Aged care fees and charges
Navigating residential aged care can feel complex and overwhelming. The information below is to help you understand the various fees and charges and give you peace of mind when navigating residential aged care.
The total cost of your care and accommodation will depend on your specific financial situation which is assessed by Services Australia.
There are different types of fees and charges involved with residential aged care that are important for you to understand. Non-Anglicare aged care homes may have additional fees and charges not mentioned here.
Fees and charges in residential aged care
Basic Daily Fee (BDF)
This is a fee that everyone in residential aged care pays. It covers basic services like meals, cleaning, laundry, and utilities. The amount is currently set at 85% of the basic single aged pension.
Accommodation Payment (AP)
This payment covers the cost of your room and living spaces. If you are fully supported by the government, you don’t need to pay this. If you are partially supported, you’ll need to pay a contribution and if you’re non-supported you will need to pay the full amount. There are three ways accommodation payments can be paid; either as a lump sum, daily payment or a combination of the two.
- Lump sum payments: If you are non-supported by the government your lump sum payment is known as a Refundable Accommodation Deposit (RAD). If you are partially supported by the government your lump sum payment is known as a Refundable Accommodation Contribution (RAC). You will get the majority of your lump sum refunded when you leave. The residential care provider retains 2% of your RAD or RAC each year, limited to 5 years. This is known as the Retention Amount.
- Daily payments: If you are non-supported by the government your daily payments are known as Daily Accommodation Payments (DAP). If you are partially supported by the government they are known as a Daily Accommodation Contribution (DAC). The DAP is indexed twice a year, in March and September. The DAC is not indexed. The DAP and DAC are not refundable.
- Combination of both: You can also choose to pay your accommodation as a combination of both a lump sum and a daily payment to best suit your financial situation.
Means-tested fee
These fees apply to residents who can contribute to the cost of their care. The fees are calculated by Services Australia, depending on your income and assets.
- Hotelling Contribution (HC): This fee is means-tested and supports the costs associated with care, such as catering, cleaning, maintenance, heating, cooling and laundry.
- Non-Clinical Care Contribution (NCCC): You only pay the NCCC if you’re paying the full hotelling contribution. This fee covers personal care services like bathing, mobility assistance, and lifestyle activities. It currently has a daily cap of $105.30 and a lifetime cap of $135,318.69 or 4 years, whatever comes first.
Interim means-tested fees
While you are waiting for a means assessment to be completed or if you choose not to disclose your assets, Anglicare will charge an interim accommodation fee until we receive notification from Services Australia. The amount we will charge per day is $113.71.
Higher Everyday Living Fee (HELF)
This is an optional fee. It is a new fee that replaces ‘additional services’ and ‘extra services’. Services that are at a higher standard, or additional to, what is required by the government will fall under HELF. The price of HELF is set by each provider.
Bed reservation fee
Anglicare will charge this fee for each day you are absent from the residential aged care home on extended hospital leave (continuous period of 30 days or more) or on social leave more than the 52 days in a financial year. The fee is the sum of what you would have paid for that day and the amount the government would have paid Anglicare for your care.
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Inspired by the gospel of reconciliation in Jesus Christ, Anglicare's vision for reconciliation is a nation in which Australia's First Peoples are restored in dignity, respect, empowerment and opportunity.