{"id":"F2025L01349","name":"Aged Care (Places Available for Allocation to Individuals 2025-2026) Determination 2025","slug":"aged-care-places-available-for-allocation-to-individuals-2025-2026-determination-2025","collection":"legislative_instrument","jurisdiction":"commonwealth","status":"in_force","isInForce":true,"actNumber":null,"makingDate":null,"administeringDepartment":null,"currentVersion":{"id":443030,"registerId":"F2025L01349-fast-fetch-1775957943799","compilationNumber":null,"startDate":"2026-04-12","status":"InForce","reasons":null,"registeredAt":null},"sections":[{"sectionNumber":"1","sectionType":"section","heading":"Aged Care (Places Available for Allocation to Individuals 2025-2026) Determination 2025","content":"---\nmeta-content-style-type: text/css\nmeta-content-type: application/xhtml+xml; charset=utf-8\n---\n\n![Commonwealth Coat of Arms of Australia](image.001.jpeg)\n\n \n\nAged Care (Places Available for Allocation to Individuals 2025-2026) Determination 2025\n\nI, Sam Rae, Minister for Aged Care and Seniors, make the following determination.\n\nDated  31 October 2025  \n\nSam Rae\n\nMinister for Aged Care and Seniors\n\n \n\n \n\n \n\nContents\n\nPart 1—Preliminary\n\n1  Name\n\n2  Commencement\n\n3  Authority\n\n4  Definitions\n\n5  Simplified outline of this instrument\n\nPart 2—Home support\n\n6  Method for working out the number of places available for the service group home support\n\n7  Method for working out the number of places available for the classification type short-term for the service group home support\n\n8  Method for working out the number of places available for the classification type ongoing for the service group home support\n\n9  Method for working out the number of places available for the classification level SAH end-of-life pathway for the classification type short-term for the service group home support\n\n10  Method for working out the number of places available for the classification level SAH restorative care pathway for the classification type short-term for the service group home support\n\n11  Method for working out the number of places available for the transitional classification levels for the classification type short-term for the service group home support\n\n12  Method for working out the number of places available for all classification levels for the classification type ongoing for the service group home support\n\n13  Method for working out the number of places available for interim places for the service group home support\n\n14  Method for working out the number of places available for full places for the service group home support\n\nPart 3—Assistive Technology\n\n15  Method for working out the number of places available for the service group assistive technology\n\n16  Method for working out the number of places available for the classification types short-term and ongoing for the service group assistive technology\n\n17  Method for working out the number of places available for AT classification levels for the  classification type short-term for the service group assistive technology\n\n18  Method for working out the number of places available for classification level assistance dog for the classification type ongoing for the service group assistive technology\n\nPart 4—Home modifications\n\n19  Method for working out the number of places available for the service group home modifications\n\n20  Method for working out the number of places available for the classification types short-term and ongoing for the service group home modifications\n\n21  Method for working out the number of places available for HM classification levels for the classification type short-term for the service group home modifications\n\nPart 5—Residential care\n\n22  Method for working out the number of places available for the service group residential care\n\n23  Method for working out the number of places available for the classification types short-term and ongoing for the service group residential care,\n\n24  Method for working out the number of places available for all classification levels for the classification type short-term for the service group residential care\n\n25  Method for working out the number of places available for all classification levels for the classification type ongoing for the service group residential care\n\nPart 6—Miscellaneous\n\n26  Calculations to be rounded down\n\n \n\n# Part 1—Preliminary\n\n1  Name\n\n  This instrument is the Aged Care (Places Available for Allocation to Individuals 2025-2026) Determination 2025.\n\n2  Commencement\n\n (1) Each provision of this instrument specified in column 1 of the table commences, or is taken to have commenced, in accordance with column 2 of the table. Any other statement in column 2 has effect according to its terms.\n\n \n\n- Commencement information\n- Column 1 Column 2 Column 3\n- Provisions Commencement Date/Details\n- The whole of this instrument. 1 November 2025\n\n\nNote: This table relates only to the provisions of this instrument as originally made. It will not be amended to deal with any later amendments of this instrument.\n\n (2) Any information in column 3 of the table is not part of this instrument. Information may be inserted in this column, or information in it may be edited, in any published version of this instrument.