By Steve Hadfield, AgedCareActionPlan.au · Last updated: 26 April 2026
A one-point difference in the IAT cognition domain can shift the classification from Level 3 to Level 4 — the difference between $5,480 and $7,545 per quarter. Over a year, that's $8,260 in additional funding. The assessment takes 45–90 minutes. The classification it produces determines years of funding. Getting it right matters.
The assessor is coming. You don't know what they're going to ask. You don't know what they're scoring or how the scores translate to funding. This is by design — the government publishes the IAT framework in legislation, but doesn't explain it to families.
The IAT (Integrated Assessment Tool) has 8 functional domains, each with specific questions and scoring levels. The algorithm combines those scores to produce a classification level from 1 to 8. This guide decodes every domain and explains exactly what produces an accurate score — not a higher score, but one that reflects the person's real situation.
Use the assessment preparation tool to generate a printable carer statement covering all 8 domains. Hand it to the assessor when they arrive — it gives them documented evidence even if the person has a better day than usual.
The IAT is governed by the Aged Care Rules 2025, section 81-10. It has 13 sections covering 8 functional domains. The algorithm combines scores across domains to produce a classification level. The weighting is not equally distributed — cognition and activities of daily living carry the highest weight.
The key principle: the IAT scores functional impact, not diagnoses. A person with diagnosed dementia who manages independently scores differently to a person with diagnosed dementia who can no longer manage medications, orient to time and place, or stay safe in the home. Specific, documented incidents score more accurately than general descriptions.
Source: Aged Care Act 2024 and Aged Care Rules 2025.
Every domain is assessed by the ACAT assessor during the home visit. Preparation is the difference between an assessment that reflects the real situation and one that reflects how the person presents on a good day.
What the assessor looks for: Whether you can walk safely, transfer (sit to stand, bed to chair), use stairs, and move around the home without help or with aids.
Key detail: Falls history in the last 12 months is specifically scored. A documented fall is different to 'some instability.' Specific dates and circumstances score differently to general descriptions.
What the assessor looks for: Whether you need prompting, supervision, or physical assistance for personal care. 'Needs prompting' and 'needs physical help' score differently.
Key detail: The distinction between 'I manage' and 'I manage because my daughter helps me every morning' is critical. The algorithm scores independent function — not what gets done with help.
What the assessor looks for: Memory, orientation, decision-making, medication management. This is the most heavily weighted domain for classification outcomes.
Key detail: A one-point difference in the cognition domain can shift the classification level — which means the difference between approximately $5,480 and $7,545 per quarter for a mid-range classification.
What the assessor looks for: Bladder and bowel control, use of continence aids, whether management is independent or requires assistance.
Key detail: Continence issues are consistently underreported because people feel embarrassed. 'Occasional accidents' and 'wears pads daily' score very differently.
What the assessor looks for: Hearing in conversation, vision affecting daily life, ability to express needs and understand others.
Key detail: Diagnoses alone don't score highly — functional impact does. 'Hearing loss diagnosed' vs 'cannot follow a conversation, misses phone calls, doesn't wear aids reliably' are scored differently.
What the assessor looks for: Depression, anxiety, social withdrawal, changes in mood or behaviour from the person's baseline.
Key detail: Changes from baseline are more meaningful to the score than current state alone. Someone who was previously social but now refuses to leave the house is a significant change.
What the assessor looks for: Social connections, activities, isolation, engagement with community.
Key detail: Isolation doesn't need to be absolute to score. Reduced frequency of contact, loss of activities, reliance on family as the only social contact — all relevant.
What the assessor looks for: Diagnosed conditions, medication complexity, ability to manage health independently.
Key detail: The algorithm scores functional impact, not the diagnosis. Uncontrolled diabetes managed independently scores differently to diabetes requiring daily monitoring and prompting.
Describe your worst days, not your best. This is the single most commonly missed preparation step.
Many people naturally try harder during an assessment — concentrating more, appearing more capable than usual. If you're having a good day, say so explicitly: "Today is better than usual. On harder days, I struggle to [specific example]."
A carer or family member present at the assessment can add important context. Brief them beforehand on specific incidents across each domain. Or use the assessment preparation tool to generate a written statement to hand directly to the assessor — removing the need to remember everything on the day.
"I want to make sure you have an accurate picture of my usual situation — today is actually a better day than normal. On harder days, which happen [X times per week], I struggle to [specific example]. Last [month/week], for instance, [specific incident]. I'd like to make sure that's captured in the assessment."
The funding difference between adjacent classification levels is significant. This table shows the annual budget at each level, the difference from the level below, and what that difference means in hours of personal care at published rates.
| Classification | Annual budget | vs level below | Difference in hours/yr at $127/hr |
|---|---|---|---|
| Level 1 | $10,731/yr | — | — |
| Level 2 | $15,765/yr | +$5,034 | +36 hrs/yr |
| Level 3 | $21,920/yr | +$6,155 | +44 hrs/yr |
| Level 4 | $30,181/yr | +$8,261 | +59 hrs/yr |
| Level 5 | $42,352/yr | +$12,171 | +86 hrs/yr |
| Level 6 | $63,356/yr | +$21,004 | +149 hrs/yr |
| Level 7 | $88,391/yr | +$25,035 | +177 hrs/yr |
| Level 8 | $313,237/yr | +$224,846 | +1593 hrs/yr |
Annual budgets effective 1 November 2025. Source: Department of Health and Aged Care. Hours calculated after 10% care management deduction at $127/hour midpoint of published Independence service rates.
You can request a review. The process:
Call My Aged Care on 1800 200 422 and say: 'I want to request a review of my Support at Home classification. I believe my assessment didn't capture my full care needs.'
Document what was missed — specific incidents across the IAT domains that weren't captured. Dates, what happened, what the risk was.
Ask your GP or specialist to write a letter describing your functional limitations. This is the most effective form of supporting evidence.
Contact OPAN on 1800 700 600 if you want free independent advocacy support through the review process.
Use the reassessment letter tool to generate a formal letter requesting a review.
Use the assessment preparation tool to generate a printable carer statement for every IAT domain — hand it to the assessor when they arrive.
The IAT (Integrated Assessment Tool) is the algorithm used to determine your Support at Home classification level — 1 to 8. It scores 13 sections covering function, cognition, physical health, psychological wellbeing, and home safety. The classification determines your quarterly budget, ranging from approximately $2,683 (Level 1) to $78,309 (Level 8) per quarter.
The cognition domain and activities of daily living (ADL) domains have the highest weighting. Falls history, medication management, and safety at home are also heavily scored. Specific incidents — with dates — score differently to general descriptions of difficulty.
Yes. Request a review through My Aged Care on 1800 200 422. Document specific incidents the assessment missed — dates, what happened, what the risk was. A GP letter confirming your functional limitations helps. Contact OPAN on 1800 700 600 for free advocacy support.
You have the right to have a family member, friend, or OPAN advocate present. Brief them on what to add if you tend to minimise your difficulties. You can also submit a written carer statement — use the assessment preparation tool to generate one.
You can request a Support Plan Review at any time if your needs have changed significantly. Contact My Aged Care on 1800 200 422. There is no minimum time between reviews.
Need a complete personalised plan for your situation?
This guide is for information only — not legal, medical, or financial advice. Verified against the Aged Care Act 2024 and Aged Care Rules 2025. Check myagedcare.gov.au for current rates and rules.