By Steve Hadfield, AgedCareActionPlan.au · Last updated: May 2026
Name change — same process
From 9 December 2024, the Aged Care Assessment Team (ACAT) was replaced by the Single Assessment System. Assessments are now formally called Aged Care Needs Assessments (ACNA). Most Australians — and most aged care providers — still use the term ACAT. Both refer to the same process. In Victoria, the state name is ACAS (Aged Care Assessment Service) — again, the same process.
An aged care assessment is the formal gateway to every government-funded aged care service in Australia. Without one, your parent cannot access a Support at Home package, move into a government-subsidised residential aged care facility, or access funded respite care. It is the essential first step — and unlike many steps in the aged care system, this one you can and should prepare for.
Assessors now use the Integrated Assessment Tool (IAT), which replaced the National Screening and Assessment Form from 1 July 2024. The IAT covers 12 sections with adaptive questioning — the conversation goes deeper in areas where earlier answers signal greater need. It produces a score that determines your parent's Support at Home classification level and funding. For a detailed explanation of how the IAT works, see our plain-language guide to the Integrated Assessment Tool.
Key facts at a glance
A successful assessment approves access to government-funded services across four main care types. Which services your parent can access depends on the outcome and classification level assigned.
Support at Home
The ongoing home care program that replaced Home Care Packages from 1 November 2025. Funded support to help your parent stay at home — personal care, nursing, domestic help, equipment, transport, and more.
How Support at Home works →Residential Aged Care
Permanent placement in an aged care home for people whose care needs can no longer be safely met at home.
Choosing an aged care provider →Residential Respite Care
Short-term stays in an aged care home — for planned carer breaks, post-hospital recovery, or emergency situations.
Transition Care
Short-term clinical support and therapy after a hospital stay, to assist recovery before returning home or moving into residential care.
Note on entry-level home support (CHSP)
If your parent needs only very basic help — occasional cleaning, a meals delivery, or transport assistance — the Commonwealth Home Support Programme (CHSP) has a lighter assessment pathway that does not require a full ACAT-level assessment. Ask My Aged Care whether this pathway applies when you call.
The application itself takes about 15–20 minutes. Most families find it less daunting than expected — the person you speak to is not assessing your parent on the call, just gathering basic information to create a referral. There are three ways to start:
Call My Aged CareRecommended
1800 200 422 — Monday to Friday 8am–8pm, Saturday 10am–2pm AEST. Recommended because you can ask questions, flag urgency, and confirm the right pathway on the spot. Either you or your parent can make the call — you do not need to be together.
Apply online
Visit myagedcare.gov.au and complete the online referral form. Useful if you want to gather your thoughts before speaking to anyone — but the phone is faster if your parent's situation is deteriorating or post-hospital.
GP referral
Your parent's GP can refer them directly. Worth requesting if the GP has been documenting recent deterioration or incidents — a clinical referral often carries more weight, and the GP's letter can frame the picture before the assessment begins.
After you apply, a Triage Delegate will contact you within 2 weeks — a short phone conversation to understand your parent's situation and confirm what type of assessment is needed. They will then assign an assessor and book the in-home visit. If your parent is in hospital or their situation is urgent, say so when you apply — urgent referrals are prioritised and the wait can be significantly shorter.
The assessor will spend 1–3 hours in your parent's home. They are not there to judge — they are there to understand. The IAT covers 12 sections and uses adaptive questioning — meaning the conversation goes deeper in areas where earlier answers signal greater need. It is not a fixed checklist. The broad areas covered include:
What the IAT covers — key areas across 12 sections
The assessor will observe your parent's home environment, ask questions directly, and may ask to see how your parent completes certain daily tasks. A family member or trusted support person can be present — and should be, for the reason explained in the next section.
The most important thing most families get wrong
This is the single most consequential thing to understand before the assessment day. Almost every aged care professional who has watched hundreds of assessments says the same thing: older Australians consistently understate their difficulties. They want to appear capable and independent. They are afraid of what a high-needs outcome might mean. Some have spent a lifetime not asking for help.
The assessor can only score what they observe and what they are told. If your parent says "I manage fine with cooking" when in reality they skip meals, eat cold food from tins, or have had several near-burns — the assessor has no way of knowing unless someone tells them.
The same applies to falls. Your parent will tell the assessor they haven't had any falls — and they may genuinely believe this, having normalised grabbing walls, lowering themselves to the floor slowly, or "just sitting down quickly." These are falls. They are exactly what the assessor needs to know about.
What you can do: Submit a written carer statement before the assessment. This is a document written by you — the family member — that describes what you actually observe: the meals not being cooked, the medication being missed, the confusion in the evenings, the fear of showering alone. The assessor is required to take this into account. It gives them a picture of your parent's real daily life that the assessment conversation alone rarely captures. A carer statement is one of the few direct actions a family can take to influence the classification level — and therefore the annual funding — that the assessment produces.
Free tool: Build your carer statement before the assessment
We built a free tool that walks you through the key areas of the IAT and produces a written carer statement you can submit to My Aged Care before the assessment visit. It takes 15 minutes. It has helped families ensure the assessor has the full picture — not just what their parent was willing to say on the day.
Build your free carer statement →The IAT score maps to one of eight Support at Home classification levels. Higher classification levels unlock more funding. The difference between a Classification 3 and a Classification 5 — which can come down to how thoroughly the assessor understood your parent's needs — is over $21,000 per year in government funding.
Important: funding amounts are indexed annually
The figures above are effective from 1 November 2025 and indexed on 1 July each year. Verify current amounts at health.gov.au before making financial decisions. See our detailed guide to Support at Home costs and what you'll be asked to contribute.
