It can be frustrating to be approved for, but not know when you will receive your home care package. Under the former Home Care Packages program, these packages were allocated to senior Australians through the National Priority System. In this guide, first published in December 2021, we go over all you need to know about home care package waiting times, from how the National Priority System works, to how you can check your waiting time, and what to do while you’re waiting for your home care package.
What is the National Priority System?
The National Priority System was the system which fairly allocated home care packages to eligible senior Australians. A client’s eligibility is determined through an ACAT Assessment. You will receive a letter notifying you if you are eligible and have been placed into the National Priority System. Until a client has been assigned a home care package through this system, they cannot begin receiving subsidised aged care services.
The National Priority system takes only two factors into account to determine a client’s priority order:
-
Their priority for home care services determined through the ACAT assessment
-
The date they were approved as eligible for home care
This ensures that home care packages are distributed fairly across Australia, based only on the priority of care and date of approval, rather than where someone lives.
How do i check my Home Care Package waiting time?
You can check your rough position in the home care package waiting list through the My Aged Care client portal, or by calling My Aged Care on 1800 200 422. Due to the dynamic nature of the waiting list, your waiting time is only an estimate. Expected wait times for each level are outlined below:
Source: My Aged Care 31/10/2021
Your ACAT assessment outcome letter outlines your priority level, based on the urgency of your circumstances. If you disagree with this priority, you can appeal the decision by contacting your assessor using the contact details on the outcome letter.
What do i do while waiting for my Home Care Package?Request an interim package
If you require aged care services while waiting to be allocated a home care package, you may be able to receive an interim package. An interim package is a lower-level package that usually has a lower wait time than higher level packages. Your decision to or not to receive an interim package will not affect your wait time for your approved home care package level. Accepting an interim package simply allows you to access basic care services sooner.
Look into home care package costs and fees
A home care package was a yearly government subsidy paid to providers that they used to plan your aged care services. If you could afford it, the government asked that you contribute to the cost of your care through an income tested fee. Additionally, providers could ask that you pay a basic daily fee. These fees ended with the Home Care Packages program on 1 November 2025.
Since 1 November 2025, Trilogy Care charges a fee of 10% on each service you use. It is added to the supplier's invoice, so you pay it only when a service is delivered. You can see our pricing here. You should also make sure you know the difference between fully managed and self-managed home care packages.
Start searching for home care package providers
It’s never too early to start searching for Support at Home providers. Make sure you know what questions to ask when choosing a home care package provider, and visit My Aged Care’s find a provider tool to start finding providers in your area. You can use this tool to compare approved providers to find one that best suits your needs. Under the former program, once you had chosen your provider and been allocated a home care package, you were ready to start receiving aged care services at home.
While you waited, it helped to know what your home care package funds could be used for, and have a read of our comprehensive guide on any inclusions and exclusions If you need any extra help, check through our home care package frequently asked questions or call Trilogy Care on 1300 459 190