\n\n3  Authority\n\n  This instrument is made under subsection 91(1) of the Aged Care Act 2024.\n\n4  Definitions\n\nNote: A number of expressions used in this instrument are defined in the Act, including the following:\n\n(a) Classification level\n\n(b) Classification type\n\n(c)    Service group\n\n(d) Tier amount\n\n  In this instrument:\n\nAct means the Aged Care Act 2024.\n\nAge-sex group means a category of persons of a specific age (in one-year increments) and sex.\n\napprovals data means data produced by the Department for the previous financial year that specifies the number of older persons approved for residential permanent care and residential respite care by age, and sex.\n\n  average AT place cost is the number worked out as follows:\n\n (a) calculate the sum of all tier amounts under sections 212-5 and 212-10 of the Rules applicable to individuals who have an approval in effect for the service group assistive technology under section 65 of the Act;\n\n (b) divide the number at paragraph (a) by the number of individuals to whom that amount relates.\n\n  average HM place cost is the number worked out as follows:\n\n (a) calculate the total of all tier amounts under section 221-5 of the Rules applicable to individuals who have an approval in effect for the service group home modifications under section 65 of the Act;\n\n (b) divide the number at paragraph (a) by the number of individuals to whom that amount relates.\n\ncommitted expenditure for a particular service group, classification type or classification level, means the amount of funding calculated by the Department to be required for all individuals who have an approval in effect under section 65 of the Act and have been allocated a place under section 92 of the Act for that service group, classification type or classification level, for the financial year, including subsidies, fee reductions and supplements related to each individual.\n\nfinancial year means the 2025-2026 financial year commencing on 1 July 2025 and ending on 30 June 2026.\n\nforecast expenditure for a period, means the Department’s estimated expenditure for the period based on committed expenditure, consideration of the wait list and forecast new approvals. \n\ngeneral population data means the population data in the Annual Population Statement produced by Treasury for Australians aged 65 and over and sorted by age and sex.\n\nprevious financial year means the 2024-2025 financial year commencing on 1 July 2024 and ending on 30 June 2025.\n\nRules means the Aged Care Rules 2025.\n\nspecial appropriation means the amount of funding agreed by the Government of the Commonwealth to be allocated for the financial year to fund places in a service group, classification type or classification level as authorised by a provision within the Act.    \n\n\n\n\n \n\n5  Simplified outline of this instrument\n\n \n\nThis instrument is made under subsection 91(1) of the Act and provides a method for the\n\nfinancial year 2025-2026 to make a point in time calculation of:\n\n1.     how many places remain available to be allocated to individuals for the service groups home support, residential care, assistive technology and home modification;\n2.     how many of those places for each service group are available for allocation to either the ongoing or short-term classification types; and\n3.     how many of those places for each classification type are available for allocation to a particular classification level.\n\n\n \n\nFor the service group home support, this instrument also provides a method for calculating\n\nhow many of the places are available for allocation as interim places or full places.\n\n \n\nFor some classification types and classification levels, the places available will be up to the\n\nnumber of places available for the service group until the relevant budget is fully utilised.\n\nThis means that there is no cap on how many places are available for that classification type\n\nor classification level, other than the number of places available for their respective service\n\ngroup.\n\n# Part 2—Home support\n\n6  Method for working out the number of places available for the service group home support\n\n (1) For the purposes of paragraph 91(1)(a) of the Act, the method for working out the number of places available to be allocated to individuals at a time in the financial year for the service group home support is to calculate the sum of the available places for the following classification levels and classification types in the following order:\n\n(a) the classification level SAH restorative care pathway for the classification type short-term for the service group home support as calculated under paragraph 10(1)(d);\n\n(b) the classification level SAH end-of-life pathway for the classification type short-term for the service group home support as calculated under paragraph 9(1)(b); and\n\n (c) the classification type ongoing for the service group home support as calculated under paragraph 8(1)(c).