Daily fees and contributions
| Fee | Maximum | Who pays |
|---|---|---|
| Basic daily fee | $68.93 a day | Everyone |
| Hotelling contribution | $22.15 a day | Means tested, no cap |
| Non-clinical care contribution | $109.45 a day | Means tested, capped |
| Maximum accommodation supplement | $73.73 a day | Paid by the government for supported residents |
The most anyone pays in fees, before the room, is $200.53 a day. The basic daily fee alone is about $25,159 a year.
Caps
| Cap | Amount |
|---|---|
| Non-clinical care contribution, lifetime | $140,653 |
| Non-clinical care contribution, time limit | 4 years of paying it |
| Hotelling contribution | No cap |
| Home counted in the means test | Up to $219,858 |
Room payments
| Item | Rate |
|---|---|
| Maximum permissible interest rate (MPIR) | 8.51%, 1 October to 31 December 2026 |
| Lump sum (RAD) retention | 2% a year, for up to 5 years |
| Daily payment (DAP) indexation | Every 20 March and 20 September |
To convert a room price to a daily payment, use the RAD to DAP calculator.
Assets test
| Assessable assets between | Counted at |
|---|---|
| $0 – $66,500 | Nothing |
| $66,500 – $219,858 | 17.5% |
| $219,858 – $266,000 | Nothing |
| $266,000 – $369,367 | 7.8% |
| $369,367 – $552,858 | Nothing |
| Above $552,858 | 7.8% |
Income test
| Yearly income (single) | Counted at |
|---|---|
| $0 – $36,455 | Nothing |
| $36,455 – $90,130 | 50% |
| $90,130 – $105,048 | Nothing |
| $105,048 – $121,173 | 50% |
| $121,173 – $145,818 | Nothing |
| Above $145,818 | 50% |
For a member of a couple, the income free area is about $35,727, the first threshold about $89,402 and the top threshold about $142,906, applied to half of the couple's combined income.
How the numbers fit together
- The income and assets amounts are added and divided by 364 to give a daily means-tested amount.
- The first $73.73 a day goes towards the room. Below that, the government pays the rest of the room.
- The next $22.15 a day is the hotelling contribution.
- Anything above that is the non-clinical care contribution, up to $109.45 a day.
Try it with your own numbers in the aged care fees calculator.
When rates change
Fees, caps and thresholds are indexed on 20 March and 20 September each year. The MPIR changes every quarter on 1 January, 1 April, 1 July and 1 October. People already in care before 1 November 2025 stay on the older fee rules.
Where these figures come from
- Department of Health, Disability and Ageing: Schedule of fees and charges for residential care
- Department of Health, Disability and Ageing: Residential aged care fee scenarios
- My Aged Care: Aged care home costs and fees
Last checked 5 October 2026. Results are estimates, not financial advice. For an official estimate call My Aged Care on 1800 200 422.