What this class covers
ANZSIC class 8790 classifies Australian businesses that provide direct social support services to clients without offering accommodation as their main activity. This includes a wide range of community-based assistance aimed at improving wellbeing, offering crisis support, or providing day programs. These services are typically delivered through centres, outreach, or mobile operations and are fundamental to Australia's community support infrastructure.
Common examples include organisations running adult day care centres for older Australians or people with disabilities, services offering counselling for relationships or addiction recovery, and community kitchens providing meals to those in need. This classification is used by government agencies, researchers, and service providers themselves to track activity in the social assistance sector, apply for relevant funding, and ensure appropriate regulatory oversight.
Primary activities in plain English
Businesses in this class are primarily engaged in:
- Operating adoption services that facilitate permanent care arrangements for children
- Running adult day care centres that provide supervised care and activities during daytime hours
- Delivering assistance services for aged persons that help them live independently in the community
- Providing peer support programs for addiction recovery, such as Alcoholics Anonymous meetings
- Offering disability assistance services that support daily living and community participation
- Conducting marriage and relationship counselling to improve interpersonal relationships
- Operating soup kitchens or mobile food services that provide meals to vulnerable populations
- Delivering welfare counselling services for emotional support and practical guidance
- Running youth welfare services that support young people facing various challenges
Exclusions and nearby codes
This class specifically excludes certain activities that might seem related but are classified elsewhere in the ANZSIC system. For example, businesses primarily engaged in raising funds for welfare purposes are classified in ANZSIC 9559: Other Interest Group Services n.e.c., as their main activity is fundraising rather than direct service delivery.
Other nearby classifications include residential care services (which provide accommodation as their main service), child care services (classified separately in Division P), and psychological therapy services (which may fall under medical services in Division Q). Activities that combine accommodation with care are typically classified in the Residential Care Services group rather than this social assistance class.
Practical guidance
When registering your ABN, you'll need to select your main business activity, which determines your ANZSIC classification. For social assistance services, this is typically class 8790 with Business Industry Code (BIC) 87900. This classification affects how you report to various government agencies and may influence your eligibility for certain grants or funding programs specific to social services.
For workers' compensation insurance, businesses in this class generally fall under clerical or community services risk categories, but specific premiums depend on the actual tasks performed by employees. Keep detailed records of your service activities, as you may need to report these to funding bodies or regulatory agencies. Many social assistance services have specific reporting requirements to departments like Social Services or Health, particularly if receiving government funding.