Residential Care – Fees and Charges Explained

Depending on your financial situation the fees you may be asked to pay are:

  • A basic daily fee – This covers living costs such as meals, power and
  • Hoteling contribution – This helps aged care homes meet the cost of services such as catering, cleaning and gardening..
  • A non-clinical care contribution fee – This is an additional contribution towards the cost of care that some people may be required to pay. The Department of Human Services will work out if you are required to pay this fee based on an assessment of your income and assets and will advise you of the amount.
  • An accommodation payment – This is for your accommodation in the home. Some people will have their accommodation costs met in full or part by the Australian Government, while others will need to pay the accommodation price agreed with the aged care home. The Department of Human Services will advise you which applies to you based on an assessment of your income and assets.
  • Fees for extra or additional optional services – You may choose to pay additional fees for services of a higher standard than is required under the Aged Care Act (higher everyday living fee HELF). We can provide you with details of these services and the fees that

Daily cap

The maximum Non-clinical care contribution daily cap is set by the Government and can be found at:

Schedule of Fees and Charges for Residential and Home Care | Australian Government Department of Health, Disability and Ageing

Lifetime cap

The maximum Non-clinical care contribution lifetime cap is set by the Government and can be found at:

Schedule of Fees and Charges for Residential and Home Care | Australian Government Department of Health, Disability and Ageing

My Aged Care Website

The My Aged Care website at www.myagedcare.gov.au provides information about aged care and aged care services. It includes information about fee arrangements for aged care.

If you prefer to speak with someone about residential care services and fee arrangements or receive an estimate of fees you may be required to pay, telephone 1800 200 422.

Fact Sheets

Fact sheets about aged care can be downloaded from the Department of Health website and the My Aged Care website.

These provide an overview of the fee arrangements, as well as some simples examples.