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How to get a referral code for aged care

Your aged care referral code is issued after a successful ACAT assessment and package assignment. Here's the full process — from registration to the code landing in your letter.

Start at My Aged CareSee the 6 steps ↓
5 min readUpdated November 2025Free for families
Free
ACAT assessment
1800 200 422
My Aged Care hotline
6 steps
From call to referral code
Free
WithSally provider matching
What is a referral code?

An aged care referral code is a unique code issued by My Aged Care once you have been assessed and assigned a home care package. It unlocks your government funding.

Without it, a provider cannot access your subsidy. You must give the code to your chosen Support at Home provider before they can begin delivering funded services.

The 6 steps to getting your referral code

1
Call My Aged Care or register online
Call 1800 200 422 or go to myagedcare.gov.au. You will need your Medicare card number. A family member or carer can contact My Aged Care on your behalf and be present during your assessment.
2
Phone screening
A My Aged Care staff member will ask questions about your health, home situation, and the kind of support you need. Based on your responses, they will refer you to the right assessment team.
3
ACAT home assessment
An Aged Care Assessment Team member visits you at home. They assess your daily living, health needs, and safety. Tell them about your worst days — not just your good days. A family member or support person can attend with you.
4
Receive your eligibility outcome letter
If approved, you receive a written letter confirming your eligibility and the level of support you have been assessed for. You are now placed in the national queue for a package to be assigned.
5
Package assigned — referral code issued
When a package becomes available, you receive a letter from My Aged Care containing your unique referral code. This code unlocks the funding — a provider must enter it to activate your care package and begin billing the government subsidy.
6
Choose a provider and provide the code
WithSally helps here
With your referral code in hand, you choose an approved Support at Home provider. You give them the code — they use it to access your government subsidy and begin delivering your care plan. This is where WithSally helps.

How long does it take to get a referral code?

Wait times vary by funding level and location. Higher support levels (Levels 3–8) typically have longer queues than lower levels. In some areas, wait times for higher-level packages have exceeded 12 months.

Start the process early — before it feels urgent

Many families contact My Aged Care only when they are in crisis. By then, the wait for a package can add weeks or months to an already difficult situation. Starting the process while care needs are manageable gives you much more options.

What to do once you have the code

Once you have your referral code, you need to choose an approved Support at Home provider and give them the code. The provider uses it to access your government subsidy and begin delivering your care plan.

There are hundreds of providers to choose from — and the choice matters. Fees vary, services vary, and staff quality varies. This is where WithSally helps you cut through the noise and find the right match.

How WithSally helps

Got your referral code? We'll find you the right provider.

Tell us your funding level, location, and what matters most for your loved one. We'll shortlist the best-matched Support at Home providers and call back within one business day. Free, always.

Find my provider — it's free →