How to apply for Support at Home through My Aged Care

Last updated 20 August 2026

The short version

Everything starts with My Aged Care — apply online at myagedcare.gov.au or call 1800 200 422. Registering is free.
You can apply for yourself, or a family member, carer or friend can apply on your behalf — with your consent, and with you involved in the conversation.
Have your Medicare card handy, plus your GP's details and a picture of what you're finding hard day to day.
Registration leads to a referral for an assessment at home — that's where your funding level is actually decided.

Two ways to register — and who can do it

There is no paper form to chase and no fee to pay. You register with My Aged Care in one of two ways:

Online — the application form at myagedcare.gov.au. You can save your progress and come back to it, and it suits families helping from a distance.
By phone — call 1800 200 422. The staff member works through the same questions with you. Many older people find the phone conversation easier than the form, and you can ask questions as you go.

You don't have to do this yourself. An adult child, partner, carer or friend can make the call or complete the form on your behalf — but My Aged Care will want your consent, and if you're able, they'll want to speak with you directly at some point. If you'd like someone to deal with My Aged Care for you on an ongoing basis, ask about being set up as a regular representative on the record, so they don't need fresh consent every time.

If English isn't your first language, ask for an interpreter — My Aged Care arranges one at no cost. And if you have no one to help and find the system hard to navigate, the Older Persons Advocacy Network (OPAN) offers free support on 1800 700 600.

What to have ready before you call

The conversation goes more smoothly with a few things beside the phone:

Your Medicare card — the main identifier My Aged Care uses to create your record.
Your GP's name and clinic details, and a rough list of your health conditions and any recent hospital stays.
A short list of what's become hard — showering, stairs, cooking, driving, keeping the garden safe, remembering medications. Real, everyday examples beat general statements.
Details of any help you already get — from family, neighbours or paid services — and whether that help is sustainable.
If you're applying for someone else: their consent, and ideally have them with you for the call.

Good to know

Be honest about your hardest days, not your best ones. The registration conversation helps decide how urgent your assessment referral is — describing everything as "mostly fine" can slow the whole journey down. There's more on this in our assessment guide.

Want a hand before you ring?

We can talk through your situation first, so you know what to mention when you speak to My Aged Care. Free, no obligation.

Talk to us first Read: preparing for assessment

What happens after you register

Registering creates your record and starts the referral process — it doesn't grant funding by itself. From here:

My Aged Care reviews what you've told them and decides what kind of assessment to refer you for, and how urgently.
An assessment organisation contacts you to arrange a home visit under the Single Assessment System. Waits for a visit vary by area — the national assessment backlog has been substantial this year, so don't be alarmed if it isn't quick.
After the visit, you receive a Notice of Decision setting out your classification and priority, and you join the National Priority System for a budget.

If your situation deteriorates while you're waiting for the assessment visit — a fall, a hospital stay, a carer who can no longer cope — call 1800 200 422 and tell them. Urgency can be reviewed at any stage.

Common questions

Does applying cost anything, or commit me to anything?

No. Registration and assessment are free, and being assessed doesn't oblige you to take up services. Contributions only enter the picture once funded services actually start — see our costs section.

Can I apply for my mum without her being on the phone?

You can start the process, but My Aged Care needs her consent and will generally want to speak with her too, if she's able. If she can't give consent — for example, because of dementia — the process can still proceed with the right legal arrangements in place, such as an enduring power of attorney or guardianship; explain the situation and My Aged Care will tell you what they need.

I already get some CHSP help. Do I still need to apply?

If your needs have grown beyond entry-level support, yes — Support at Home is the program with substantial ongoing budgets, and getting there requires an assessment. Contact My Aged Care and explain what's changed; your existing services continue in the meantime.

I had a Home Care Package before November 2025. Do I reapply?

No. Everyone with a Home Care Package was moved to Support at Home automatically on 1 November 2025, keeping an equivalent budget. See our guide to how Support at Home compares to HCP.

How long until services actually start?

Be prepared for a wait. For people assessed as medium or standard priority, the full journey from application to funded services is often taking 9–12 months at the moment. Interim help can start much sooner — see while you wait.

Thinking ahead to providers?

It's never too early to see who services your area and what they charge — it makes the later steps much easier.

Browse providers Get matched instead

Sources

My Aged Care, myagedcare.gov.au — applying for an assessment and contact information (1800 200 422), accessed 20 August 2026.
Department of Health, Disability and Ageing, health.gov.au — Support at Home program pages, accessed 20 August 2026.
Support at Home Program Manual — entry, assessment and classification arrangements.
Older Persons Advocacy Network (OPAN), 1800 700 600 — free aged care advocacy support.