How many hours a week does Classification 2 buy?
Last updated 21 August 2026
Budget figures current as at the 1 July 2026 indexation (2026-27); median hourly prices from the mid-2026 National Summary of Support at Home Prices.
The short version
- Classification 2 buys about two and a half hours of help a week at national median prices, after the care management fee.
- The quarterly budget of $4,112.84 is roughly $316.37 a week - about $284.73 for services once care management (up to 10%) comes out.
- Weekend and evening visits usually cost more, and on a budget this size a single loaded visit each week eats a noticeable slice.
- Cheaper services stretch it: two and a half hours of cleaning and social support fits comfortably; add allied health and the week shortens.
Classification 2 is a “couple of visits a week” budget - enough for a regular cleaner plus one other support, with a little room to flex. The tables below show where the hours come from and where they quietly go.
From quarterly budget to weekly hours
| Step | Amount |
|---|---|
| Quarterly budget (2026-27) | $4,112.84 |
| ÷ 13 weeks in a quarter | ≈ $316.37 a week |
| − care management (capped at 10%) | − $31.64 |
| = left for services each week | ≈ $284.73 |
| ÷ $115 - the median personal care hour | ≈ 2.5 hours a week |
Two things move that 2.5 figure in real life: what your provider charges per hour (medians are benchmarks, not price caps - caps were deferred indefinitely in May 2026), and whether your provider takes the full 10% for care management or something less.
Three weeks, three trade-offs
| Service | Rate | Hours / week | Cost / week |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cleaning & laundry | $110/hr | 1.5 hrs | $165.00 |
| Social support (outing or appointment run) | $111/hr | 1 hr | $111.00 |
| Care management (10%) | - | - | $31.64 |
| Total | 2.5 hrs | $307.64 of $316.37 weekly budget |
| Service | Rate | Hours / week | Cost / week |
|---|---|---|---|
| Personal care - weekday morning | $115/hr | 1 hr | $115.00 |
| Personal care - Saturday morning at $143.75/hr | $143.75/hr | 1 hr | $143.75 |
| Care management (10%) | - | - | $31.64 |
| Total | 2 hrs | $290.39 of $316.37 weekly budget |
That Saturday hour costs $28.75 more than a weekday one at the illustrative loading above - about $374 over a quarter, or three-and-a-bit cleaning hours you didn’t get. Surcharges vary by provider and aren’t published nationally, so ask for the evening and weekend rates specifically before you sign.
| Service | Rate | Hours / week | Cost / week |
|---|---|---|---|
| Physiotherapy (half-hour session) | $194/hr | 0.5 hr | $97.00 |
| Personal care | $115/hr | 1 hr | $115.00 |
| Cleaning | $110/hr | 0.5 hr | $55.00 |
| Care management (10%) | - | - | $31.64 |
| Total | 2 hrs | $298.64 of $316.37 weekly budget |
Indicative only - providers set their own prices and your contribution rate changes what you pay out of pocket, not the hours the budget buys. Compare typical hourly rates.
Clinical services like that physio session are free for everyone - no contribution - but they still draw down your budget at the provider’s hourly rate. “Free” is about your out-of-pocket cost, not about the hours.
How to get more hours from the same budget
- Shop the hourly rate. The gap between providers on cleaning and personal care is real money at this level - 15% under the median on the Week 1 mix would fund an extra hour roughly every second week. See typical rates.
- Question the care management fee. Up to $411 a quarter at Classification 2 - but “up to” is the operative phrase. What the 10% cap really means.
- Keep loaded hours for when they matter. If a weekday visit works just as well, it’s the cheaper hour every time.
- Look at self-management. More coordination by you, lower fees, more choice of worker - how self-management works.
Two and a half hours - make each one count
We’ll show you providers in your area, what they charge on weekdays and weekends, and who has capacity to start.
Common questions
Will personal care becoming free in October 2026 give me more hours?
No - it changes what you pay, not what the budget buys. From 1 October 2026 personal care is reclassified as clinical care, so the contribution you’d otherwise pay on those hours drops to zero, automatically. The hours themselves still come out of your budget at the provider’s rate. What’s changing in October.
Can I book fortnightly instead of weekly?
Yes, and at this level it often works better - three hours of cleaning every second week, or a longer social outing fortnightly. Your budget is quarterly, so you and your provider can shape the pattern to suit, as long as the quarter’s spending stays within budget.
Does a shower rail or walking frame come out of my 2.5 hours?
No. Assistive technology and home modifications are funded separately through the AT-HM scheme - tiers of $500, $2,000 and $15,000 over 12 months, with the low tier needing no professional assessment. How AT-HM works.
What if my needs have grown past this?
Reassessment is free and doesn’t restart your journey from scratch - call My Aged Care on 1800 200 422. Classification 3 is about $5,634 a quarter; see Classification 2 vs 3 for what the step up looks like.
Sources
- Department of Health, Disability and Ageing - Support at Home program classifications and budgets, 1 July 2026 indexation.
- Department of Health, Disability and Ageing - National Summary of Support at Home Prices (median service prices), 2026.
- Support at Home Program Manual - quarterly budgets, care management cap and the defined service list.
- My Aged Care, myagedcare.gov.au - Support at Home program guidance, accessed 21 August 2026.