While you wait for Support at Home: help that can start now

Last updated 20 August 2026

Figures current as at 20 August 2026; short-term pathway amounts are approximate figures published by the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing.

The short version

Waiting 8–11 months for a budget doesn't mean waiting with nothing. CHSP interim services — cleaning, meals, transport — can often start within a few weeks.
Short-term pathways bypass the queue: assistive technology and home modifications (AT-HM), restorative care, and end-of-life support are funded separately from your main budget.
Financial hardship provisions exist — nobody should go without care because they can't contribute.
Many families pay privately as a bridge. It doesn't affect your queue position.
Whatever you do, keep evidence if things get worse — it can move you up the queue.

CHSP: the interim workhorse

The Commonwealth Home Support Programme is the entry-level program that runs alongside Support at Home (it's been extended to at least 30 June 2027). It funds basic help — domestic assistance, meals, transport, social support, some personal care — at modest cost, and it's explicitly used as interim support for people waiting in the National Priority System.

The practical difference is speed: where a Support at Home budget may be many months away, CHSP services can often start within a few weeks, depending on local availability. Call My Aged Care on 1800 200 422, explain that you're waiting for your Support at Home budget, and ask for a CHSP referral to be added to your record. If you've already had your assessment, no new assessment is usually needed for this.

Short-term pathways that don't join the queue

Three pathways are funded separately from the main budget queue. If your Notice of Decision approved you for one — or your circumstances now fit one — these can deliver real help while you wait:

Assistive Technology and Home Modifications (AT-HM) — funding tiers of $500, $2,000 or $15,000, each over 12 months, for equipment and home modifications: grab rails, shower chairs, ramps, walkers. The low tier doesn't need a professional assessment; the high tier needs a health professional's prescription. See our AT-HM guide.
Restorative Care Pathway — around $6,000 of allied-health-led support over up to 16 weeks to rebuild strength and confidence, for example after a fall or hospital stay. It can be extended to around $12,000 via a Support Plan Review. See restorative care.
End-of-Life Pathway — around $25,000 over 12 weeks (extendable to 16) for people with a prognosis of around three months, with fast-tracked access. See end-of-life support at home.

Good to know

If you weren't approved for a pathway but your situation has changed — a fall, a new diagnosis, a hospital discharge — contact My Aged Care. Approvals can be revisited, and a hospital stay in particular often opens the door to restorative care.

Not sure which of these fits your situation?

Tell us what's going on and we'll point you to the interim options available in your area — no cost, no obligation.

Talk to us about your options Read: how the waitlist works

Money: hardship help and paying privately

If money is the barrier — for CHSP contributions now, or Support at Home contributions later — financial hardship provisions exist through Services Australia. The principle behind the program is that nobody should go without care because they can't afford to contribute. It's worth checking your own situation with Services Australia or My Aged Care; our hardship guide explains how it works.

If you can afford it, paying privately for a few hours of help a week is a common bridge — a fortnightly clean, help with showering, transport to appointments. Some things worth knowing:

Private services don't affect your queue position — you lose nothing by getting help now.
Using a provider you might later choose for your funded services can make the eventual start seamless — they'll already know you. But you're never locked in, and switching later is straightforward.
Keep invoices and receipts. They're useful records of your level of need, and they help you compare real-world prices — check them against the national medians.

Keep evidence — it's your lever

Your priority category isn't set in stone. If your health or circumstances deteriorate while you wait, a priority review can move you into a faster category — and the difference between "medium" and "high" is measured in months. Reviews run on evidence, so build the file as you go:

Ask your GP to note falls, weight loss, new diagnoses and medication changes — and to write a letter when something significant happens.
Keep every hospital discharge summary.
Note dates when your carer's capacity changes — illness, moving away, exhaustion.
Keep a simple diary of near-misses at home: falls, burns, nights you couldn't manage.

When something changes, call My Aged Care on 1800 200 422, say clearly what's different since your assessment, and ask for a priority review. Our reassessment guide covers this in detail.

Common questions

Will taking CHSP services slow down my Support at Home funding?

No. Interim CHSP support doesn't change your place in the National Priority System — your position depends only on your priority category and approval date.

Does paying privately suggest I don't need funding?

No. Bridging privately is common and doesn't count against you. If anything, invoices showing you've needed regular paid help are further evidence of your level of need.

Can I use a short-term pathway and still keep my place in the queue?

Yes. The pathways are funded separately from the main classification budgets, and using one doesn't cost you your place. Your approval doesn't expire while you wait.

What does CHSP cost?

CHSP providers ask for modest contributions that vary by provider and service, and no one is turned away purely for inability to pay — ask the provider about their contribution policy, and about hardship arrangements if cost is a worry.

Use the wait to get ahead

When your budget arrives you'll have 56 days to sign with a provider. Comparing now means starting services quickly, on your terms.

How to choose a provider Browse providers

Sources

My Aged Care, myagedcare.gov.au — Commonwealth Home Support Programme and Support at Home pages, accessed 20 August 2026.
Department of Health, Disability and Ageing, health.gov.au — Support at Home funding, AT-HM scheme and short-term pathways, accessed 20 August 2026.
Support at Home Program Manual — interim arrangements, priority reviews and short-term pathways.
Services Australia — financial hardship assistance for aged care.