Aged Care Minister Anika Wells has announced a $900 million support package for aged care providers operating in thin markets, as part of the Federal Government's $5.6 billion aged care reforms announced on 12 September.
The Government will invest $600 million in Support at Home for two-year thin market grants to support financial viability.
The grants will be available to homes that operate in thin markets such as rural and remote areas MMM3 to MMM7 and for providers that specialist in providing aged care services to particular cohorts, such as people with diverse backgrounds and life experiences. Funding will be available from 1 July 2025.
An additional $300 million will be available for infrastructure funding through the existing Aged Care Capital Assistance Program.
This round of grants will be targeted at improving aged care infrastructure and building new aged care homes and staff accommodation where access to aged care is limited and there are serious workforce shortages.
Minister Wells said, "The $900 million in funding that we are delivering from 1 July 2025 will support aged care providers to operate in areas that need it most, and to deliver care for some of our nation’s most vulnerable people into the future.”
