About aged care assessments
The first step to getting government-funded aged care services is to check if you are eligible for an assessment.
An aged care assessment works out:
- your aged care needs
- the types of care and services you may be eligible for.
You can request an assessment:
- online at the My Aged Care website
- by calling My Aged Care on 1800 200 422
- in-person with an Aged Care Specialist Officer at a Services Australia office. Book an appointment by calling 1800 227 475 through an Elder Care Support worker by emailing aged.care@naccho.org.au or seeing the list of Elder Care Support providers.
Why aged care assessment reform is important
Previously, there were different assessment pathways. As a result, assessments were not consistent and older people often moved between assessment organisations as their needs changed.
The Single Assessment System is designed to improve the aged care experience by:
- providing a single assessment pathway so you don’t have to change assessment providers as your needs change
- reducing the amount of times you have to tell your story
- ensuring access to assessments in regional, remote and rural areas
- reducing wait times to access aged care assessment.
The Single Assessment System for aged care responds to Recommendation 28 of the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety.
About the Single Assessment System
The Single Assessment System for aged care has 3 key parts:
- The Integrated Assessment Tool (IAT) is a tool for assessing eligibility for Australian Government-funded aged care. The use of this tool began on 1 July 2024.
- The Single Assessment System workforce brought together 3 different assessment workforces on 9 December 2024.
- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander assessment organisations are rolling out in a phased approach from August 2025. They aim to provide older Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people aged care assessments in a culturally safe way.
We also introduced Triage Delegates who undertake a short triage process with an older person to help work out what type of assessment is needed. They will do this within 2 weeks of receiving referrals for an aged care needs assessment.
Who will be affected
Anyone accessing aged care services will go through this assessment system. The Single Assessment System is expected to support about 500,000 older people who seek access to aged care services each year.
There are no changes to aged care eligibility requirements or referrals to urgent services.
New assessment tool
From 1 July 2024 the Integrated Assessment Tool (IAT) is used to assess eligibility for Australian Government-subsidised aged care, replacing the National Screening and Assessment Form.
The tool collects better information to ensure service recommendations and referrals are tailored to your individual needs.
Read more about the IAT and how we trialled it to ensure it is ready for launch.
Single Assessment System workforce
From 9 December 2024, the Single Assessment System brought together and replaced the current aged care assessment workforces.
States and territory governments continue to deliver all hospital-based assessments.
Find out more about the Single Assessment System workforce.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander assessment organisations
From August 2025, a small number of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander assessment organisations have started offering aged care assessments in regions across Australia.
They will ensure assessments:
- are culturally safe, trauma aware and healing informed
- better connect older Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people with appropriate services.
Stay up to date
For updates about the new Single Assessment System, subscribe to the aged care sector newsletter and alerts.