Aged care means assessment 065-09000000

A means assessment is the assessment of a care recipient's income and/or assets. It determines the type and level of contribution a care recipient must make towards their aged care costs.

For Support at Home:

• Care recipients who were approved for a Home Care Package or a Support at Home classification after 12 September 2024 are assessed as post 2025 scheme care recipients. A means assessment will:
• be an income and assets assessment
• determine the care recipient's contribution to their care costs
• care recipients approved for a Home Care Package on or before 12 September 2024 are considered grand parented and will be assessed as post 2014 scheme care recipients. A means Assessment under this scheme will
• be an income assessment only
• determine if a care recipient would have been liable to pay an Income Tested Care Fee (ITCF) under home care provisions and then apply correct rules for Support at Home contribution rates
• Determine if a care recipient was liable for ITCF based on their income and set Support at Home contribution rates, either 0% for those not liable to pay ITCF, or special reduced rates for ITCF liability
• Maintain Support at Home rates so a care recipient is no worse off under Support at Home

For residential aged care:

• for care recipients assessed under a post 1 November 2025 or post 1 July 2014 assessment, a means assessment is a combined income and assets assessment
• the means assessment determines the care recipient's contributions to their accommodation and care costs
• for care recipients assessed under pre 1 July 2014 schemes, a means assessment is done via separate assessments for income and assets
• the income assessment determines the income tested fee and the assets assessment (where completed) determines the accommodation cost and government funding (where appropriate)

Assessments are completed in Process Direct. If a care recipient or authorised third party contacts to request a calculation of their cost of care, they can do this in one of the following ways:

• Automatically
• Process Direct can complete a means assessment automatically where the care recipient has commenced care, and the required details are available in the system
• As a verbal assessment
• Can be undertaken where the details are available in the system and any outstanding details can be obtained verbally
• Via an online Aged Care - Calculation of your cost of care
• The online channel is the preferred option where a verbal assessment cannot be complete
• Care recipients or their correspondence nominee must be registered with an 'active' Centrelink online account
• Organisation nominees must be registered for the Business Hub to access nominee services online
• Via lodgement of a form. Depending on care type, the form will be one of the following:
• Support at Home Calculation of your cost of care (SA456)
• Residential Aged Care Calculation of your cost of care (SA457), or
• Residential Aged Care Property details for Centrelink and DVA customers (SA485)

The Resources page contains links to these forms.

Signature requirements for Aged Care Calculation of your cost of care differ from Social Security forms. Unlike Social Security forms, if an Aged Care Calculation of your cost of care form is:

• signed by a care recipient or authorised third party anywhere on the form, the form can be accepted, this includes if care recipient is partnered the form can be accepted as the declaration has been acknowledged that the partner is aware/notified their personal and financial details will be collected by Services Australia for the purposes of the means assessment
• unsigned, it can be accepted following verbal contact in some circumstances

See Aged care means assessment - preliminary checks for details regarding means assessment validity periods.

Online services is the preferred method for lodging an aged care means assessment.

Access online services using:

• Centrelink online account in MyGov, for care recipients and their nominees
• Nominee Services in Business Hub, for organisations lodging on behalf of recipients
• Assisted Customer Claim (ACC), for Service Officers assisting over the phone to collect details from a care recipient or correspondence nominee

All online applications:

• are viewed in Process Direct
• will show in Documents once submitted

When a care recipient completing an online application advises that there is a carer or close relative living in their principal home, they may be considered a protected person. A supplementary task will be created. This allows the carer or close relative to complete their assessment online.

At the end of the care recipient’s application, instructions are provided for their carer or close relative. This includes the application ID and Temporary Access Code (TAC) required. Carers and close relatives use the application ID and TAC to submit their assessment. This is via a link on the Aged care carer or close relative assessment webpage.

For carers or close relatives who choose not to use online services:

• income support customers can use the Aged Care Calculation of your cost of care forms
• non-income support customers must use the Aged Care Carer or close relative assessment (SA483) form

Aged Care Calculation of your cost of care forms are available for:

• care recipients and
• their nominees

Who cannot or prefer not to use the online service.

