Guide to residential aged care fees and charges

The government will help cover the cost of your aged care, including fully funding all clinical care you need. However, if you can afford to do so, you will be required to contribute towards the cost of your non-clinical care. You contribution is based on the outcome of your means assessment.

Accommodation

The government will use your means assessment to determine what you will pay for your accommodation. If the government identifies that you require financial support, they will determine what, if any contribution you are required to make towards your accommodation costs. If you are not supported, you will be required to pay the published room price. 

There are a number of ways in which you may choose to pay for your accommodation:

• As a lump sum, called a Refundable Accommodation Deposit (RAD)
• A daily payment, called a Daily Accommodation Payment (DAP) (indexed twice per year) or
• Combination of refundable deposit and daily payment
• Part lump sum with the daily payment drawn down from the lump sum paid

The same payment options are available to supported residents in how they pay for their accommodation contribution.

Daily Accommodation Payments are indexed twice per year in line with the Consumer Price Index (CPI) and an annual retention amount of 2% will be deducted from refundable deposits (RAD/RAC) for up to 5 years.

Care and services fees

There are four care and service fees that you may be required to pay when entering into residential aged care:

Basic Daily Care Fee (BDCF): All residents who enter into residential aged care are required to pay the Basic Daily Care Fee (BDCF). This includes those coming in for respite and is set at 85% of the single person basic age pension. The BDCF is used to contribute towards the cost of day to day living, such as meals, cleaning and laundry. This fee is updated on the 20 March and 20 September each year.

Means-tested hotelling supplement: The hotelling supplement is means tested through your means assessment and the government will determine what, if any, hotelling supplement you are required to pay. 

Means-tested non-clinical care contribution (NCCC): The government has committed to funding all clinical care, however residents who can afford to do so will be required to pay a non-clinical care contribution. The non-clinical care contribution is means tested and the government will determine what, if any, amount you are required to pay. When you pay a NCCC, there are daily and lifetime caps restricting how much you will pay. These are indexed twice per year.

Higher Everyday Living Fee (HELF): Residents may agree to enter into a Higher Everyday Living Agreement. The Higher Everyday Living options available at your RFBI Village will be provided to you on entry. You can take up HELF services at any time during your stay and have an option to cancel when the agreement is renewed each year.