Funding Information
In Australia, the government provides funding to some people who have a disability as well as some people who are elderly and need assistance with daily living.
Disability Funding
The National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) is the way of providing support to Australians with disability, their families and carers. The NDIS supports people under the age of 65 with a permanent and significant disability with the reasonable and necessary supports they need to live an ordinary life.
The NDIS helps people with disability to:
- Access mainstream services and supports - services that are available for all Australians from people like doctors or teachers through the health and education systems. It also covers areas like public housing and the justice and aged care systems.
- Access community services and support - activities and services that are available to everyone in a community, such as sports clubs, community groups, libraries or charitie
- Maintain informal support arrangements - to help people get assistance from their family and friends.
- Receive reasonable and necessary funded support - This means they are related to a person's disability and are required for them to live an ordinary life and achieve their goals
Assistance from the NDIS is not means tested and has no impact on income support such as the Disability Support Pension and Carers Allowance.
See the NDIS website for more details.
MyAgedCare funding
Aged care support is available for people aged 65 years and over, or 50 years and over for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, and for those who are homeless or at risk of homelessness.
There are several key home care funding streams available:
- The Commonwealth Home Support Programme (CHSP)
CHSP is designed to help older Australians remain independent in their own homes and communities for longer. It provides entry-level support for daily tasks and can also assist carers through planned respite services. CHSP will continue until at least 1 July 2027, after which it is expected to transition into the Support at Home program.
- Home Care Package (HCP)
Home Care Packages offer more comprehensive support for people with greater care needs. These packages will be replaced by the Support at Home program on 1 November 2025. Individuals approved for HCPs before 12 September 2024 will be automatically transitioned to Support at Home, retaining their current funding and services
- Support at Home (SAH)
Launching on 1 November 2025, the Support at Home program will replace both the Home Care Packages and Short-Term Restorative Care programs. It offers greater choice and flexibility, with care tailored to individual needs across eight classification levels, depending on the amount of support required.
Assessment Process
Assessments for aged care services are managed by the Australian Government through My Aged Care. As of 9 December 2024, the Single Assessment System has replaced the previous ACAT and RAS systems. This unified approach simplifies access to aged care by using a single workforce to assess eligibility for both CHSP and Support at Home services.
Other available funding programs include:
Karista can help
Karista provides a free, independent service connecting you with disability and home care services, therapists and support workers based on your personal needs and goals.
Our Client Services team are experienced in finding and connecting NDIS and Home Care Package (HCP) participants to supports with availability.