The Australian Government has announced that the new Aged Care Act will commence on 1 November 2025. This delayed date follows feedback from the aged care sector that a brief start-date deferral and will mean a better outcome for older people.
This will allow more time for us to work with our consumers and our staff within our aged care services, and get our systems ready for the changes. It will also allow Government extra time to:
- help prepare older people for the changes
- finalise key operational and digital processes
- produce implementation guidance and training.
The brief deferral will ensure older people accessing home care services continue to receive safe, quality care and have the time to understand the Support at Home changes, including:
- service agreements and care plans
- service lists, prices and contributions to non-clinical services.
It will also allow for Parliament to consider an amendment Bill that will set up the final details of the Aged Care Rules and enable effective operation of the new Act.
The new Act will transform aged care laws to put the rights of older people first. It includes, for the first time, a Statement of Rights for older people and a Statement of Principles to guide how providers and workers must behave and make decisions.