On the Home Care Package Waitlist in Australia — What to Do While You Wait

Your family member has had their ACAT assessment, been approved for a Home Care Package, and is now waiting. Weeks pass. Months pass. The need that prompted the assessment hasn't waited — it has continued and often worsened.

This is the experience of tens of thousands of Australian families at any point in time. It is one of the most frustrating aspects of Australia's aged care system, and it is one of the least well-explained.

This guide covers what is available now, while you wait — and what you can do to move faster.

Why the wait happens — and what it means

Home Care Package approvals are managed through My Aged Care. Once approved, your family member is placed in a national queue. Packages are allocated based on assessed need, time waiting, and the level of package approved.

Wait times have varied significantly — from a few weeks to over 12 months at times of high demand. The introduction of the Support at Home Program in July 2025 has changed some of the structural dynamics, but waits remain a reality for many families.

Being on the waitlist does not mean nothing is happening. It means your family member's place is held, and they will receive an allocation when one becomes available at their approved level. The wait does not reset.

What funded support is available now — without the package

The most important thing families on the waitlist miss is that the Commonwealth Home Support Programme (CHSP) — now being absorbed into Support at Home — provides entry-level funded services that do not require a Home Care Package. If your family member is waiting for a Level 3 or 4 package but needs immediate support, CHSP services may be available sooner.

CHSP services that may be available while waiting include:

• Domestic assistance — help with cleaning, laundry, household tasks
• Personal care — help with showering, dressing, grooming
• Meals — delivered meals or assistance with meal preparation
• Transport — to appointments and social activities
• Social support — individual or group activities
• Home maintenance — minor repairs and modifications

Contact My Aged Care (1800 200 422) and specifically ask about CHSP services available in your area while waiting for the package. Many families don't know to ask — they assume the waitlist means waiting for everything.

How to get off the waitlist faster

There is no formal mechanism to "skip" the queue — but there are legitimate actions that can move your family member's position:

• Ask for a priority review if circumstances have changed. If your family member's condition or situation has significantly worsened since the ACAT assessment, contact My Aged Care and request a review. The original assessment may not reflect current needs, and a higher priority rating can result.
• Use the GP to advocate. A letter from the GP describing the current clinical situation and the risk of deterioration or hospitalisation without support can support a priority review request.
• Understand the role of the GP letter generator on myagedcare.info — the sister site to CarerCompass specifically built for the Australian aged care system — which helps generate a GP letter to fast-track assessment priority.
• Consider interim private services. Private in-home support while waiting for a package is an expense, but for some families it prevents hospitalisation or allows a carer to continue working. Some providers will transition seamlessly to the HCP when it starts.

Choosing a provider before the package arrives

One of the most useful things you can do while waiting is research and select a provider. When the package is allocated, you will be contacted and will need to select a provider quickly. Having already researched options means you can start services much sooner after allocation.

Look for providers accredited by the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission, check their quality ratings through My Aged Care, and ask specifically about their waitlist for new HCP clients — some providers also have significant waits.