By Steve Hadfield, AgedCareActionPlan.au · Last reviewed: 23 June 2026
Last reviewed: · Next review: After 20 September 2026 indexation
Price caps were deferred in May 2026 — no new start date
Price caps were scheduled to take effect on 1 July 2026. In May 2026 the government deferred them indefinitely, citing market volatility. No replacement date has been announced. Providers continue to set their own prices, but cannot charge entry or exit fees, and the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission has new powers to order refunds for overcharging.
Source: Australian Ageing Agenda, 20 May 2026 ↗Personal care moves to Clinical Care (and becomes free) on 1 October 2026
From 1 October 2026, personal care — showering, dressing, and continence support — moves from the Independence category to Clinical Care. Clinical Care is fully government-funded. From that date, participants approved for personal care pay no participant contribution for these services.
Source: My Aged Care — Changes to contributions ↗Last updated: 23 May 2026
Support at Home price caps were scheduled to take effect on 1 July 2026. Six weeks before that date, the government announced they would be deferred — with no new date confirmed.
This means providers continue to set their own prices for Support at Home services. New consumer protections have been introduced in the interim. This guide explains what changed, what still protects you, and what to check right now.
From 1 July 2026, the government had planned to set maximum prices for each Support at Home service type — nursing care, personal care, domestic assistance, meal support. Providers would not have been able to charge above those caps, and all costs including travel, administration, and overheads would have been required to be included in a single all-inclusive price.
The government cited global economic volatility and concern that caps set against an elevated baseline would lock in high prices rather than reduce them. In place of caps, the government has: empowered the ACQSC to order refunds where providers are found to be overcharging; empowered the ACQSC to take regulatory action against providers not issuing monthly statements; committed to publishing quarterly price comparisons showing the median and range of prices across all providers; encouraged providers to limit price increases to no more than two per year; and established a working group with OPAN, COTA Australia, Ageing Australia, and the ACQSC to develop a clear definition of reasonable pricing.
| Protection | What it means | In place since |
|---|---|---|
| Providers must publish prices | Your provider cannot charge rates that are not disclosed in their published price schedule. You are entitled to see this before signing an agreement and at any time on request. | 1 November 2025 |
| No entry, exit, or administration fees | Providers cannot charge fees for joining, leaving, or administering your care. All costs must be included in the unit price for each service. | 1 November 2025 |
| 10% care management cap | The fee your provider charges to manage your care is capped at 10% of your quarterly budget. This is enforceable under the Aged Care Rules 2025. | 1 November 2025 |
| ACQSC refund powers | The ACQSC can now order providers to refund participants where overcharging is found. Providers can also face regulatory action for failing to issue monthly statements. | Announced May 2026 |
| Quarterly price comparisons | The government has committed to publishing quarterly summaries showing median and range of prices charged across providers for each service type. Publication is pending. | Announced May 2026 |
From 1 October 2026, personal care services — showering, dressing, continence support — move from Independence support (means-tested co-contribution) to Clinical Care, meaning zero co-contribution for all participants regardless of income or assets. This is a separate government decision and is not affected by the price caps deferral. If your provider quotes personal care costs for services after October 2026, they should be quoting zero co-contribution from that date.
Ask your provider for their published price schedule
Your provider is required to publish their prices. If you have not seen a current price list, ask for one in writing. Compare the rates on your monthly statement to what the published schedule says.
Check your service agreement for a price review clause
Your agreement should state that your provider must notify you before changing prices and that you must agree before any change takes effect. If this clause is absent or vague, raise it with your provider now.
Use the quarterly price comparison when it is published
The government has committed to publishing a quarterly National Summary of Support at Home Prices showing the median and range of prices across providers for each service type. When this becomes available, check where your provider sits. A provider charging significantly above the median warrants a direct conversation.
Raise concerns with the ACQSC if needed
If you believe your provider is charging unreasonably or has changed prices without proper notice, you can raise a complaint with the ACQSC on 1800 951 822. The ACQSC now has power to order refunds.
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Review your current service agreement to confirm your provider's published rates, price review clauses, and what happens when prices change.
The government said it needs greater confidence in market stability before setting caps. It cited global economic volatility and concern that caps set now — against an elevated baseline of provider costs — would lock in high prices rather than reduce them. The government has established a working group with OPAN, COTA Australia, Ageing Australia, and the ACQSC to develop a more robust definition of reasonable pricing before caps are introduced.
No new date has been officially confirmed. The government described the deferral as open-ended, pending greater confidence in market conditions. Do not rely on any specific future date — follow My Aged Care or AgedCareActionPlan.au for updates when a new timeline is announced.
Several protections apply. Providers must publish their prices — they cannot charge rates that are not disclosed. They cannot charge entry fees, exit fees, or separate administration fees. The care management fee is capped at 10% of your quarterly budget. The ACQSC has new powers to order refunds where providers are found to be overcharging, and to take action against providers not issuing monthly statements. The government has also committed to publishing quarterly price comparisons so families can check how their provider's rates compare to the market median.
Yes. The reclassification of personal care — showering, dressing, continence support — from Independence support (means-tested co-contribution) to Clinical Care (zero co-contribution) is a separate policy decision and is still proceeding from 1 October 2026. This is not affected by the price caps deferral. From that date, personal care carries no co-contribution for any participant regardless of financial situation.
Ask your provider for their current published price list. Check your service agreement for a price review clause — it should state that your provider must notify you before changing prices and that you must agree before new prices take effect. When the government publishes its quarterly price comparisons, use them to check whether your provider's rates are near the median or significantly above it. If you believe you are being overcharged, you can raise a complaint with the ACQSC on 1800 951 822.
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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.