Unspent funds: the quarterly rollover rule, explained
Last updated 20 August 2026
Figures current as at 20 August 2026: quarterly budgets indexed 1 July 2026; AT-HM tier amounts as published for 2026–27.
The short version
- Your budget arrives quarterly. What you don't spend rolls over — but only up to the greater of $1,000 or 10% of your quarterly budget. Anything above that is lost.
- Exception: unspent funds transferred from an old Home Care Package on 1 November 2025 are exempt from the rollover cap — they stay yours until spent.
- That makes big-ticket saving hard under the new rules. For equipment and home modifications, the AT-HM scheme is usually the better route.
- If you switch providers, your unspent funds follow you.
How the rollover cap works
Under the old Home Care Packages, unspent funds accumulated without limit — some people quietly built up tens of thousands of dollars. Support at Home works differently: budgets are quarterly, and at the end of each quarter you can carry forward only the greater of $1,000 or 10% of your quarterly budget. For Classifications 1–4, $1,000 is the bigger number, so $1,000 is your rollover limit; from Classification 5 up, 10% of the budget is bigger, so the percentage applies:
| Classification | Quarterly budget | Maximum rollover |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $2,752.50 | $1,000 |
| 2 | $4,112.84 | $1,000 |
| 3 | $5,634.20 | $1,000 |
| 4 | $7,617.13 | $1,000 |
| 5 | $10,182.38 | $1,018.24 |
| 6 | $12,341.32 | $1,234.13 |
| 7 | $14,915.00 | $1,491.50 |
| 8 | $20,034.28 | $2,003.43 |
Rollover maximums are 10% of the current quarterly budgets (indexed 1 July 2026), with the $1,000 floor applying where 10% falls below it.
The intent is "use it or mostly lose it": funding should buy care in the quarter it's needed, not sit idle. Your monthly statements show your running balance, so an underspend won't sneak up on you if you're reading them.
The HCP-transfer exemption
Unspent HCP funds transferred in full on 1 November 2025 and are exempt from the rollover cap — they carry forward quarter after quarter until spent, on top of your normal budget. If you transitioned, confirm your transferred balance in writing with your provider and check it appears on your statements. It's your money for your care, and it should be visible.
Saving for a big purchase under the new rules
Under HCP, people often saved their package for months to buy a recliner lift chair, a wheelchair or a bathroom rail. The rollover cap makes that approach largely impossible — most people can only carry $1,000 to $2,000 into a new quarter. The system's answer is the Assistive Technology and Home Modifications (AT-HM) scheme, which funds equipment and modifications separately from your quarterly budget:
- Low tier — $500 over 12 months, no professional assessment needed. Small aids: grab rails, shower stools, pick-up reachers.
- Medium tier — $2,000 over 12 months. Walkers, ramps, bathroom equipment.
- High tier — $15,000 over 12 months (more in some cases with evidence), with a health-professional prescription. Major modifications and complex equipment.
If you're eyeing a big purchase, talk to your provider or assessor about AT-HM first rather than trying to starve your quarterly budget. Our AT-HM guide covers how to access each tier. Genuinely transferred HCP funds are the other exception — they can be spent on any eligible service or item, big purchases included, whenever you're ready.
Sitting on unspent funds and not sure what to do?
Whether it's a transferred HCP balance or a quarterly underspend, we can help you think through how to put it to use before rules or needs change.
What happens when you switch providers
Your funds are yours, not your provider's. If you switch, your budget and any unspent funds — including an exempt HCP-transferred balance — follow you to the new provider. Exit fees, which providers could charge under HCP, are banned under Support at Home. You'll need a new service agreement, but no new assessment. Before you move, get your current balance in writing so you can check it arrives intact.
Common questions
What happens to budget above the rollover limit at the end of a quarter?
It's returned to the government — it doesn't accumulate for you and it doesn't go to your provider. If you're consistently underspending, it may be worth reviewing your care plan: are there services you're entitled to and not using?
How do I know how much I have left this quarter?
Your provider must send a monthly statement showing services delivered, prices charged and your remaining budget. If you're not getting one, ask — statements are mandatory. See reading your statements.
Do my transferred HCP funds expire?
No expiry date has been set — they're exempt from the rollover cap and remain available until spent. Keep written confirmation of the balance, and check it on every statement, especially if you change providers.
Can I deliberately underspend to save for something big?
Only up to your rollover limit — the excess is lost, so starving your budget rarely works. For equipment or home modifications, the AT-HM scheme is designed for exactly that and doesn't touch your quarterly budget.
If my needs grow, is saving up the answer?
Usually not — a reassessment is. It's free, and if your needs have increased you may move to a higher classification with a bigger quarterly budget. Transitioned HCP clients have upgrade-only protection, so a reassessment can't reduce their funding.
Sources
- Support at Home Program Manual — quarterly budgets, unspent funds and rollover.
- Department of Health, Disability and Ageing, health.gov.au — Support at Home classifications and budgets (indexed 1 July 2026); transition of Home Care Package unspent funds.
- Department of Health, Disability and Ageing — Assistive Technology and Home Modifications (AT-HM) scheme tiers.
- My Aged Care, myagedcare.gov.au — changing providers under Support at Home, accessed 20 August 2026.