MND Now Gets Urgent Priority for Home Care Support

If you or someone you love has motor neurone disease (MND), there’s a change to home care funding worth knowing about.

MND is rare, incurable and usually progresses fast. Waiting in a standard queue for in-home aged care can mean support arrives too late to help. In June 2026 the Government changed the Aged Care Rules so MND is recognised as a condition that qualifies for urgent priority access to Support at Home, the aged care program that funds help in your own home.

This guide covers what changed, whether it applies to you already, and the exact steps to get or confirm your priority, with the numbers and links you need.

What changed

Support at Home is the in-home aged care program that started on 1 November 2025, replacing Home Care Packages. It funds things like personal care, help around the house, nursing, allied health and assistive technology for older Australians who want to stay at home.

Under the change, MND is now named in the Aged Care Rules as a condition warranting urgent priority. In practice, that means an MND diagnosis moves you into the urgent priority category, where funding for ongoing services is released within about 1 month rather than after a long wait.

The move mirrors a pathway that has run in the NDIS since 1 July 2024, where a dedicated team fast-tracks new applicants with MND. Assistant Minister Justine McAllister put it plainly: “We’re taking what we’ve learned in the NDIS and applying it to aged care.”

The Minister for Health, Disability and Ageing, Mark Butler, framed the reason for it: “Motor neurone disease is a cruel and fast-moving condition, and our care systems need to respond with the urgency it demands.”

Does this apply to me already?

Yes. This isn’t only for new applicants.

If you or your loved one has an MND diagnosis and has already been assessed and is waiting for a Support at Home place, the change applies retrospectively. People already in the queue are moved to the front. Anyone approved in future is fast-tracked too.

So there are two groups who benefit:

• People with MND already assessed and waiting. Your priority should be lifted without a new assessment.
• People with MND who apply from now on. You go straight into the urgent priority category once you’re assessed.

How the priority queue works

Support at Home uses a national priority system. After your assessment, you’re placed in a priority category, and how long you wait for funding depends on that category and overall demand.

Urgent priority is the fastest ongoing category, with funding released within about 1 month. Some pathways release funding straight away, including end-of-life, restorative care and assistive technology. If you’re waiting for a full ongoing budget, you can be given interim funding of around 60% of your approved budget so you can start critical services sooner.

The Government has also ordered a rapid review of how Support at Home decides priority overall. That system uses the Integrated Assessment Tool (IAT). The department is due to report back within 3 months, so further changes to how priority is decided may follow. For context, the IAT has cut median assessment wait times from a peak of around 10 months to consistently under 1 month.

What to do next

The right step depends on where you are in the process.

If you’re already assessed and waiting

Contact My Aged Care on 1800 200 422 and ask them to confirm the new MND priority has been applied to your case. Have the person’s My Aged Care reference number ready. It’s worth doing this rather than assuming the change flows through automatically, so you can check your priority category in writing.

If your needs have changed since your last assessment, for example you now need more help with mobility, communication or personal care, you can also request a reassessment through My Aged Care. MND progresses, so a support level set months ago may no longer match what you need. A reassessment can update your classification and the services you’re approved for.

If you haven’t started yet

Begin the assessment now. Priority status only helps once an application is in the system, so the sooner you start, the sooner the fast-track applies.

1. Apply for an assessment. Call My Aged Care on 1800 200 422, or apply online at myagedcare.gov.au. A GP, specialist or MND association can help you start.
2. Have the assessment. An assessor talks through what you can manage day to day and what help you need. Mention the MND diagnosis clearly and ask that it be recorded, since that’s what triggers the urgent priority.
3. Get your outcome letter. It sets out your classification, your priority category and the services you’re approved for.
4. Choose a provider. You have 56 days from the date of your letter to enter a service agreement, with a possible 28-day extension. Use the Find a Provider tool on the My Aged Care website or ask My Aged Care to help.

Ask your MND association for support through this process. State MND associations offer advisors who help families navigate aged care, the NDIS and equipment.

If the person is under 65: the NDIS pathway

Support at Home is aged care, so it’s aimed at people 65 and over. Most people diagnosed with MND under 65 go through the NDIS instead.

The NDIS has run a specialist MND pathway since 1 July 2024. A dedicated team handles new applications and plan changes for people with MND, so initial plans and revisions move faster. This matters because people with MND often need assistive technology and home modifications quickly.

To start, call the NDIS on 1800 800 110 and ask about access for a person with MND, or ask your neurologist or MND association to help you make an Access Request. Flag the MND diagnosis early so your application goes to the specialist team.

Other MND support

The priority change sits alongside other recent MND funding.

On 30 January 2026 the Government announced $40.1 million for the Neale Daniher National MND Clinical Network, delivered through FightMND. It funds a national network of MND clinical trials, giving more people with the condition access to trials as part of their care. Around 2,750 Australians are living with MND at any one time.

MND Australia welcomed the research funding while pressing for more investment in day-to-day care, specialist clinics, assistive technology and support services. The Support at Home priority change is part of that care side.

FAQ

What is Support at Home?

Support at Home is the Australian Government’s in-home aged care program. It started on 1 November 2025 and replaced Home Care Packages. It funds help such as personal care, cleaning, nursing, allied health and assistive technology so older people can stay in their own homes.

Does the MND priority apply to people already waiting for a package?

Yes. The change applies retrospectively. If you have an MND diagnosis and were already assessed and waiting, you move to the front of the queue. Call My Aged Care on 1800 200 422 to confirm the priority has been applied.

How fast is urgent priority?

Under Support at Home, the urgent priority category releases funding for ongoing services within about 1 month. Some pathways, including end-of-life and assistive technology, release funding straight away. You may also get interim funding of around 60% of your budget while you wait for the full amount.

I’m under 65 and have MND. Should I use Support at Home or the NDIS?

The NDIS is usually the pathway for people diagnosed under 65. It has run a specialist MND pathway since 1 July 2024 that fast-tracks applications and plan changes. Call the NDIS on 1800 800 110 to start, and flag the MND diagnosis so it goes to the specialist team.

Can I ask for a reassessment if the person’s condition has changed?

Yes. MND progresses, so a support level set earlier may no longer fit. You can request a reassessment through My Aged Care on 1800 200 422 to update the classification and approved services.

What is the IAT review about?

The Integrated Assessment Tool (IAT) decides priority for Support at Home. The Government ordered a rapid review of how it sets priority, with the department due to report within 3 months. Further changes to prioritisation may follow.