Aged care reforms
This webpage was last updated November 2025.
This page provides information about what is changing in aged care, how you can give feedback and where to go for more information and support.
The following information is based on resources from the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing and the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission.
Please note that the timing and finalised details of these reforms may be subject to change.
You can stay up to date with the latest changes and upcoming planned reforms to aged care by subscribing to Carers NSW monthly eNews and regularly visiting the links below.
What's on this page?
What’s changed in aged care?
The Australian Government has made several changes to the aged care system to improve the quality and safety of services for all older people and their carers. Some changes are already in place, while others will be introduced in the future.
Carers NSW hosted the webinar What’s changed in aged care for carers? on 3 November 2025. The session provided a high-level summary of why aged care is changing, what’s changed in aged care that will likely impact carers and where to go for more information and support.
You can watch the webinar recording below.
For more information, click on the links below:
A new rights-based Aged Care Act
The Australian Parliament passed the Aged Care Bill 2024 in November 2024, and it became the new Aged Care Act 2024 on 1 November 2025. The new Act aims to enhance aged care quality and safety, ensuring dignity and respect for older people and their carers.
What’s in the new Aged Care Act?
For more information, click on the links below:
Changes to representative arrangements
Previously, older people could register regular and authorised representatives with My Aged Care to enable people close to them to help communicate and make decisions about their care.
Starting from 1 November 2025, people who were regular or authorised representatives with My Aged Care as of 31 October 2025 will now be known as registered supporters. However, they can opt out by calling My Aged Care or through their Online Account.
The new Aged Care Act introduces three types of registered supporters. Their main role is to make sure that the wishes, preferences, and rights of older individuals are respected while helping them communicate and make decisions about their care.
Types of registered supporters
Note: A registered ‘supporter’ and ‘supporter lite’ do not have formal legal arrangements to make decisions on behalf of the person they care for. Regardless of registration status, providers are expected to recognise, include and support carers under the new Aged Care Act 2024 and Aged Care Quality Standards.
Changes to aged care assessments
The aged care assessment process is being streamlined to make it easier for older people and their carers to navigate and access home support and residential aged care services. For older people already accessing aged care services, they will not need a re-assessment unless their needs have changed.
Key changes to assessment include:
For more information, click on the links below:
A new Support at Home Program
The Australian Government introduced a new Support at Home program to support older people to stay healthy, active and socially connected with their community for longer. This program has replaced the Home Care Packages (HCP) Program and Short-Term Restorative Care (STRC) Programme, and will later replace the Commonwealth Home Support Programme (CHSP).
The new Support at Home program will be rolled out in two stages:
What kinds of support are available?
The Support at Home program will provide ongoing services in the home. These include:
- Clinical care (e.g., nursing, occupational therapy)
- Independence (e.g., personal care, respite care)
- Everyday living (e.g., cleaning, gardening, meal preparation)
- Care management services (e.g., care planning, service coordination)
Short-term support options
The program also includes 3 short-term pathways:
- Restorative Care Pathway – short-term allied health and therapy services to help older people regain or maintain independence after an illness or injury
- End-of-Life Pathway – palliative care supports that enable people to receive quality care and comfort at home
- Assistive Technology and Home Modifications scheme – funding for products, equipment and home changes that make daily tasks easier and safer
Changes to fees and contributions
The Support at Home program uses quarterly (3-monthly) budgets based on a person’s assessed needs. This shows how much funding is available and how it can be used.
The Australian Government will continue to cover most aged care costs, including all clinical care. People who can afford to contribute will pay a portion of the cost depending on their circumstances, support needs, and an assessment of their income and assets.
Hidden fees, including entry and exit fees, are banned for home care to ensure clearer and fairer pricing.
Anyone who received a Home Care Package or were assessed as eligible on or before 12 September 2024 will continue to pay the same fees, or less, under the ‘no worse off’ principle or grandfathering arrangements. These arrangements will continue unless support needs change.
