The department released the final draft of the Aged Care Rules on 31 July 2025. These are still subject to passage and Royal Assent of amending legislation currently before the Australian Parliament. They will then be considered by the Minister for Aged Care and Seniors and will only take legal effect once signed by the Minister and published on the Federal Register of Legislation. The Government’s current timetable is for the Rules to commence alongside Support at Home on 1 November 2025, but this depends on those legislative and procedural steps being completed in time.
A key requirement is that each client must have a written service agreement before services begin. The Rules state that agreements should be in plain language, developed with the individual (and their supporters if they wish), and set out core information such as services to be delivered, pricing and indexation, how changes are made, and review arrangements. They must also include a cooling-off period and be reviewed at least annually.
Our template Support at Home Agreement has been developed with these obligations in mind. It is designed to present essential client information in a clear and practical format, supported by terms and annexures that address key requirements under the Rules. These annexures can include, for example, a Statement of Rights, a complaints and dispute resolution process, a price list, and an initial support plan and budget. Each of these can be tailored to reflect your service model.
The new Rules also introduce requirements in areas such as care and services planning, budgeting, monthly statements, handling unspent funds, and administrative notifications. At Panetta McGrath, we can assist you to adopt a fit-for-purpose agreement now and draw on additional support for other obligations as needed, so you can prepare well in advance, manage your compliance obligations with greater confidence, and focus on delivering quality services to your clients.
Please click here for a printable PDF highlighting how we can help.