In addition to the online Aged Care Calculation of your cost of care application, the Aged Care Calculation of your cost of care application paper forms are available on the Services Australia website. The Resources page has a link to the forms and explains which forms are needed.

The Service Officer can explain, the benefits of accessing the online aged care calculation of your cost of care application to the care recipient, including:

• streaming questions so they only need to provide the required details
• prepopulating the online application with details from their Centrelink record giving the opportunity to update any out of date details
• monitoring the progress of their application through their Centrelink online account

The Service Officer can encourage care recipients:

• to access the forms from the website
• print and complete a paper form (SA456, SA457 or SA485)

For care recipient's that are unable to access the form online, the Service Officer can issue the form using the Customer First Mail Forms Guided Procedure, including:

• SA456 (Support at Home) and SA457 (residential aged care) forms:
• for a care recipient that does not receive a means tested payment from Centrelink or Department of Veterans' Affairs (DVA)
• requests all income and asset details needed for the completion of a means assessment
• the SA456 form is for previously collected income details only
• SA485 (residential aged care property details) form:
• for care recipient's that receive a means tested payment from Centrelink or DVA and own or part own their home, including retirement villages. Use when a verbal assessment is not able to be completed
• shorter than the SA457 form, and only collects details related to the principal home

The request for information (RFI) process for carers and close relatives when assessing Aged Care Calculation of your cost of care forms (SA457 and SA485) has changed.

The Aged Care Carer or close relative assessment (SA483.2103) form replaces the decommissioned questionnaire. Links to forms are available on the Resources page.

Pre 1 July 2014 schemes

Home care providers are responsible for aged care means assessments for home care recipients assessed under pre 1 July 2014 schemes.

Care recipients who commenced a package prior to 1 July 2014 are not required to complete a new income assessment unless there is a break in care of greater than 28 days.

Pre 1 July 2014 care recipients are not able to opt into post 1 July 2014 after 1 November 2025.

Post 1 July 2014 schemes

The agency or DVA previously completed home care means assessments for care recipients assessed under post 1 July 2014 schemes and who commenced:

• a new package on or after 1 July 2014
• a Home Care package approved on or before 12 September 2024, regardless of start date for home care/Support at Home

Aged Care Calculation of your cost of care applications (or SA456) required

An online Aged Care Calculation of your cost of care application or the Support at Home - Calculation of your cost of care (SA456) form is needed when the care recipient:

• is a self-funded retiree (includes care recipients who receive a foreign pension)
• receives a Centrelink non-means tested income support payment (Care recipients with a partner that receives a Centrelink means tested payment may not need to lodge a form. Examples of non-means tested payments include:
• Age Pension (Blind)
• Disability Support Pension (Blind)
• Carer Allowance
• Mobility Allowance
• receives a Department of Veterans' Affairs (DVA) non-means tested payment, for example, a War widow(er) 's Pension (without an Income Support Supplement)

Aged Care Calculation of your cost of care applications (or SA456) not required

The online Aged Care Calculation of your cost of care application or the SA456 is not needed for care recipients that do not need a means assessment.

A new means assessment form is not needed when the:

• Support at Home recipient
• has entered care within 28 days of departure from previous Support at Home
• is receiving a means tested Centrelink or DVA income support payment
• care recipient has entered care within a current pre-entry assessment period. Confirm lapse date on RCA Means Test Details (RMND) screen
• care recipient or partner are non-homeowners and are receiving:
• an income support payment, or
• a Blind pension with Rent Assistance
• care recipient is currently assessed under Pre 1 July 2014 scheme or Post 2014 scheme Category A and has changed providers

The need for a means assessment is checked as part of the pre-processing check in Process Direct.