If an older person cannot afford to pay their fees, they can apply for financial hardship assistance.
For more information, click on the links below:
Changes to residential aged care
There are several changes to residential aged care that are coming into effect to ensure the sustainability and quality of residential aged care services. These changes include:
- New means-tested contributions for those who can afford it
- Increased price caps for accommodation and daily living costs
- Changes to Refundable Accommodation Deposits (RADs)
- Changes to how residential aged care places will be allocated
- Introduction of mandatory care minutes and 24/7 nursing
For more information, click on the links below:
Changes to aged care quality and safety
The Australian Government has made changes to the regulation, funding and administration of the aged care system to improve the quality and safety of aged care, including stronger Aged Care Quality Standards (the Quality Standards).
The Quality Standards outline the outcomes and level of care that older people and their carers accessing aged care can expect. The Strengthened Quality Standards include greater requirements to recognise, support and include carers at multiple stages of the aged care journey.
Strengthened provider obligations relating to carers include:
- Recognising and respecting the caring relationship and carers as partners in care
- Involving carers in supporting decision-making, planning and coordination of care and services
- Communicating with carers, such as being open, seeking feedback and enabling complaints
- Inclusion of carers in risk mitigation and disaster planning
Other key changes to quality and safety include:
For more information, click on the links below:
What does this mean for you?
For carers
Here are some steps you may want to take to help you and the person you care for prepare for these changes. Review representative arrangementsYou may want to talk with the older person you care for about whether you should be listed as a registered supporter through My Aged Care and the most suitable supporter role for both of you. You can check and update your representative arrangements through your My Aged Care Online Account or by calling My Aged Care on 1800 200 422.
For more information, click on the links below:
Prepare for support plan reviews and service agreement discussions
Service providers have started contacting older people receiving aged care services to review their current support plan and, where necessary, establish a new Service Agreement (formerly known as a Home Care Agreement). If you are supporting an older person receiving aged care services, you can start to prepare for these conversations by thinking about what’s working, how you and the person you care for could be better supported, and how any unspent funds will be spent.For more information, click on the links below:
Keep personal and financial details of the person you care for up to date
You may want to review and update the personal and financial details of the person you care for with Services Australia or the Department of Veterans’ Affairs (DVA). This will help make sure that the person you care for is paying the right fees for their circumstances. To update your details, visit the Services Australia website or call DVA on 1800 838 372. You may also help the person you care for update their online records through their My Aged Care Online Account.
For more information, click on the link below:
Know where to find more information and supports
If you find the changes to aged care confusing or overwhelming, or you are concerned about how this impacts the older person you care for, you can contact:
Carer Gateway – Practical support for all carers (including counselling, peer support, respite and more).
1800 422 737 (Monday to Friday, 8.00am to 5.00pm local time)
Older Persons Advocacy Network (OPAN) – Assistance for older people to understand the aged care system, register and resolve aged care issues.
1800 700 600 (Monday to Friday 8.00am to 8.00pm, Saturday 10.00am to 4.00pm)
www.opan.org.au
You can learn more about supports available to carers of older people by clicking the link below:
Sharing your experiences of aged care
Did you know that you can provide feedback on the changes to aged care? Visit the Australian Government Consultation Hub or subscribe to the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing’s aged care newsletters and mailing lists for regular updates and opportunities to have your say.
You can also download the following Carers NSW fact sheets on having your say to support you in sharing your experiences and shaping aged care reforms:
For more information, click on the links below:
You can raise issues or concerns about an experience you have had with aged care by filling out the Carers NSW Policy Advice Form below.
This information is used to inform our policy work, including writing submissions and providing feedback to governments on key issues affecting carers.
For aged care service providers
It is important for aged care service providers to stay updated and begin preparing for the coming changes as this might require time for planning and implementation. You can find out more about preparing for reforms by accessing the resources below.
Staying up to date
You can stay up to date with latest changes and upcoming planned reforms to aged care by subscribing to Carers NSW monthly eNews, which includes a quarterly aged care update.