What does it mean to be “approved” versus “assigned” a Home Care Package or Support at Home package?
Being approved means an assessment has found you eligible for particular aged care services. Being allocated or assigned funding means the government funding for those approved Support at Home services is available for you to start arranging care.
Key points
- Approval confirms eligibility; it does not always mean funding is immediately available.
- Support at Home funding may be allocated service by service.
- Interim funding may be offered when full ongoing funding is delayed.
Being approved means an aged care assessment has confirmed that you are eligible for government-funded support.
Being assigned-now more commonly described as having your funding allocated-means the government funding is available and you can arrange services with a provider.
These are separate stages. A person can be approved for support but still be waiting for funding to become available.
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01Guide sectionWhat does “approved” mean?
After your aged care assessment, you will receive a Notice of Decision explaining the outcome.
If you are approved for Support at Home, the letter should identify:
the services you are approved to receive
your ongoing funding classification, where applicable
any approved short-term funding
your priority category
the reasons for the decision
your support plan
information about requesting a review if you disagree with the outcome.
Support at Home has eight ongoing funding classifications. A higher classification provides a larger budget because the assessment identified greater or more complex support needs.
Approval confirms eligibility, but it does not always mean the funding can be used immediately.
02Guide sectionWhat does “assigned” or “allocated” mean?
Funding is allocated when a place and budget become available through the Support at Home Priority System.
Once funding is allocated, you will receive a funding allocation letter. You can then choose a provider, enter into a service agreement and begin arranging your approved services.
The term assigned was commonly used under the former Home Care Packages Program. Under Support at Home, funding allocated is usually the clearer consumer term, although government and provider systems may still use “assigned” in some places.
03Guide sectionPractical example
Suppose an assessment approves a person for Support at Home Classification 4.
At the approval stage:
the person has been found eligible
Classification 4 has been approved
the support plan records the services they may receive
the person is placed in a priority category
the full Classification 4 budget may not yet be available.
When funding is allocated:
the person receives an allocation letter
the available budget can be used
the person chooses a provider
the provider develops a care and services plan and individualised budget
services can begin once the service agreement is completed.
The person was therefore approved first and allocated funding later.
04Guide sectionHow is funding prioritised?
People approved for ongoing Support at Home funding are placed into one of four priority categories:
urgent
high
medium
standard.
Funding is generally allocated based on the person’s priority category and the date they were approved. A higher priority category should result in earlier access to funding.
The priority category is not the same as the funding classification.
The classification determines the size of the approved ongoing budget.
The priority category helps determine how quickly funding is allocated.
05Guide sectionCan someone receive only part of their approved funding?
Yes. A person may initially receive interim funding, also called a minimum service offer.
Interim funding is 60% of the person’s approved ongoing funding classification. It allows critical services to begin while the person waits for the remaining 40%.
When full funding becomes available, the remaining amount is allocated. The additional funding is not generally backdated to cover the waiting period.
For example, a person may be:
approved for the full Classification 4 amount
initially allocated 60% of that budget
later allocated the remaining 40%.
This does not mean their assessed classification has been reduced. It means only part of the approved funding is currently available.
06Guide sectionWhat happens once funding is allocated?
After receiving an ongoing funding allocation, the person generally has 56 days to choose a provider, enter into a service agreement and begin services.
My Aged Care may approve a further 28-day extension, giving the person up to 84 days.
If services are not commenced within the required period, the funding may be withdrawn. The person may need to contact My Aged Care to re-enter the priority system, although another assessment is not usually required unless their needs have changed.
07Guide sectionWhat did these terms mean under Home Care Packages?
Under the former Home Care Packages Program:
approved meant the person was assessed as eligible for a particular package level
assigned meant a package at that level-or sometimes an interim lower level-had become available.
The person could then choose an approved provider and begin using the package.
Home Care Packages were replaced by Support at Home on 1 November 2025. People who were already receiving a package generally transitioned into Support at Home arrangements, while people waiting for a package moved into the new priority and funding-allocation system.
The simplest distinction is:
Approved means you are eligible and the government has decided what support you qualify for. Assigned or allocated means the funding is now available for you to start arranging services.
08Guide sectionWhat should I do next?
Check your My Aged Care Online Account or call My Aged Care to confirm whether you are approved, waiting for funding, receiving interim funding or fully allocated. Once funding is available, compare providers before signing a service agreement.
09Guide sectionHelpful Local Home Help resources
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