The New Aged Care Act: What Families & Providers Need to Know
The new Aged Care Act explained for families: the Statement of Rights, what changed on 1 November 2025, and how it links to the Support at Home program.
On 1 November 2025, Australia switched to a brand-new law for aged care — the first full rewrite in decades. If you help an older parent or relative navigate care, this affects you. This guide explains what the new Aged Care Act changed, the new Statement of Rights at its heart, and how it connects to the Support at Home program, in plain language for families.
A rights-based reset
The Statement of Rights
How it connects to Support at Home
What changed for families
What it means for providers
If you also deal with the NDIS
Where to get help
Frequently asked questions
When did the new Aged Care Act start?
The new Aged Care Act commenced on 1 November 2025, after being passed in late 2024. It replaced the previous 1997 law and started on the same day as the Support at Home program, which replaced Home Care Packages.
What is the Statement of Rights?
The Statement of Rights is the core of the new Act. It sets out what older people are entitled to in government-funded aged care — independence and choice, privacy and respect, safe quality care, and the right to raise concerns. Providers are legally obliged to deliver care in line with it.
Did my parent need a new assessment to keep their care?
No. People on a Home Care Package were automatically moved to an equivalent Support at Home funding level on 1 November 2025, without needing a new assessment just to transition. Their care continued while the new program took over.
How does it relate to the NDIS?
Aged care and the NDIS are separate systems with different laws and funding. The Aged Care Act covers older people; the NDIS covers eligible people with disability. Many families deal with both — our NDIS Reform Tracker covers the disability-side changes.