If you believe the classification assigned does not reflect your parent's actual needs, you have the right to request an internal review. You must submit this within 28 days of receiving your Notice of Decision. The formal process is to complete the Request for an Internal Review of a Decision form (available through My Aged Care) and submit it to the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing — or write to the System Governor. The details are included in your outcome letter. Read our guide on your rights to request a Support at Home review.
The timeline below reflects typical wait times under the current Single Assessment System. Wait times vary by region. If your parent is in hospital or in crisis, say so when you apply — urgent situations are prioritised and the timeline can be significantly compressed.
You apply
Day 0Call 1800 200 422 or apply at myagedcare.gov.au. The call takes about 15–20 minutes.
Triage contact
Within 2 weeksA Triage Delegate calls to confirm what type of assessment is needed and assign an assessor.
Assessment booked
Typically 2–6 weeks after referralIn-home visit scheduled with your assessor.
Assessment conducted
Assessment day1–3 hours in your parent's home. A family member can and should attend.
Outcome received
Usually within daysWritten Notice of Decision and Support Plan issued. You have 28 days to request a review if needed.
Access services
Varies by providerYou have 56 days from your outcome letter to enter a service agreement with a provider — or funding is withdrawn.
Is the ACAT assessment the same as the Single Assessment System in 2026?
Yes. From 9 December 2024, the Aged Care Assessment Team (ACAT) was replaced by the Single Assessment System. Assessments are now formally called Aged Care Needs Assessments (ACNA). Most Australians and most aged care providers still use the term ACAT — both refer to the same process. If you see older paperwork or websites referencing ACAT, that is the current equivalent.
How do I apply for an aged care assessment in Australia?
Call My Aged Care on 1800 200 422 (Monday–Friday 8am–8pm, Saturday 10am–2pm AEST) or apply online at myagedcare.gov.au. You can also ask your GP to make a referral directly. After applying, a Triage Delegate will contact you within 2 weeks to determine what type of assessment is needed and assign an assessor.
Can a family member attend the aged care assessment?
Yes — and we strongly recommend it. A family member or trusted support person can be present for the entire in-home visit. The reason this matters: older people consistently understate their difficulties during assessments. They want to appear capable. Having a family member present allows you to gently add context the assessor needs. You cannot contradict your parent directly in front of them — but you can, and should, submit a written carer statement beforehand that documents what you actually observe day to day.
What does the assessor actually look for during an aged care assessment?
The assessor uses the Integrated Assessment Tool (IAT), which covers 12 sections using adaptive questioning — the conversation goes deeper in areas where earlier answers signal greater need. The broad areas covered include: daily living activities (bathing, dressing, cooking), cognitive function and memory, emotional wellbeing, medical conditions, home safety and falls risk, social circumstances and isolation, carer capacity, and your parent's own goals and preferences. The IAT score from this assessment maps directly to the Support at Home classification level — which sets the annual funding amount.
What happens if my parent doesn't qualify after an aged care assessment?
If the assessor determines your parent is not eligible for government-funded services, you will receive a written Notice of Decision explaining the outcome. You have the right to request an internal review within 28 days of receiving that letter. The formal process is to complete the Request for an Internal Review of a Decision form (available through My Aged Care) and submit it to the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing — details are in your outcome letter. If you believe the assessor missed important information, a written carer statement submitted before a reassessment can make a material difference to the outcome.
Can I request a reassessment if my parent's needs change?
Yes, and there is no limit on how often you can request one. If your parent's condition deteriorates, they experience a fall or hospitalisation, or their current funded services are no longer meeting their needs, call My Aged Care on 1800 200 422 to request a new assessment. Their situation will be re-evaluated using the current IAT, and the classification can be upgraded if the new assessment supports a higher level of need.
Does the aged care assessment cost anything?
No. The assessment is completely free. It is fully funded by the Australian Government. There is no cost to the older person or their family at any stage of the assessment process — including the initial application, the in-home visit, and the outcome decision.
What is the difference between ACAT and ACAS?
ACAS (Aged Care Assessment Service) is the name used in Victoria for the same assessment process. In all other states and territories it was historically called ACAT (Aged Care Assessment Team). Since December 2024, both have been unified into the Single Assessment System nationally — but the ACAS name is still commonly used in Victoria by healthcare providers. The process, what is assessed, and your rights are identical regardless of which name you encounter.
What happens after the aged care assessment is complete?
After the assessment, you receive a Notice of Decision and a Support Plan summarising the assessor's findings and the services you have been approved to access. For Support at Home, you will be assigned a classification level (1–8) which sets your quarterly funding amount. You have 56 days from the date of your outcome letter to enter into a service agreement with a provider and start services — if you don't, your funding allocation is withdrawn. You can re-join the priority system by calling My Aged Care.
How to prepare for an aged care assessment
What to do before the assessor arrives — including the written carer statement and documents to gather.
ACAT assessment levels explained
What Classifications 1–8 mean in practice and how the IAT score maps to funding.
Your right to request a Support at Home review
How to challenge an assessment outcome you believe underestimates your parent's needs.
The Integrated Assessment Tool (IAT) decoded
Plain-language explanation of what the IAT scores and how it determines classification.
Support at Home costs and contributions explained
What the government pays, what you contribute, and how to calculate your costs.
How to choose an aged care provider
What to look for, what to ask, and what red flags to watch for.
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Walk through all 8 IAT domains. The tool writes the carer statement for you — ready to print before the assessor arrives.
Start the free preparation tool →This guide is for information only — not legal, medical, or financial advice. Verified against the Aged Care Act 2024 and Aged Care Rules 2025. Check myagedcare.gov.au for current rates and rules.