\n\n(2)  If the number worked out at subsection (1) means that the total places available to be allocated at a time in the financial year for the service group home support would be less than the number of places required by subsection 91(6) of the Act, then the number of places available for allocation for the service group home support will be the number of places required to be available to ensure the number of places required by subsection 91(6) of the Act are available.\n\n7  Method for working out the number of places available for the classification type short-term for the service group home support\n\n  For the purposes of paragraph 91(1)(b) of the Act, the method for working out the number of places available to be allocated to individuals at a time in the financial year for the classification type short-term for the service group home support is that the number of places available is the number of places available for the service group as worked out by section 6.\n\n8  Method for working out the number of places available for the classification type ongoing for the service group home support\n\n(1)  For the purposes of paragraph 91(1)(b) of the Act, the method for working out the number of places available to be allocated to individuals at a time in the financial year for the classification type ongoing for the service group home support is the following:\n\n (a) subtract the following amounts from the special appropriation for the service group home support:             \n\n(i) the committed expenditure for service group home support, classification type ongoing;\n\n(ii) the SAH restorative care pathway special appropriation; and\n\n(iii) the committed expenditure for the SAH end-of-life pathway\n\n(iv) the committed expenditure for the SAH restorative care pathway insofar as it relates to supplements for individuals who meet the criteria under subsections 196-15(1), 196-20(1) or 196-25(1) of the Rules.\n\n  (b) multiply the SAH place cost by the remaining days in the financial year.\n\n  (c) divide the number worked out at (a) by the number worked out at (b).\n\n(2) The SAH place cost is:\n\n(a) if paragraph 13(1)(a) does not apply, the number calculated by:\n\n(i) calculating the sum of all base individual amounts under subsection 194-5(2) that apply to individuals who have been allocated a full place in the service group home support, classification type ongoing.\n\n(ii) dividing the number in subparagraph (i) by the number of places to which that amount relates.\n\n(b) if paragraph 13(1)(a) applies, the number calculated by following the steps in paragraph (a), divided by 60%.\n\n9  Method for working out the number of places available for the classification level SAH end-of-life pathway for the classification type short-term for the service group home support\n\n (1) For the purposes of paragraph 91(1)(c) of the Act, the method for working out the number of places available to be allocated to individuals at a time in the financial year for the classification level SAH end-of-life pathway for the classification type short-term for the service group home support is to identify the lesser of:\n\n(a)  the number of individuals who have an access approval in effect for the classification level SAH end-of-life pathway for the classification type short-term for the service group home support but not yet been allocated a place; or\n\n(b)  the number calculated by subtracting the committed expenditure for the service group home support from the special appropriation for home support and dividing that number by the SAH end-of life funding value.\n\n (2) The SAH end of life funding value is the number of days for initial credit prescribed by paragraph 195-1(a) of the Rules multiplied by the base individual amount for the SAH end-of-life pathway prescribed by item 2 of subsection 194-10(2) of the Rules.\n\n10  Method for working out the number of places available for the classification level SAH restorative care pathway for the classification type short-term for the service group home support\n\n (1) For the purposes of paragraph 91(1)(c) of the Act, the method for working out the number of places available to be allocated to individuals at a time in the financial year for the classification level SAH restorative care pathway for the classification type short-term for the service group home support is the following:\n\n(a)  calculate the committed expenditure for the classification level SAH restorative care pathway for the classification type short-term for the service group home support minus any amounts relating to supplements for individuals who meet the criteria under subsections 196-15(1), 196-20(1) or 196-25(1) of the Rules;\n\n(b)  divide the number at paragraph (a) by the restorative care funding value;\n\n  (c) subtract the number at paragraph (b) from the quarterly limit;\n\n (d)  if the number worked out at paragraph (c) is:\n\n (i) less than 1, then there are no places available; and\n\n(ii) more than or equal to 1, the number of places available for allocation for the classification level SAH restorative care pathway for the classification type short-term for the service group home support is that number.\n\n (2) The restorative care funding value is the maximum period of effect prescribed by section 80-55 of the rules multiplied by the base individual amount for the classification level SAH restorative care pathway for the classification type short-term for the service group home support prescribed by item 1 of subsection 194-10(2) of the Rules.