UnitingCare Australia welcomes the opportunity to provide a submission in response to the Residential Aged Care Accommodation Pricing Review. We are pleased to see this Review announced by Government, noting that the current rates of the Accommodation Supplement do not meet the true cost of delivering accommodation related services, making it difficult for providers to remain viable.

This submission, prepared in consultation with the UnitingCare Network, responds to key consultation questions relating to the Accommodation Supplement and supported residents. We note the questions relating to pricing for non-supported residents, and daily payments as the default room price, were already explored in the Aged Care Funding Taskforce Report.

While the cost of delivering accommodation services is generally consistent across the three main cohorts of residents, being RAD, DAP and supported residents, the revenue raised from these cohorts varies significantly. It is well known that RAD and DAP paying residents bring in more cash flow and revenue for a provider, and that qualifying for the higher Accommodation Supplement rate, by taking in more supported residents, often creates a financial loss for providers.

As providers struggle to remain viable while meeting supported resident ratios, the future of our ageing population is put at risk. Increasing the Accommodation Supplement isn’t just a matter of increasing revenue, it is imperative to keeping services open, accessible and sustainable for years to come.

Download the PDF to read our submission in full.

About UnitingCare Australia

UnitingCare Australia is the national body for the Uniting Church’s community services network and is an agency of the Assembly of the Uniting Church in Australia.

We give voice to the Uniting Church’s commitment to social justice through advocacy and by strengthening community service provisions.

We are the largest network of social service providers in Australia, supporting 1.4 million people every year across urban, rural, and remote communities.

Our aged care network delivers services to approximately 95,000 older people and has more than 220 residential aged care homes across all states and territories, including in capital cities, regional towns, and very remote parts of Australia.

We focus on articulating and meeting the needs of people at all stages of life and those that are most vulnerable.