Where an online application or SA456 is not needed and the care recipient has:

• entered care, the means assessment will complete automatically
• not entered care, the means assessment must be completed online, verbally or by using an SA456 form

A residential aged care means assessment is required for care recipients who:

• enter or are considering entering permanent residential aged care for the first time after 1 November 2025
• re-entered permanent residential aged care after a break in care of more than 28 days on or after 1 July 2014
• enter permanent residential aged care prior to 1 July 2014 and are considering opting in to a post 1 November 2025 assessment scheme

The residential aged care means assessment determines:

• the daily means tested care fee for post 1 July 2014 assessment scheme,
• the hotelling contribution and or the non–clinical care contributions for post 1 November 2025 assessment scheme, and
• liability for accommodation costs for both the post 1 July 2014 and post 1 November 2025 assessment schemes

Liability for accommodation costs

The care recipient's status is set at the date of permanent entry to care. It determines liability for accommodation costs. The status will be either low means or not low means.

A low means care recipient is eligible for assistance with their accommodation costs. They can be asked to pay either:

• an Accommodation Contribution. This is a partial contribution towards the accommodation cost (the government will pay the remainder)
• no accommodation costs. The government will pay the full accommodation cost

A not low means care recipient is not eligible for government assistance with their accommodation costs. They must pay an Accommodation Payment (the accommodation price they agree to with the registered provider). The accommodation price must be agreed to before entry to care.

The care recipient's status will not change following entry to care, even if there are changes to their circumstances.

For low means care recipients, a change in circumstances after entry to care:

• may affect the amount of accommodation contribution and/or means tested fee payable
• will not make them liable for an accommodation payment while they remain in the same facility

For not low means care recipients, a change in circumstances after entry to care:

• may affect the amount of means tested fee payable
• will not affect the accommodation price that was agreed to prior to entering care

A previously low means care recipient may be reassessed and found to be not low means at date of entry to care. Any accommodation supplement paid to the registered provider is recovered and the care recipient asked to pay an accommodation payment.

Note: if the means assessment was incorrect at the date of entry, any review of the means assessment may be backdated.

The Resources page contains:

• calculation examples of residential aged care means assessments
• fee calculation worksheets for manual calculation of residential aged care fees, and
• links to Department of Health, Disability and Ageing's Schedule of Fees and Charges for Residential and Home Care Recipients - Pre and Post 1 July 2014 assessment schemes

Online Aged Care Calculation of your cost of care application or a Residential Aged Care - Calculation of your cost of care (SA457) form

An online application or the SA457 must be lodged for care recipients who:

• are self-funded retirees (includes care recipients who receive a foreign pension)
• receive a Centrelink non-means tested income support payment. Examples include:
• Aged Pension (Blind)
• Disability Support Pension (Blind)
• Carer Allowance
• Mobility Allowance
• homeowners with a partner receiving a Centrelink means tested income support payment. Principal home details must be supplied verbally
• non homeowners receiving Rent Assistance or who have a partner receiving a Centrelink means tested income support payment. Principal home details must be supplied verbally
• receive a Department of Veterans' Affairs (DVA) non-means tested payment for example, a War Widow(er)'s Pension (without an Income Support Supplement)

Online Aged Care Calculation of your cost of care application or a Residential Aged Care Property details for Centrelink and DVA customers (SA485) form

An online application or the SA485 must be lodged for care recipients who are receiving a Centrelink or DVA means tested income support payment where the care recipient has:

• entered care, for:
• non-homeowners, the means assessment completes automatically
• homeowners, principal home details need to be provided verbally or via an SA485
• DVA care recipients, contact DVA to discuss if they need to complete an SA485 form or if they can lodge a verbal assessment
• not entered care and has requested a pre-entry assessment an automatic means assessment is not triggered. The application must be completed verbally, online or using the SA485 form

Aged Care Calculation of your cost of care application, SA457 or SA485 paper form not required

An online Aged Care Calculation of your cost of care application, SA457 or SA485 paper form is not needed for care recipients who are receiving a Centrelink:

• means tested income support payment (examples include Age Pension and Disability Support Pension) and are:
• non-homeowners
• homeowners where the record shows the partner is living in the home
• requesting a pre-entry assessment but have not yet entered care an automatic means assessment is not triggered. The application must be completed verbally, online or using the SA485 form
• non means tested income support payment (for examples include Age Pension (Blind) or Disability Support Pension (Blind)) and receive rent assistance or have a partner receiving a Centrelink means tested income support payment. If they have already provided income and asset details to Centrelink:
• principal home details must be supplied
• the assessments must be completed manually as they are not eligible for auto completion

DVA care recipients should contact DVA to discuss if they need to complete an SA485 form or if they can lodge a verbal assessment.