\n\n (3) The quarters and their quarterly limits are\n\n| Quarter | Quarterly limit |\n| --- | --- |\n| 1 November 2025 – 31 December 2025 | 5,000 |\n| 1 January 2026 – 31 March 2026 | 10,000 |\n| 1 April 2026 – 30 June 2026 | 13,333 |\n\n\n \n\n11  Method for working out the number of places available for the transitional classification levels for the classification type short-term for the service group home support\n\n (1) For the purposes of paragraph 91(1)(c) of the Act, the method for working out the number of places available to be allocated to individuals at a time in the financial year for the following classification levels for the classification type short-term for the service group home support is that the number of places available is zero:\n\n  (a) STRC class;\n\n(b) HSST NATSIFACP;\n\n(c) HSST MPSP.\n\n12  Method for working out the number of places available for all classification levels for the classification type ongoing for the service group home support\n\n (1) For the purposes of paragraph 91(1)(c) of the Act, the method for working out the number of places available to be allocated to individuals at a time in the financial year for all classification levels for the classification type ongoing for the service group home support is the following:\n\n(a)  for the classification levels SAH Classes 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8 for the classification type ongoing for the service group home support, the number of places for each classification level is up to the number of places available for the classification type ongoing for the service group home support as worked out by section 8, allocated until such point as the special appropriation for the classification type is fully utilised; and\n\n (b) for the following classification levels for the classification type ongoing for the service group home support, the number of places is zero:\n\n(i) CHSP class;\n\n(ii) HCP class 1;\n\n(iii) HCP class 2;\n\n(iv) HCP class 3;\n\n(v) HCP class 4;\n\n(vi) CHSP transitional;\n\n(vii) HSO NATSIFACP; and\n\n(viii) HSO MPSP;\n\n \n\n13  Method for working out the number of places available for interim places for the service group home support\n\n (1) For the purposes of paragraph 91(1)(d) of the Act, the method for working out the number of places available to be allocated to individuals at a time in the financial year for interim places for all classification levels for the classification types ongoing and short-term for the service group home support in this part is that:\n\n (a) if the forecast expenditure exceeds the special appropriation for the classification type ongoing for the service group home support, 100 % of places available for allocation for classification levels SAH Classes 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8 of the classification type ongoing for the service group home support are available to be interim places; and\n\n (b) 0 % of places available for allocation for the classification levels SAH restorative care pathway and SAH end-of-life pathway for the classification type short term for the service group home support are available to be interim places.\n\n14  Method for working out the number of places available for full places for the service group home support\n\n (1) For the purposes of paragraph 91(1)(d) of the Act, the method for working out the number of places available to be allocated to individuals at a time in the financial year for full places for all classification levels for the classification types ongoing and short-term for the service group home support in this part is that:\n\n (a) if the forecast expenditure does not exceed the special appropriation for the classification type ongoing for the service group home support, 100 % of places available for allocation for the classification levels SAH Classes 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8 for classification type ongoing for the service group home support are available to be full places.\n\n (b) 100% of places available for allocation for the classification levels SAH restorative care pathway and SAH end-of-life pathway for the classification type short-term, are available to be full places.\n\n# Part 3—Assistive Technology\n\n15  Method for working out the number of places available for the service group assistive technology\n\n (1) For the purposes of paragraph 91(1)(a) of the Act, the method for working out the number of places available to be allocated to individuals at a time in the financial year for service group assistive technology is the following:\n\n (a) calculate the sum of the committed expenditure for the service groups home modifications and assistive technology;\n\n (b) subtract the amount at (a) from the special appropriation for the service groups home modifications and assistive technology;\n\n (c) if the sum at (a) was:\n\n (i) zero, divide the number at paragraph (b) by 2 and then divide that number by the value of the tier amount for classification level AT Medium for the classification type short-term for the service group assistive technology;\n\n (ii) more than zero:\n\n  (A) calculate the AT proportion in accordance with subsection (2); and\n\n  (B) divide the number at (A) by the average AT place cost.