn’t guarantee a provider has room. Advocates at OPAN report that some people - particularly in regional areas - are approved for CHSP but struggle to find a provider with capacity nearby. If the first provider says no, try others on your referral, and ask My Aged Care to re-refer you. You’re not limited to one attempt, and it’s worth being persistent politely.

Want a hand with the process?

We can talk you through registering, what to say in the assessment, and which local providers have capacity - free, no obligation.

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Common questions

Am I eligible for CHSP?

Broadly: you’re 65 or older (50+ for Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people), or 50+ (45+ ATSI) if you’re on a low income and homeless or at risk of it, and you live in Australia with appropriate residency. The screening call confirms it. More detail in what is CHSP?

What’s the difference between the CHSP assessment and the Support at Home one?

Same system, different depth. Entry-level needs get the lighter home support assessment; Support at Home needs the comprehensive assessment using the Integrated Assessment Tool, which assigns a classification and priority. If your assessor thinks your needs are beyond entry level, they’ll steer you to the comprehensive pathway. (If you read older articles mentioning “RAS” and “ACAT” - that language is out of date; it’s one assessment workforce now.)

How long until services actually start?

Typically days to a few weeks after your assessment, depending on local provider capacity. The whole journey - first call to first service - is commonly a matter of weeks, versus many months for Support at Home in the standard priority category.

I already have CHSP services. Do I need a new assessment to add one more?

Not necessarily a full one. Existing clients don’t need reassessment unless needs change. If you want an additional service type, contact My Aged Care and ask for a support plan review - often quicker than starting from scratch.

Can I choose my own provider?

Yes. Referral codes can be taken to any CHSP provider delivering that service in your area. Fees and availability differ between providers, so it’s worth ringing two or three - see what CHSP costs for what to ask.

Sources

  1. My Aged Care, myagedcare.gov.au - “Commonwealth Home Support Programme” and assessment guidance, accessed August 2026.
  2. Department of Health, Disability and Ageing - Single Assessment System for aged care, 2024-25 rollout.
  3. Department of Health, Disability and Ageing - Support at Home priority system data, 30 June 2026 (released 11 August 2026).
  4. Older Persons Advocacy Network (OPAN) - public commentary on CHSP provider capacity, August 2026.
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