Australian aged-care FAQ

Four components: (1) Basic daily fee $66.80/day (federally regulated, indexed twice yearly). (2) Means-tested care fee $0–$391/day depending on income + assets. (3) Accommodation — either a lump-sum RAD (typical range $300k–$1m) or a daily DAP equivalent ($120–$400/day), or a combination. (4) Extra service fees if you choose a higher service level ($20–$120/day). See our cost guide for the full breakdown.

Refundable Accommodation Deposit — a lump-sum room price refundable on departure (within 14 days for ceased care + 90% otherwise). Set by the provider based on local property market, room quality + service tier. From 2024 every Australian aged-care service must publish at least one room's RAD. Sydney + Melbourne RADs run $450k–$800k for 4-star homes; Adelaide + Brisbane $300k–$600k. RADs above $550,000 require ACPR (Aged Care Pricing Commissioner) approval.

Yes — the DAP (Daily Accommodation Payment) is the daily-rent equivalent of the RAD, calculated as RAD × MPIR (Maximum Permissible Interest Rate, currently 8.36%) ÷ 365. A $600,000 RAD = ~$137/day DAP. Or you can pay a partial RAD + the balance as DAP. Many residents use the sale proceeds of their family home to pay the RAD, but selling is not required. See our RAD vs DAP guide.

Not automatically. The home is exempt from the means test for 2 years from the date you move into care if a "protected person" (spouse, dependent child or qualifying carer) still lives there. After 2 years, capped at $206,663 (indexed). Many families keep the home + pay the RAD as DAP from rental income, or sell to pay the RAD up-front. There is no single right answer — depends on family situation. Speak to an aged-care financial adviser before deciding.

Yes. The basic daily fee is set federally at $66.80/day (currently, indexed twice yearly with the Age Pension). All Australian residential aged-care providers charge this identically. The means-tested fee + RAD/DAP are the variable components.

Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission rates every Australian residential aged-care service quarterly against the 8 Aged Care Quality Standards: 5 stars (Excellent), 4 (Good), 3 (Acceptable), 2 (Improvement Needed), 1 (Significant Improvement Needed). Sector average is 3.4. Most parents target 4-5 star homes. See our ACQSC explained guide.

Tour 3–5 homes minimum. Visit at different times (mealtime + activities + late afternoon). Ask: care minutes per resident (target 215/day), registered-nurse coverage (24/7 required for 5-star), staff turnover (low is good), recent complaints + corrective action. Our tour checklist has the 30 questions to ask.

Varies enormously. ACAT assessment (the eligibility step) typically 4–8 weeks. Once approved, vacancy at preferred home: same week (oversupplied coastal corridors), to 6+ months (premium inner-city homes with strong reputations). Have a back-up — most families need 2–3 candidate homes ready.

Many families benefit. Aged Care Decisions, MyCarePath + similar are free for families (paid by the aged-care provider on placement). They save 10–30 hours of research, know vacancies, understand the regulatory standards. Pure DIY is possible but the aged-care system is genuinely complex + the emotional stakes are high.

Residential aged care = move into a facility for 24/7 care, room + meals + clinical support. Home Care Packages = stay in your own home, with funded support services (cleaning, personal care, nursing, allied health) delivered by an approved provider. HCP is means-tested but uncapped wait once approved. Most families try home care first + transition to residential when needs exceed what home support can provide. See our home vs residential guide.

Combined assessment of income (pension + super + investment income) + assets (savings + share portfolio + family home if no protected person + properties). Output: your means-tested care fee ($0–$391/day) + your accommodation contribution (full / part / nil). Apply via Services Australia using the SA457 form (residential care) or SA456 (home care). See our means-test guide.

Many are. If income + assets are below the thresholds, you qualify as "low means" — provider gets a Commonwealth Accommodation Supplement instead of charging you the RAD/DAP. Provider must accept low-means residents (subject to vacancy quota). Pure pensioner with no family home: typically zero out-of-pocket beyond the basic daily fee.

Means-tested care fees are capped: annual cap $33,309 (indexed twice yearly) + lifetime cap $79,942. Once you hit either cap, no further care fees. The basic daily fee + accommodation costs continue regardless. This is a recent change — pre-2024 the cap was lower.

Free Aged Care Quality + Safety Commission complaints process — 1800 951 822 or via the ACQSC website. Step 1: raise concern internally with provider. Step 2: ACQSC complaints if unresolved. Step 3: ACAT (Aged Care Assessment Team) or Older Persons Advocacy Network (OPAN) for advocacy support. Serious safety concerns or assault: police first. See our complaints guide.

215 minutes per resident per day (federal AN-ACC mandate from October 2023), including 44 minutes of registered-nurse time. Many homes don't hit this target consistently — published care-minute data is on My Aged Care. Below target is not automatic failure but is a quality indicator. 5-star homes consistently exceed target.

Yes. No lock-in. RAD is refundable within 14 days of departure (90% otherwise — provider keeps small amount). New home will reassess your ACAT to confirm eligibility. Practically, transferring in the first 6 months is rare (settling-in period) but absolutely permitted. Most providers handle the paperwork.

All data from federal sources. ACQSC star ratings + provider register from agedcarequality.gov.au. Provider directory + RAD prices from myagedcare.gov.au (post-2024 transparency rule). See our methodology + the press kit for downloadable CSVs.

Yes — entirely free. No sign-up, no email capture, no paid placements. We make money via display advertising + a (planned) premium provider profile tier. Rankings are not for sale.

No. Operated by Boring Ventures Pty Ltd (ABN 67 671 943 758), an independent Australian company. No commercial relationship with any specific provider. All ranking + comparison logic is published transparently in our methodology.