\n\n (2) The AT proportion is the number calculated by:\n\n(a) calculating the sum of the average AT place cost and the average HM place cost;\n\n(b) dividing the number at paragraph (1)(b) by the number at paragraph (2)(a); and\n\n(c) multiplying the number at paragraph (2)(b) by the average AT place cost.\n\n16  Method for working out the number of places available for the classification types short-term and ongoing for the service group assistive technology\n\n  For the purposes of paragraph 91(1)(b) of the Act, the method for working out the number of places available to be allocated to individuals at a time in the financial year for the classification types short-term and ongoing for the service group assistive technology, is that the number of places available is the number of places available for the service group as worked out by section 15.\n\n17  Method for working out the number of places available for AT classification levels for the classification type short-term for the service group assistive technology\n\n  For the purposes of paragraph 91(1)(c) of the Act, the method for working out the number of places available to be allocated to individuals at a time in the financial year for classification levels for the classification type short-term for the service group assistive technology is that:\n\n (a) for the classification levels AT low, AT medium and AT high for the classification type short-term for the service group assistive technology, the number of places available is the number of places available for the classification type short-term for the service group assistive technology as worked out by section 16, allocated until such point as the special appropriation for the service groups assistive technology and home modifications is fully utilised; and\n\n (b) for the classification levels AT CHSP and AT transitional for the classification type short-term for the service group assistive technology, the number of places available is zero.\n\n18  Method for working out the number of places available for classification level assistance dog for the classification type ongoing for the service group assistive technology \n\n  For the purposes of paragraph 91(1)(c) of the Act, the method for working out the number of places available to be allocated to individuals at a time in the financial year for the classification level assistance dogs for the classification type ongoing for the service group assistive technology, is that the number of places available is the number of places available for the classification type ongoing for the service group assistive technology as worked out by section 16, allocated until such point as the special appropriation for the service groups assistive technology and home modifications is fully utilised.\n\n# Part 4—Home modifications\n\n19  Method for working out the number of places available for the service group home modifications\n\n (1) For the purposes of paragraph 91(1)(a) of the Act, the method for working out the number of places available to be allocated to individuals at a time in the financial year for service group home modifications is the following:\n\n(a)  calculate the sum of the committed expenditure for the service groups home modifications and assistive technology;\n\n (b) subtract the amount at (a) from the special appropriation for the service groups assistive technology and home modifications;\n\n (c) if the sum at (a) was:\n\n (i)  zero, divide the number at (b) by 2 and then divide that number by the value of the tier amount for the classification level HM Medium for the classification type short-term for the service group home modifications; and\n\n (ii) more than zero:\n\n(A) calculate the HM proportion in accordance with subsection (2); and\n\n  (B) divide the number at (A) by the average HM place cost.\n\n (2) The HM proportion is the number calculated by:\n\n(a) calculating the sum of the average AT place cost and the average HM place cost;\n\n(b) dividing the number at paragraph (1)(b) by the number at paragraph (2)(a); and\n\n(c) multiplying the number at paragraph (2)(b) by the average HM place cost.\n\n20  Method for working out the number of places available for the classification type short-term for the service group home modifications\n\n  For the purposes of paragraph 91(1)(b) of the Act, the method for working out the number of places available to be allocated to individuals at a time in the financial year for the classification type short-term for the service group home modifications is that: \n\n(a)  for the classification type short-term, the number of places available is 100% of the number calculated at paragraph 19(1)(d).\n\n(b)  for the classification type ongoing, the number of places available is 0% of the number calculated at paragraph 19(1)(d).