When you move into an aged care home, you can pay your accommodation costs in one of three ways: as a refundable lump sum, as daily rental payments, or as a combination of the two.
If you choose to pay all or part of your accommodation costs as a lump sum payment, the balance of your lump sum must be refunded to you if you leave your aged care home.
Which lump sums must be refunded?
How much will I get back?
How long does it take to get my refund?
What happens after a resident passes away?
How much interest will I be paid on my lump sum?
What if my aged care home can’t refund my lump sum?
Moving to a new aged care home
Which lump sums must be refunded?
Accommodation lump sums that must be refunded when you leave your home include:
- Refundable accommodation deposit (RAD)
- Refundable accommodation contribution (RAC)
- Accommodation bond (if you entered care and paid a lump sum before 1 July 2014).
How much will I get back?
The balance of your lump sum will be returned to you or your estate. This is your total lump sum payment minus any deductions that you have agreed to.
Deductions taken from your lump sum could be a daily accommodation payment or any other aged care fees you have agreed to with your provider.
How long does it take to get my refund?
If you decide to permanently leave residential care, the lump sum must be refunded to you within 14 days after the day you leave.
If you are leaving your current aged care home and moving to a new one, the amount of notice you give will determine when your lump sum needs to be refunded. You should give your current home ample notice to ensure that your refund can be returned to you as soon as possible.
Notice periods
All aged care homes must refund accommodation lump sums within 14 days’ notice of your intention to move to another home. This means that if you give:
- more than 14 days’ notice, your lump sum balance must be refunded on the day you leave
- up to 14 days’ notice, your lump sum balance must be refunded within 14 days after the day you give notice
- no notice, your lump sum balance must be refunded within 14 days after the day you leave.
What happens after a resident passes away?
If a resident passes away, the aged care home must refund their lump sum balance less any allowable amounts that have been deducted over the care period. This must be done within 14 days of the provider receiving either:
- proof of probate of the resident’s Will (the official proving of a Will) or
- letters of administration (authority to administer the estate of someone who has died without making a Will).
The provider may refund the lump sum balance without proof of these documents, if they are confident that the correct legal beneficiary has been identified. However, they do have the right to see these documents. This protects the provider and ensures the resident’s wishes are followed by confirming who is entitled to the refund.
How much interest will I be paid on my lump sum?
During your 14-day refund period, your aged care home will pay you interest on your lump sum payment at the base interest rate (BIR).
No interest is earned on your lump sum payment while you are receiving care.
If your home takes longer than 14 days to refund your lump sum, they will have to pay you interest at a higher rate, the maximum permissible interest rate (MPIR).
Read more about the BIR and MPIR and view current rates on the Department of Health and Aged Care website.
What if my aged care home can’t refund my lump sum?
If your aged care provider becomes bankrupt or insolvent and cannot give you your refund, the Australian Government guarantees to pay it back to you. This includes any interest due since you left care.
This is called the Accommodation Payment Guarantee Scheme, and it covers all residents of Australian Government-subsidised aged care services who have paid a lump sum.
Moving to a new aged care home
Before moving, you need to agree to fee arrangements with the new aged care home.
If you moved into an aged care home before 1 July 2014, you will keep your existing fee arrangements unless you choose to opt into the fee arrangements that commenced on 1 July 2014 with your new provider before you move. Read more about aged care costs if you entered care before 1 July 2014.
How to make a complaint
If you have any concerns about your accommodation refund, there are two ways you can make a complaint:
- Speak to the manager at your aged care home about your concerns.
- If you are not comfortable raising your concerns, or cannot resolve your concerns with your aged care home, you can contact the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission.
Read more about how to make a complaint.