Who gets residential respite
Residential respite care gives an older person or their carer a break from their usual care arrangements by staying temporarily in an aged care home.
An older person must be approved by an aged care assessment to access government-subsidised residential respite care.
Eligible people are entitled to 63 days of respite care in a financial year. This can be extended by up to another 21 days if an aged care assessor approves it.
Learn more about managing residential respite care.
Respite care subsidy
The Australian Government pays a subsidy to residential aged care providers for each day a respite resident is in their care.
The respite care subsidy is funded under the Australian National Aged Care Classification (AN-ACC) based on location and assessed care needs.
You don’t get a separate allocation of residential respite places. You must use a portion of your residential aged care places to provide respite care, known as respite days.
Supplements
Respite accommodation supplement
You will receive this supplement for each day a person is in your care to help cover their accommodation costs.
Services Australia automatically pays this supplement for eligible respite residents.
Other supplements for residential respite
Respite care residents may also be eligible for:
Claiming residential respite subsidies
You need to submit an online claim each month with Services Australia. Include the details of each resident you’re claiming residential respite subsidies for in that month.
Subsidy payment
You will receive an advance payment in the first few days of each month. Services Australia estimates the payment amount based on past payments.
When they get a claim form, Services Australia checks the advance payment against the form. If needed, Services Australia will either:
- make an extra payment
- reduce the following month’s payment.
Services Australia may deduct other amounts from the payment, such as:
- amounts to repay capital grants
- recovery of overpayments.
Starting 1 July 2026, we will transition to a payment system based on services delivered. You will gradually transition over a 2-year period to minimise disruption.
Current rates
The respite care subsidy is subject to change on 1 October each year, following advice from the Independent Health and Aged Care Pricing Authority,
The respite care subsidy is indexed on 1 July each year.
See the daily rates in the Schedule of Subsidies and Supplements.
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