\n\n21  Method for working out the number of places available for HM classification levels for the classification type short-term for the service group home modifications\n\n  For the purposes of paragraph 91(1)(c) of the Act, the method for working out the number of places available to be allocated to individuals at a time in the financial year for the classification levels for the classification type short-term for the service group home modifications is that:\n\n (a) for the classification levels HM low, HM medium and HM high for the classification type short-term for the service group home modifications, the number of places available is the number of places available to be allocated for the classification type short-term for the service group home modifications as worked out by section 20, allocated until such point as the special appropriation for the service groups assistive technology and home modifications is fully utilised; and\n\n (b) for the classification levels HM CHSP and HM transitional for the classification type short-term for the service group home modifications, zero.\n\n# Part 5—Residential care\n\n22  Method for working out the number of places available for the service group residential care\n\n (1) For the purposes of paragraph 91(1)(a) of the Act, the method for working out the number of places available to be allocated to individuals at a time in the financial year for the service group residential care is the following: \n\n(a)  calculate the percentage approval rate for each age-sex group for the ages 65 to 100 for the previous financial year by:\n\n (i) dividing the number of people approved in the age-sex group according to the approvals data by the number of people in the same age-sex group according to the general population data for the previous financial year; and\n\n (ii) multiplying that number by 100;\n\n  Example: If 250 females aged 80 were approved and there are 10,000 females aged 80 in the population, the approval rate is 2.5% (250 divided by 10,000 multiplied by 100) for the age-sex group 80 year old females.\n\n(b)  calculate the projected number of places for each age-sex group for the ages 65 to 100 for the financial year by multiplying the percentage approval rate calculated at paragraph (a) by the general population data for the financial year for the same age-sex group;\n\n  Example: If the approval rate is 2.5%  for the age-sex group 80 year old females and there are 12,000 females aged 80 in the population this financial year, the projected number of places for the age-sex group 80 year old females is 300 (2.5% multiplied by 12,000).\n\n  (c) sum the projected number of places for each age-sex group;\n\n(d)  subtract the number of places that have already been allocated this financial year.\n\n (2)   For the purposes of paragraph (a):\n\n(a) all males aged 100 or over will form part of the age-sex group for 100 year old males; and\n\n(b) all females aged 100 or over will form part of the age-sex group for 100 year old females.              \n\n23  Method for working out the number of places available for the classification types short-term and ongoing for the service group residential care,\n\n  For the purposes of paragraph 91(1)(b) of the Act, the method for working out the number of places available to be allocated to individuals at a time in the financial year for the classification types ongoing and short-term for the service group residential care is that the number of places available is the number of places available for the service group as worked out by section 22 allocated until such point as the special appropriation for the service group residential care is fully utilised.\n\n24  Method for working out the number of places available for all classification levels for the classification type short-term for the service group residential care\n\n  For the purposes of paragraph 91(1)(c) of the Act, the method for working out the number of places available to be allocated to individuals at a time in the financial year for the classification levels for the classification type short-term for the service group residential care, is the following:\n\n (a) for classification levels Respite classes 0, 1, 2, and 3 for the classification type short-term for the service group residential care, the number of places available is the number of places available for the classification type short-term for the service group residential care as worked out by section 23, allocated until such point as the special appropriation for the service group residential care is fully utilised; and                           \n\n (b) for the classification levels RCST MPSP and RCST NATSIFACP for the classification type short-term for the service group residential care, the number of places available is zero.\n\n25  Method for working out the number of places available for all classification levels for the classification type ongoing for the service group residential care\n\n  For the purposes of paragraph 91(1)(c) of the Act, the method for working out the number of places available to be allocated to individuals at a time in the financial year for the classification levels for the classification type ongoing for the service group residential care is the following:\n\n (a) for the classification levels classes 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12 and 13 for the classification type ongoing for the service group residential care, the number of places for each classification type is up to the number of places available for the classification type for the service group residential care as worked out by section 23, allocated until such point as the special appropriation for residential care is fully utilised; and\n\n (b) for the classification levels RCO MPSP and RCO NATSIFACP for the classification type ongoing for the service group residential care, the number of places available is zero.