Classification 3: what your budget actually buys
Last updated 20 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.
Classification 3 is where Support at Home shifts from “help around the house” to “help with you”. It’s the first level where a regular slice of personal care — a hand with showering a couple of mornings a week — fits comfortably alongside the domestic basics.
What $5,634.20 a quarter buys in real hours
Over a 13-week quarter, Classification 3 works out to about $433 a week — roughly $390 for services once the 10% care management cap is taken out. At national median prices that’s roughly 3 to 3.5 hours a week. Three ways people arrange it:
| Service | Median rate | Hours / week | Cost / week |
|---|---|---|---|
| Personal care (two short morning visits) | $115/hr | 1.5 hrs | $172.50 |
| Cleaning | $110/hr | 1.5 hrs | $165.00 |
| Care management (10%) | — | — | $43.34 |
| Total | 3 hrs | $380.84 of $433.40 weekly budget |
| Service | Median rate | Hours / week | Cost / week |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cleaning | $110/hr | 1.5 hrs | $165.00 |
| Social support (outings, appointments) | $111/hr | 1.5 hrs | $166.50 |
| Shopping help (domestic assistance) | $110/hr | 0.5 hr | $55.00 |
| Care management (10%) | — | — | $43.34 |
| Total | 3.5 hrs | $429.84 of $433.40 weekly budget |
| Service | Median rate | Hours / week | Cost / week |
|---|---|---|---|
| Personal care | $115/hr | 1 hr | $115.00 |
| Cleaning | $110/hr | 1 hr | $110.00 |
| Social support | $111/hr | 1 hr | $111.00 |
| Care management (10%) | — | — | $43.34 |
| Total | 3 hrs | $379.34 of $433.40 weekly budget |
Indicative only — providers set their own prices, and short visits sometimes carry minimum charges. Your contribution rate also changes what you pay out of pocket. Compare typical hourly rates.
Who typically gets Classification 3
People at Classification 3 usually manage most of the day on their own but have a growing list of tasks that need another pair of hands — and, often for the first time, one of those tasks is personal. Maybe showering safely now needs someone within reach, or arthritis has made dressing a slow battle. Assessors also see this level where balance is declining, where a partner is doing more of the caring than is sustainable, or where early memory changes mean errands need a companion rather than a taxi.
It’s a level people often grow into from Classification 1 or 2 via reassessment — and grow out of, upwards, when needs become daily.
Classification 3 is the closest match to the old HCP Level 2 ($19,319.45 a year at the November 2025 transition) — and at $22,536.81 it’s actually a little more generous. Former Level 2 recipients generally landed here. If you transferred, the “no worse off” rules apply — how grandfathering works.
What you’ll contribute at this level
Clinical care — nursing, allied health, care management — is free for everyone, always. Personal care currently carries an independence-category contribution (5% for full pensioners, more on a sliding scale), but from 1 October 2026 it becomes free for everyone, automatically. That matters at Classification 3, because personal care is often the first new service added at this level. Everyday living services like cleaning keep their means-tested contribution. Read about the October change.
Choosing a provider matters more from here
Once personal care enters the picture, you’re choosing the people who’ll be in your bathroom on a Tuesday morning — reliability and pricing both count. We can help you compare.
Common questions
Do I have to use personal care if it’s in my plan?
No. Your care plan reflects your assessed needs, but you and your provider agree the actual weekly pattern. Plenty of people at Classification 3 start with domestic help only and add personal care when they’re ready.
Will personal care really be free from October 2026?
Yes. From 1 October 2026, personal care — showering, bathing, dressing, grooming and continence support — is reclassified as clinical care, which is free for everyone. The change is automatic; there’s nothing to apply for. Details here.
How does the 10% care management fee work?
Providers can charge up to 10% of your quarterly budget for care management — at Classification 3 that’s up to about $563 a quarter. It’s capped (under the old HCP rules it could reach 20%), it counts as clinical care so you don’t contribute to it, and some providers charge less than the cap. More on the fee.
What if 3 hours a week stops being enough?
Request a free reassessment through My Aged Care (1800 200 422). If you transferred from a Home Care Package, reassessment can only move your funding up, never below your HCP-equivalent level. How it works.
Sources
- Department of Health, Disability and Ageing — Support at Home program classifications and budgets, 1 July 2026 indexation.
- Support at Home Program Manual — classifications, care management cap and service categories.
- Department of Health, Disability and Ageing — National Summary of Support at Home Prices (median service prices), 2026.
- Australian Government announcement, 26 May 2026 — personal care free from 1 October 2026.