Aged Care Consumer Confidence Protections

We are making positive, lasting changes to aged care to put your rights and needs first.

Everyone deserves access to high-quality care and support as they age – whether you remain in your own home or move into an aged care home.

The Australian Government is investing $5.6 billion in making the biggest improvement to aged care in 30 years. These reforms will deliver high-quality person-centred care where and when you need it.

Through our consultations, surveys and events on the ground, we know you want:

• improved choice and control

• costs to be fair

• strong protections and your rights upheld

• concerns and complaints to be taken seriously without negative consequences

• providers to be transparent and accountable.

These changes are important for all Australians. We all want to feel confident that we will be able to access affordable, safe and suitable support as we age. That’s why we are delivering consumer confidence protections – find out more below.

Choice and control

The changes to aged care put older people at the centre of the system. You will now have more choice over the services you use and more control over how you use your funding.

Making decisions under the new Aged Care Act

The new Aged Care Act puts the rights of older people at the centre of aged care laws. These rights will be enforceable by the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission and Complaints Commissioner.

The new Act includes a Statement of Rights for older people. This includes the right for you to make care and financial decisions and choose a support person to help if you need one.

Star Ratings help you compare the quality, safety and services of aged care homes. Use the ‘Find a provider’ tool to find out more about a specific aged care provider and view its Star Rating. Having this information helps you make the best choice for you.

New Support at Home program

We understand that people want to stay in their own homes as they age. Around 1.4 million older people will benefit from a new Support at Home program, which prioritises supported and independent ageing.

To learn about what is included under Support at Home read the Support at Home service list. The prices of services will be informed by advice from the Independent Health and Aged Care Pricing Authority (IHACPA). This will ensure the co-contributions you make will be fair.

Importantly, you won’t pay for services until they have been delivered.

Read the Support at Home fact sheet.

Co-contributions for the services you use

Aged care providers are required to share details of what you are paying for, and they now need to publish their prices online.

We have also banned exit and entry fees, along with other hidden fees, for home care.

People who receive Support at Home services will receive monthly statements showing the hours of each service they have received. The statement will outline the price charged for each service to their Support at Home budget as well as the participant contribution they have paid themselves.

Residential aged care providers must make sure all the costs of care are clear before people move into an aged care home.

People who live in aged care homes will continue to have choice about what extras they pay for, with improved protections to ensure they cannot be asked to pay for things they don’t want or can't use, and providers cannot discriminate based on a person’s ability to pay for extra services.

Read some residential aged care scenarios.

Free advocacy and legal services

The Australian Government funds aged care advocacy support for older people, their families and carers. Advocates can speak on your behalf and support you to resolve issues. Read more about National Seniors, the Council on the Ageing (COTA) and the Older Persons Advocacy Network (OPAN).

If you or someone you know is feeling unsafe when receiving aged care you can get free support from lawyers, social workers and other specialists. Learn more about protection against elder abuse.

Fairness

We are making changes to how aged care is funded to make it sustainable and fair for everyone.

Government will continue to fund the majority of aged care

Current funding arrangements are not sustainable for our growing and ageing population. So we are making some important changes.

The government will continue to fund the majority of your aged care. However people who can afford to will make a co-contribution to their aged care costs.

How much someone co-contributes will depend on their personal circumstances, the level of support they need and the combination of their income and assets.

Under the new co-contribution structure, there is no change to the treatment of the family home.

Guaranteeing access to clinical care

The government will continue to fully fund clinical care services in both aged care homes and the Support at Home program. Clinical care services are often carried out by a registered nurse and include things like pain management and medication assistance.

Under Support at Home, you will only pay a co-contribution for services you use. Co-contributions will be calculated on a rate per hour (or unit of service) at a set percentage of the price for each service type.

Read the Support at Home fact sheet.

Co-contributions are capped

Co-contributions will be capped at $130,000 across Support at Home and residential care to make it fairer for those who make large co-contributions and stay in care a long time.

Co-contributions for non-clinical care, like support with mobility and lifestyle activities, in an aged care home end after 4 years.

For Support at Home, for every $1 an older person co-contributes to their care, the government will contribute around $7.80.

For aged care homes, for every $1 an older person co-contributes to their care, the government will contribute $3.30.

See examples of how these charges work for Support at Home and residential aged care.

The No worse off principle

There will be no payment changes for people accessing residential aged care on – and before – 12 September 2024.

If on 12 September you were receiving a Home Care Package, or assessed as eligible for a package, you will be no worse off when Support at Home starts.

You will make the same co-contributions, or lower, than you would have under the Home Care Packages Program.

You will also be eligible to enter an aged care home under the current fee system, regardless of when you move in.

Funding highest for those who need it most

We will provide the most funding to those with the lowest means.

People living in aged care homes may pay the basic daily fee only. If a person’s income and assets are reduced, the fees they pay will also reduce.

If you can’t afford to pay your fees or co-contribute to your care cost because of financial hardship, government support will continue.

Transparency

We are making sure aged care funding and your co-contributions are being used appropriately.

Setting and monitoring prices

Aged care providers receive funding for the cost of workers, including registered nurses, allied health professionals and lifestyle officers.

We will work with the Independent Health and Aged Care Pricing Authority (IHACPA) to set prices for Support at Home and aged care homes, including hotelling services.

Providers cannot increase contributions for services funded by the government above the level set by government.

Dollars to care

You can see how your co-contribution is spent and how much providers are spending on care, food, staff and accommodation. This information has been added to the profiles of providers of aged care homes and providers of Home Care Packages in the Find a provider tool.

Making this information publicly available provides greater transparency and helps you decide which provider you feel comfortable with. The Department of Health and Aged Care and the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission monitor and audit provider financial reports. If providers don’t report their information correctly, civil penalties are applied with real consequences in court, giving you peace of mind.

Refundable Accommodation Deposits retention (RADs) cap

There is a cap on how much money providers can keep from RADs. From 1 July 2025, providers will keep 2% of your lump sum payment for each year you are in an aged care home for up to 5 years. This will ensure aged care homes have the funds to invest in residents’ comfort, keep facilities open and build new facilities.

Accountability

We are holding providers to account so you know upfront what to expect from them, including how funding is spent.

Strengthening regulation

New regulations mean providers must deliver services based on the Statement of Rights. They have to work with older people, involving them in choices and decisions. This is person-centred care.

To receive any government funding, providers need to be registered and meeting the Aged Care Quality Standards.

Providers not meeting obligations will face consequences under the new regulatory model.

Confidence to share feedback or make complaints

If you have a concern about the care you or someone else is receiving, it’s important that you talk about it.

We are setting up ways for providers to address feedback and complaints. If you have a concern or complaint that you’ve not been able to resolve by talking with your service provider, the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission can help you to resolve your concern or complaint.

If you feel your provider has not upheld your rights, you can make a complaint to the independent Complaints Commissioner

Older people and workers have whistleblower protections, so they can feel confident to report information without fear of punishment or unfair treatment.

Inspector General of Aged Care

The new Inspector General of Aged Care has oversight of the aged care system and will identify any issues. This includes oversight of the regulation, funding and administration of aged care.

The office of the Inspector General is an independent agency that will help ensure the aged care system is robust, accountable and transparent, and meets the needs of older people, their families and carers.

Capping how much of your package can be used for care management

Support at Home participants will have access to care management.

If a participant receives ongoing services, they will have 10% of their quarterly budget pooled with their provider to deliver care management. There will be additional supplements for people with diverse needs.

Read the Support at Home fact sheet.