Prior to 1 July 2014, a means assessment was known as a Residential Care Assessment (RCA). The RCA covered 2 different types of assessment:

• Residential Care Income Assessment (RCIA), and
• Residential Care Assets Assessment (RCAA)

Income Assessments

Aged Care Income Assessments (previously known as RCIA) are applicable for care recipients who:

• first entered permanent residential aged care after 1 March 1998 and prior to 1 July 2014, and
• have not had a break in care of greater than 28 days since 1 July 2014

The income assessment determines the daily income tested fee amount. If no means assessment is completed, care recipients are liable for the full cost of their care, with a determination of Means Not Disclosed (MND). An income assessment could be completed at the time of entry or a care recipient could subsequently choose to complete an income assessment at a later date.

Assets Assessments

Aged Care asset assessments (previously known as RCAA) are required for care recipients:

• who first entered permanent residential aged care after 1 July 2005 and prior to 1 July 2014, and
• have not had a break in care of greater than 28 days since 1 July 2014

Applying for an assets assessment is voluntary. It is compulsory where the care recipient wishes to claim either:

• Concessional
• assisted, or
• supported resident status

Assets assessments can be completed either prior to, or after entry into care.

Prior to 1 July 2005, the registered provider completed these.

The assets assessment determines the resident status and if applicable the amount payable for accommodation costs. The care recipient will be liable for one of the following:

• Accommodation Bond:
• For those in low level care and extra service places
• Amount payable is dependent on the assets assessment
• Can be paid as a daily amount or as a lump sum and is negotiated with the registered provider
• Accommodation Charge
• For those in high level care
• Can only be paid as a daily amount
• Depending on the date that the care recipient first entered care, different rules about this charge apply. More details about these rules are available on the Resources page. This includes links to the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing - Residential Care Fees and Charges for residents that entered care before 1 July 2014

Form options for pre 1 July 2014 residential aged care recipients are:

• SA456 for an income assessment
• Advise the care recipient to disregard the instructions on the form that state they are not to be used for residential aged care. This only applies to care recipients who first entered care on or after 1 July 2014
• SA485 for an assets only assessment where the care recipient is in receipt of a Centrelink means tested income support payment
• See below note regarding details about debts
• SA457 for an assets only assessment where the care recipient is a self-funded retiree or is not in receipt of a Centrelink means tested income support payment
• see below note regarding details about debts
• SA457 to obtain an estimate of fees if they are considering opting in to the post 1 November 2025 assessment rules

The Resources page has links to forms.

Note: pre 1 July 2014 residential aged care recipients cannot complete an online Aged Care Calculation of your cost of care.

Care recipients assessed under pre 1 July 2014 schemes can deduct the value of debts from their assessable assets. Further details regarding any outstanding debts, other than a mortgage on their principal home, need to be provided in addition to the details requested on the SA457 and SA485.

Debts include:

• Credit card debts
• Personal loans
• Utility bills
• Medical bills

Specific details required include:

• The amount owing
• The name of the creditor
• The care recipient's percentage of share in the debt
• Their partner's percentage of share in the debt

It may be possible to obtain these details verbally, but in most cases a Request for information letter will need to be sent.

