The Aged Care Means Test Explained
The aged care means test explained: how Services Australia assesses your income and assets, what it sets for your fees, and how to complete it.
What the means test is
What counts as income
What counts as assets
How the calculation works
Home care and the means test
How to complete the means test
Frequently asked questions
What is the aged care means test?
It's a financial assessment by Services Australia that looks at your income and assets to work out how much you contribute towards aged care. The result shapes fees like the means-tested care fee in residential care and your participant contribution rates for care at home.
How is my home treated in the aged care means test?
For aged care fees, your former home is generally counted only up to a capped, indexed value rather than its full market value. It may be exempt entirely if a protected person, such as a spouse or a carer who has lived there, continues to live in it.
Do I have to do the means test?
It's voluntary, but skipping it usually means being charged the maximum fees by default. Completing it can reduce what you pay and may qualify you for government help with accommodation costs if you're assessed as low means. Some full pensioners may not need a separate assessment.
How do I complete the aged care means test?
Gather your income, investment, super and property details, complete the relevant Services Australia aged care means assessment form, and submit it online, by post, or with help from My Aged Care. You then receive a fee outcome your provider uses to set your contributions.