The federal government has quietly extended the claiming deadline for the first quarter of the Support at Home program, a move that highlights the ongoing challenges in rolling out this much-trumpeted reform.
Providers delivering services from 1 November to 31 December 2025 now have until 31 March 2026 to submit their claims, up from the original 60 days. From the second quarter onwards, the standard 60-day window will apply as planned. The Department of Health and Aged Care made the adjustment after feedback from the sector, including advocacy from groups such as Catholic Health Australia, pointing to the administrative strain during the early transition.
Support at Home replaced the old Home Care Packages and Short-Term Restorative Care programs on 1 November 2025 as part of broader aged care changes under the new Act. It introduced new funding categories, reporting obligations and system updates, all while providers juggle daily care delivery.
Many have described the shift as chaotic, with issues around system integration, unclear guidance and cash flow pressures on organisations already running on slim margins. The lack of proper testing between government systems and provider software before launch has only added to the headaches.
It is telling that even as the program stumbles, the extension offers relief mainly to providers waiting for payments rather than directly addressing the difficulties faced by older Australians. Seniors and their families have widely criticised the rollout, citing higher out-of-pocket costs for everyday services like personal care, domestic assistance and gardening, sometimes up to 40 per cent more than before the changes.
Reports of delays in accessing approved support, confusion over funding and a sense that the system prioritises bureaucracy over practical help have fuelled discontent.
The government frames the 90-day window for the opening quarter as a pragmatic, one-off transitional step to ease the load and let providers concentrate on care. Yet the need for such a concession so soon after launch suggests the reforms were perhaps rushed or insufficiently prepared, leaving both those receiving care and those providing it to navigate a bumpy implementation.
Whether this proves a minor hiccup or a sign of deeper problems will become clearer as subsequent quarters unfold without the extra breathing room.
For now, the extension buys time for providers to sort out their invoicing and reconciliations, but it does little to restore confidence among seniors who were promised a more seamless, person-centred system. The real test will be whether the program eventually delivers reliable, affordable support at home or continues to frustrate those it is meant to serve.
Many consumers have not received a statement from their providers since the SaH program began on 1st November, with no idea how their spend is going per service and per quarter, If they go over budget they have to find the excess out of their own pocket if they have it, and most don’t. So nearly 5 months in to the ‘Rights Based & Person centre new Act’ and so many are stressing about not receiving a statement. Where does the problem lie? Whatever the outcome the consumer is the one left dangling in the dark and ultimately liable, and its not acceptable. But not direct channel to the Department to resolve this. This is just one of the stressful out comes of the new system for those older Australians trying to navigate the system.
I have been receiving services since 16 November, now on to March, and no invoices for my out of pocket contributions.
Calvary my provider will not tell me how much funds are available for me!!
I (together with the many other elderlies) am bitterly disappointed that the Govt seemingly puts new rules and regulations into place such as HCP and SaH to benefit the PROVIDERS/Service Provders instead of the Elderly? We feel left out and helpless facing the SP who continuously tower over us in a disadvantaged manner, denying us of certain services or, by making it even more difficult to receive, purely because the outlines of SaH were perhaps rushed which left the Providers scratching their head, misinterpreting the new rules.
I even lost my laundry services purely due to contradiction regarding the invoices that were “not according to SaH rules”?! My SP did NOT want to see the word “delivery” on the invoice however, after having consulted Advocare, the Laundry invoices were perfectly acceptable and had to be paid which was NOT what my SP wanted to do. Other SP did accept the Laundry Co’s invoices but mine did NOT. They even hassled the Co for shift notes eventhough I’ve made it clear that it was a CONTACTLESS service. Needless to say, I was left in the lurch, at the age of 80yo without anyone doing my laundry..!
Also, why is it that for as long as HCP & SaH have existed, the Providers reap the biggest slice of our funds..?! First of all, all sorts of excuses are made, funds slugged on top and denying our very needs YET the SP can tuck into our funds freely, while many SP play around with our funds, thinking that we are too old to understand a bit of maths and act as if the funds are there for THEM?! I Self Manage my SaH package but I still encounter difficulties with my SP, thinking that I have nowhere to go BUT to accept their unreasonable excuses for not granting our needs.
Sadly, even the accounts section from my SP is chaotic, therefore far too many “mistakes” are made, claiming they “do not know” what they’re doing, eroding our excess funds willy nilly. Far too many of us have complained that our excess roll over funds from HCP have been disappearing in front of our eyes yet NO one holds responsibility for these eroding funds?!
All in all, the SaH is well meant but the execution is shambles…… Hope all these hiccups can be looked into and rectified so ALL SP are following the SaH rules like they should, all are to be on the same page. Right now there are NO consistencies in our Care.
BTW, I moved to another SP and I found out that the former SP had been shortchanging me on a monthly basis..! WHERE did that money go to, the very funds that the Govt has allocated for me but have been abused by the SP, thinking I would never get to know about this..?!This RORTING situation needs to S T O P. Thank you.