About temporary leave
Temporary leave is when a person stops receiving residential care services for a while.
A person can take leave for any reason. This does not affect their right to residential care services. Their place is secured.
A person’s leave can affect:
It depends on the type of leave they take and how long their leave is for.
A person must tell you the date they will start leave. They do not have to do this in writing.
Types of leave
Residents can take leave for:
- help with moving in
- a hospital stay
- transition care
- social reasons (this includes any reason not listed above)
- emergencies declared by the Government.
Pre-entry leave
New and transferring residents can use 7 days of pre-entry leave. Pre-entry leave lets the resident:
- secure their place in the aged care home
- prepare for their move.
Pre-entry leave is only available if the room is ready for the resident.
How it affects fees and subsidy
You can only charge the basic daily fee to a resident on pre-entry leave. You will not get the residential aged care subsidy while the resident is on pre-entry leave.
Pre-entry leave provisions are in Subsection 42-3(3) of the Aged Care Act 1997.
Hospital leave
Residents who go to hospital are entitled to unlimited days of hospital leave.
How it affects fees and subsidy
While on hospital leave, the resident continues to pay their agreed fees and daily accommodation costs.
From day 29 of hospital leave the Government will cease paying basic subsidy on behalf of the resident. This is the variable component of Australian National Aged Care Classification (AN-ACC) funding. The Base Care Tariff (BCT), the fixed component of AN-ACC funding, will continue to be paid by the Government on behalf of the resident.
Once the subsidy has been reduced, the resident will continue to pay their agreed fees and accommodation costs. However, the reduced subsidy may result in a reduction to the resident’s means-tested care fee, if they pay one.
You cannot charge the resident a fee to reserve their place in your service to cover the subsidy reduction.
Hospital leave details are in:
- Section 42-2 of the Aged Care Act 1997
- Section 9 of the Aged Care (Subsidy, Fees and Payments) Determination 2014.
Transition care leave
Residents who go into transition care after being in hospital can access transition care leave.
How it affects fees and subsidy
While on transition care leave, the resident continues to pay fees and daily accommodation costs. This might have an impact on their ability to pay transition care fees.
Social leave (all other types of leave)
Residents are entitled to 52 days of social leave in a financial year. Residents can also take extra social leave. However, the Government will not pay the subsidy for those days.
To count as social leave, the resident must stay overnight somewhere else. A resident can spend every weekend in a year on social leave.
How it affects fees and subsidy
During social leave, the Government will continue to pay the subsidy to you on behalf of the resident.
The resident will continue to pay agreed fees and daily accommodation costs.
If the resident goes over their 52 days of leave, the Government won’t pay the subsidy for those days.
This means you can now ask the resident to pay a fee to reserve their place in your service. This fee is in addition to their agreed fees and daily accommodation costs.
Social leave details are in Section 42-2 and Section 52C-5 of the Aged Care Act 1997.
Emergency leave
During a significant emergency, the Australian Government may allow permanent aged care residents to take emergency leave for a specified period and location. This can occur during:
- disasters (natural or otherwise)
- epidemics
- pandemics.
Residents who take emergency leave don't use any of their their social leave entitlements. This means they can move in with their family during the emergency without losing their aged care place.
How it affects subsidy and fees
Aged care homes will continue to be paid the residential care subsidy when residents are on emergency leave.
Residents will still be required to pay their basic daily fees and any means tested care fee and daily accommodation payment obligations while on emergency leave. You cannot charge the resident any new fees to reserve their place in a service while on emergency leave.
Emergency leave details are in Section 42-2(3B)(c) of the Aged Care Act 1997.
Hospital stays during an emergency
If a resident needs to go into hospital when emergency leave has been activated, they should still take hospital leave. Emergency leave is intended to be used for non-hospital situations.
Read more about emergency leave in our fact sheets for residents or providers.
Leave balances
A person’s leave balance resets on 1 July each year.
Leave balances transfer with a person if they change providers.
What you need to do
When a resident goes on leave, you must record the leave dates in the monthly claim form you submit to Services Australia.
While they’re on leave, you must not provide any services to that resident.
Contact
Residential aged care fees contact