Residential Aged Care Costs & Fees

Residential Aged Care Costs And Fees in Mandurah

From 1 November 2025, aged care fees will change.

Assessment of Income and assets will continue to be used to determine costs for those living in Residential care, but the types of contributions will change.
If you’re living in or move permanently into an aged care home on or before 31 October 2025, your current residential and accommodation payment arrangements will stay the same while you remain in care.

When  you move into Residential care on or after 1 November 2025 you will pay fees under one of two arrangements. This depends upon when you first accessed or were approved for aged care services including Home Care Services:

• 1 July 2014 Fee arrangements- for those approved for or accessing Home Care Services prior to 12 September 2024
• 1 November 2025 Fee Arrangements For those not approved for or accessing Home Care services prior to 12 September 2024.

Summary of fees

Contributions for everyday living costs 

Basic daily fee

This fee is set by the Government and is equal to 85% of the single person rate of the basic age pension.

It helps pay for the day-to-day services and living costs such as meals, laundry and cleaning – the kind of things you pay for when living in your own home. Everyone is expected to pay a basic daily fee to cover these services.

The fee is paid directly to the Residential Aged Care Facility and is charged for each day you reside there, including days when you might be away overnight; for example, on holiday or in hospital.

Means-tested fees- Hotelling and NCCC

These fees are determined by the Department of Human Services (Centrelink) through an income and assets assessment. The means-tested fees are a contribution that some residents may need to make towards the cost of Hotelling and non-clinical care.

Hotelling is for services such as catering, cleaning and gardening Non-Clinical care can include help with bathing, mobility and lifestyle activities.

Some residents have this fee paid in full by the Government.

There are lifetime caps on the amount any individual is required to contribute to NCCC

A lifetime cap will mean residents will no longer have to pay the NCCC once they reach this and a daily cap is also applied. Fees paid under the Support at Home Program also count towards the lifetime cap.

Higher Everyday Living fee

The Higher Everyday Living Fee (HELF) is an optional fee for people who choose to receive higher quality everyday living services in permanent or respite residential aged care.

Higher everyday living services can be provided as a bundle.

Higher everyday living services cannot be agreed before a person has entered care or be a condition of entry. A HELF Agreement must be separate from the Service Agreement and Accommodation Agreement.

Accommodation Fee

A contribution amount, or full payment, for your accommodation is required depending on eligibility for Government assistance.

Each Residential Aged Care Facility sets its own room pricing.

If you can afford it, the Government does expect you to pay for your own room. However, there is assistance with some or all the accommodation costs which is determined by the income and assets assessment.  This is just like a mortgage payment or rent.  

Our room prices range from $326,000 to $499,000 depending upon various factors including if the room is shared, it’s outlook and size. Where a Refundable Accommodation Deposit (RAD) is paid in full or part for your accommodation providers retain 2% per year of the balance for up to five years.

Means Assessment

From 1 November 2025, under the new Aged Care Act, the means assessment for residential aged care fees will be conducted by:

1. Services Australia

• This is the primary agency responsible for assessing the income and assets of most aged care residents.
• The assessment determines:
  • Eligibility for government support with accommodation costs.
  • Whether the resident must pay means-tested fees such as the Hotelling Contribution and Non-Clinical Care Contribution.

2. Department of Veterans’ Affairs (DVA)

• For residents who are DVA clients, the DVA performs the means assessment instead of Services Australia.