Guide to Fees and Charges
All residents are asked to pay fees and charges as a contribution towards their accommodation, living expenses and care. If you cannot afford the fees and charges there are protections in place which ensure you will still have equal access to residential aged care.
There are five fees and charges you may be asked to pay:
- Basic daily care fee
- Means tested fee
- Refundable accommodation deposit (RAD)
- Extra service fee
- Specified care and service charges
Basic daily care fee
All residents in aged care, including respite residents, can be asked to pay a basic daily care fee as a contribution towards their day-to-day living costs such as meals, cleaning, laundry, heating and cooling.
The maximum basic daily care fee for most permanent residents is 85% of the single age pension. Daily care fees are reviewed by the Department of Health twice yearly, in March and September.
The basic daily care fee is payable monthly in advance.
Means tested fees
The Australian Government asks aged care residents to pay a further contribution towards the cost of their care relative to their capacity to do so. The Department of Health determines the means tested fee based on your individual circumstances and income information provided by Centrelink and the Department of Veterans Affairs.
Annual and lifetime caps apply to the means tested fee and contributions made by people receiving home care will be taken into account when calculating the lifetime cap.
The means tested fee is payable monthly in advance.
Refundable accommodation deposits
The refundable accommodation deposit (RAD) amount is the price negotiated for your residential aged care room. Information about your preferred room, including key features, amenities and the refundable accommodation deposit amount will be provided in our information pack and is also published on our website, search for your preferred Centre via our location page.
The refundable accommodation deposit (RAD) may be paid as a lump sum, a daily accommodation payment (DAP) or a combination of lump sum and daily accommodation payment.
You have 28 days from date of admission to decide how you wish to pay the refundable accommodation deposit.
- Lump sum option: If you choose to pay your refundable accommodation deposit as a lump sum, the entire amount is due on your date of admission and will be refunded in full to your estate.
- Daily accommodation payment: If you do not wish to pay a lump sum amount, you have the option to pay a daily accommodation payment (DAP). The daily accommodation payment (DAP) is calculated by multiplying the agreed refundable accommodation deposit by the current maximum permissible interest rate (MPIR) and dividing by 365 (days per year). A daily accommodation payment (DAP) is non refundable.
- Combination payment: A combination payment is where you choose to pay a portion of the refundable accommodation deposit as a lump sum and the balance as a daily accommodation payment.
You can nominate any amount for the lump sum component. - Combination payment with DAP draw down: You can also choose to pay a part refundable accommodation deposit and have the daily accommodation payment drawn down from the part RAD paid.
Extra service fees
Applies to residents occupying an extra service place (both permanent and respite) for the provision of a significantly higher standard of accommodation, services and food.
Extra service places are available at our Elizabeth Jenkins Place Aged Care Plus Centre at Collaroy, NSW and extra service fees and inclusions will be discussed on application.