A care recipient who does not complete a means assessment is not eligible for government assistance with their fees. Exceptions apply to care recipients under the following caps:

• annual
• lifetime

Care recipients without a means assessment are deemed to be MND and liable for:

• the maximum care fee based on the cost of their care
• an Accommodation Payment if they are receiving residential aged care

From 1 November 2025:

• 2 types of MND for aged care will apply:
• failed to respond to the request to complete a means assessment, or
• elected to be MND (EMND)
• care recipients that elect to be MND:
• must make the request in writing
• will have the EMND status applied effective from the date of entry into care (entry into care must be after 1 November 2025). EMND is not applicable before 1 November 2025
• and are requesting a reassessment, will only have their aged care fees reassessed from the date they provide their means

MND Letters

Where a care recipient has:

• commenced care and does not have a valid means assessment:
• an MND initial letter is sent requesting they lodge an Aged Care Calculation of your cost of care
• If they do not reply to the MND initial letter, an MND reminder letter is sent (unless the care recipient elects to not disclose their means)
• When there is no reply to the MND reminder letter or the care recipient elects to be EMND, the MND final letter is sent. The final letter tells them they are now deemed to be MND and are liable to pay the maximum fees for their level of care
• commenced care and has advised they do not wish to disclose their means (EMND), the initial fee set letter is sent telling them they are:
• deemed to be MND, and
• liable to pay the maximum fees for their level of care
• not commenced care and has advised they do not wish to disclose their means (EMND), MND letters for the pre-entry assessment and after care has commenced are sent advising the care recipient they are liable to pay the maximum fees for their level of care

See Letter codes and descriptions in Aged care letters for details about MND letters.

Where a calculation of your cost of care application has commenced, and the documentation needed to complete the assessment is not received:

• a written request for information is issued
• the care recipient is deemed to be MND if the requested details are not provided

MND and responsible department/agency

For care recipients who entered care prior to 1 July 2019, the agency managed the MND process for all care recipients.

For care recipients entering care from 1 July 2019, the department/agency responsible for completing the means assessment manages the MND process.

Care recipients may commence Support at Home or residential aged care with the DVA as the responsible department. During their care period, the responsibility may change to Services Australia. Where change of responsibility occurs Process Direct will receive an entry event to create an RCA/HOM or RCA/NCL. The date of entry on RCIRC will display the date the responsible department changed. It will not show the actual date of entry into care. The change in responsibility date is the date of event for coding a means assessment.

Note: from 12 October 2024 onwards, Process Direct will receive all aged care entry and departure event notification instead of Customer First. Customer First will contain aged care event notification that occurred before 12 October 2024.

From 1 November 2025, DVA will be responsible for advising the MND status of the care recipients they are responsible for. This includes both elected MND and failed to provide their means information MND statuses.

A care recipient may choose to opt into post 1 November 2025 assessment rules if moving to a new registered provider or at any time, and currently assessed under any pre 1 November 2025 scheme. To opt in, the care recipient:

• must be moving into the same service type (residential aged care to residential aged care)
• if the move is from home to residential aged care, the care recipient will automatically be assessed under post 1 November 2025 rules depending on their grand parented status
• can be remaining in the same service and changing their means tested fee arrangements
• must lodge an AC022 (Continuing residential aged care recipient opting into the new arrangements from 1 November 2025 form)
• the ACO22 must be lodged with the new registered provider before moving to the new service or before the date of effect on the AC022 form, or
• must be lodged with the current provider if changing the fee arrangement without moving, and
• the registered provider will then lodge the AC022 form as part of the entry or using the Aged Care Provider Portal (ACPP) for the Aged Care Payments Team (Health Service Delivery Division) to review the form prior to processing the event
• see the Resources page for a link to this form

When an 'anytime' opt in is chosen by the care recipient, their accommodation costs remain unchanged as the resident status is determined at the date of entry.

Care recipients who are outside of care (other than on approved leave) for more than 28 days after leaving their former home or residential aged care service may be automatically subject to post 1 November 2025 assessment rules if they later re-enter care depending on their grandparenting status.

Once the care recipient has opted in, they cannot choose to return to their former fee arrangements. For more details see Opting into the post 1 November 2025 aged care means assessment arrangements.

• Pre 1 July 2014 care recipients are not able to opt in to the post 1 July 2014 scheme after 1 November 2025
• Post 1 July 2014 care recipients are not able to opt in to post 1 November 2025 Support at Home