\n\n# Part 6—Miscellaneous\n\n26  Calculations to be rounded down\n\n   Where a method of calculating the number of places available for allocation for a service group, classification type or classification level produces a number that is not a whole number, it must be rounded down to the nearest whole number.\n\n \n\n \n","sortOrder":0}],"analysis":{"kimi_summary":{"content_quality":"ok","complexity_score":7,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"The legislation appears tightly scoped to its original purpose: establishing calculation methodologies for place availability in the 2025-2026 financial year. While it references legacy programs being wound down (setting their places to zero), this represents implementation of the new Aged Care Act 2024 framework rather than scope creep. The instrument does not expand beyond its enabling provision (subsection 91(1) of the Act) into unrelated policy areas."},"complexity_factors":["Extensive cross-referencing to the Aged Care Act 2024 and Aged Care Rules 2025 (undefined provisions referenced throughout)","Nested conditional logic with multiple tiers: service group → classification type → classification level → interim/full distinction","Mathematical formulas requiring data inputs from multiple external sources (approvals data, general population data, committed expenditure, forecast expenditure)","Special treatment for legacy program classifications (CHSP, HCP, NATSIFACP, MPSP) which must be understood to know why they're set to zero","Interdependent calculations where later sections rely on values calculated in earlier sections (e.g., section 6 sums values from sections 8, 9, and 10)","Percentage-based allocation mechanics for assistive technology and home modifications that require understanding of 'AT proportion' and 'HM proportion' concepts","Time-sensitive variables including quarterly limits for restorative care and 'remaining days in financial year' calculations","Multiple defined terms (14 explicit definitions plus 4 noted as defined in the Act) with some definitions containing their own sub-calculations"],"plain_english_summary":"This legislation sets out the mathematical formulas for calculating how many aged care places are available for older Australians during the 2025-2026 financial year. It covers four main types of care: **home support** (help at home), **assistive technology** (equipment like wheelchairs), **home modifications** (ramps, rails, etc.), and **residential care** (nursing homes).\n\n**What it does:**\n- Creates a step-by-step method for working out how many \"places\" (funded care spots) remain available at any point in time\n- Breaks this down by service type, whether care is **short-term** (temporary) or **ongoing** (long-term), and specific **classification levels** (different tiers of need)\n- Ensures the government doesn't overspend its budget by capping places based on \"special appropriations\" (the money Parliament has set aside)\n\n**Key features:**\n- **Home support** gets special treatment with separate calculations for \"interim places\" (temporary approvals while waiting for full assessment) versus \"full places\" (permanent approvals)\n- **Restorative care** and **end-of-life care** have specific quarterly caps and funding values\n- **Residential care** uses demographic data—calculating approval rates by age and sex, then projecting forward based on population estimates\n- **Assistive technology and home modifications** share a combined budget pool, with places divided proportionally based on average costs\n- Old program classifications (like CHSP, HCP, and various transitional categories) are explicitly set to **zero** places—effectively closing those legacy pathways\n\n**Who it affects:**\n- Older Australians seeking government-funded aged care\n- Aged care providers who need to know capacity limits\n- The Department of Health and Aged Care, which administers the system\n\n**Why it matters:**\nThis is the mechanism that determines whether someone gets approved for care or joins a waitlist. It translates political promises (the budget) into actual service availability, with built-in safeguards to prevent the system from committing more money than exists."},"summary":{"content_quality":"ok","complexity_score":3,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"Establishes the methods for working out how many Aged Care places are available for allocation to individuals in the 2025-2026 financial year under the Aged Care Act 2024."},"complexity_factors":["Uses government budget pools and committed expenditure figures to cap places dynamically","Incorporates age-sex population projections and prior-year approval rates to forecast residential care demand","Distinguishes between multiple service groups, classification types, and levels with interlinked formulas, including quarterly limits and interim/full place splits"],"plain_english_summary":"This instrument sets out the formulas the Australian Government uses to calculate how many aged care places can be allocated to individuals during the 2025-2026 financial year. It covers four service groups: home support, assistive technology, home modifications, and residential care.