NDIS vs Support at Home: What Changes After You Turn 65 (2026)
NDIS vs Support at Home: how the two programs differ, what changes at 65, and which one you're eligible for under the 2025-26 aged care reforms.
Turning 65 doesn't automatically push you off the NDIS — but it does change which door you'd walk through if you needed support for the first time. The NDIS and the new Support at Home program cover different people, in different ways. This guide explains who each is for, what changed in 2025-26, and how to tell which one you're eligible for.
Two systems, one dividing line: age
What the NDIS is
What Support at Home is
The choice at 65
Side by side
Which one you're eligible for
Planning around the milestone
Frequently asked questions
Do I lose my NDIS plan when I turn 65?
No. If you're already an NDIS participant before you turn 65, you can choose to stay on the NDIS. Turning 65 doesn't force you off. You may also choose to move to aged care, but that decision is yours — it doesn't happen automatically.
Can I join the NDIS after 65?
No. To become a new NDIS participant you must apply before your 65th birthday. If your need for support arises at 65 or older and you weren't already on the scheme, your pathway is aged care — the Support at Home program, accessed through My Aged Care.
What replaced Home Care Packages?
Support at Home replaced Home Care Packages and Short-Term Restorative Care on 1 November 2025, alongside a new Aged Care Act. Existing package recipients were transitioned across to an equivalent level, with protections so they wouldn't be worse off.
How is Support at Home different from the NDIS?
The NDIS funds disability supports through an individualised plan and is for people who enter before 65. Support at Home is aged care: it uses eight set funding levels from an assessment, applies income- and asset-based contributions, and focuses on helping older people stay safely at home.
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- Occupational Therapy vs Physiotherapy: Which Do You Need?
- Physiotherapy vs Exercise Physiology: What's the Difference on the NDIS?
- Plan Manager vs Support Coordinator: What's the Difference (and Can You Have Both)?
- Plan Review vs Reassessment: What's the Difference?