\n\nInstead of setting fixed numbers, it provides methods to work out remaining places at a point in time. The number available depends on the relevant government budget (special appropriation), the funding already committed to people who have been approved, and, for residential care, projected demand using population data and prior-year approval rates.\n\nKey aspects include:\n\n- **Home support**: places are split into short-term (restorative care, end-of-life) and ongoing (classes 1-8). Short-term restorative care places are limited each quarter. Several transitional classes have zero places. The formula also sets the proportion of places that can be allocated as interim (temporary) vs full places, based on whether forecast spending is within budget.\n- **Assistive technology and home modifications**: these share a combined budget. The calculation divides the remaining funds between them using average place costs. Most available places are short-term; assistance dogs are the only ongoing places.\n- **Residential care**: places are projected by age and sex using approval percentages from the previous year and current population data, then reduced by places already allocated. Both short-term (respite) and ongoing (permanent) places are available, limited by the residential care budget. Some program-specific classes are set to zero.\n\nAll calculations are rounded down to whole numbers. The instrument does not create or cancel places; it only determines how many can be offered at any moment. It directly affects older Australians waiting for a home care package, assistive technology, home modifications or residential care, and the providers who deliver those services."},"flash_summary":{"complexity_score":7,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"This instrument does not expand or reduce the statutory funding powers; it implements subsection 91(1) of the Aged Care Act 2024 by prescribing specific calculation methods for determining point‑in‑time counts of places available for allocation in 2025–26 (see sections 3 and 5). It does change operational detail (the precise formulas, sequencing and caps for particular classification levels for 2025–26), but it does not alter the overall statutory scope of which service groups or classification types may receive places under the Act."},"complexity_factors":["Multiple interdependent formulas across four service groups (home support, assistive technology, home modifications, residential care) with distinct calculation paths (Parts 2–5).","Heavy reliance on departmental inputs (committed expenditure, forecast expenditure, approvals data) that are not self‑contained in the instrument (definitions in section 4; used throughout).","Cross‑references to external instruments and amounts (the Aged Care Rules 2025 for tier/base amounts and specific item references used in calculations: e.g. sections 8, 9, 10).","Conditional branches and sequencing (e.g., different formulas if prior expenditure is zero vs more than zero in sections 15 and 19; subtraction order in section 8).","Temporal and quota constraints (quarterly caps for restorative care in section 10; remaining days in the financial year factor in section 8), requiring timely data handling.","Rounding down rule (section 26) and integer constraints mean small changes in inputs can produce discrete step changes in place availability.","Several classification levels explicitly set to zero or allocated only until an appropriation is exhausted, creating non‑linear availability and prioritisation rules (sections 11, 12, 17, 21, 24–25)."],"plain_english_summary":"This Determination gives the Department a set of formulas to convert 2025–26 special appropriations and departmental data into whole‑number counts of funded \"places\" available for allocation across home support, assistive technology, home modifications and residential care. It does not create or change funding.\n\nIt affects the Department (which supplies data and applies forecasts), older Australians seeking funded places, and providers: the calculated place counts — driven by appropriation size, committed expenditure and departmental inputs — set how many new funded places can be allocated."},"flash_summary_failed":{"failed":true,"reason":"Unauthenticated. Configure AI_GATEWAY_API_KEY or use a provider module. Learn more: https://ai-sdk.dev/unauthenticated-ai-gateway","source":"analysis-cron"}},"importantCases":[],"_links":{"self":"/api/acts/aged-care-places-available-for-allocation-to-individuals-2025-2026-determination-2025","history":"/api/acts/aged-care-places-available-for-allocation-to-individuals-2025-2026-determination-2025/history","analysis":"/api/acts/aged-care-places-available-for-allocation-to-individuals-2025-2026-determination-2025/analysis","conflicts":"/api/acts/aged-care-places-available-for-allocation-to-individuals-2025-2026-determination-2025/conflicts","importantCases":"/api/acts/aged-care-places-available-for-allocation-to-individuals-2025-2026-determination-2025/important-cases","documents":"/api/acts/aged-care-places-available-for-allocation-to-individuals-2025-2026-determination-2025/documents"}}