What is ACAT and how aged care assessments work now

ACAT stands for Aged Care Assessment Team, though it no longer exists as a separate body. The Single Assessment System replaced it on 9 December 2024. It now delivers both home support and comprehensive assessments through one national workforce. The new assessment now approves Support at Home, residential aged care, respite, and transition care.

ACAT stands for Aged Care Assessment Team. It was used to assess whether an older Australian could get higher-level government-funded aged care. This included Home Care Packages, residential aged care, and short-term care.

The Aged Care Assessment Team no longer exists as a separate body. On 9 December 2024, the Single Assessment System replaced it, along with the Regional Assessment Service. It now functions as one national workforce, although many people still call it ACAT.

What does ACAT stand for, and is the name still used?

ACAT stands for Aged Care Assessment Team. In Victoria, the same service was called ACAS (Aged Care Assessment Service). 

The name ACAT is no longer used formally. My Aged Care now calls it an aged care assessment, carried out by an assessment organisation.

On 9 December 2024, the Single Assessment System replaced Aged Care Assessment Teams. The Regional Assessment Service (RAS) was also replaced. The Single Assessment System now works as one national team. 

Assessors now use a single standardised tool for both assessment types. It's called the Integrated Assessment Tool.

For the person being assessed, the steps are much the same. You still apply through My Aged Care and have an assessor visit you. What you can be approved for did change, because Support at Home replaced Home Care Packages on 1 November 2025.

What did an ACAT assessment do?

An ACAT assessment checked your eligibility for higher-level, government-funded aged care. Since 9 December 2024, a comprehensive assessment through the Single Assessment System has done that job. It can approve the services below:

1. Support at Home: Ongoing services at home, plus short-term restorative and end-of-life pathways.
2. Residential aged care: Covers permanent or respite stays in an aged care home.
3. Transition care: Supports recovery after a hospital stay.

The new assessment looks at your medical history and physical function. Your cognitive health, social ties, living setting, and personal goals are also taken into consideration. The outcome is a written Support Plan and an approval letter that states which services you're eligible for.

What services can a comprehensive assessment approve?

A comprehensive assessment can identify whether a person is eligible for several forms of aged care. Each is covered in the sections below.

Support at Home

Support at Home is the main program for ongoing aged care support delivered in a person's home. It replaced the former Home Care Packages Program and Short-Term Restorative Care Program on 1 November 2025.

Support at Home services can include:

• Personal care (showering, dressing, grooming, and continence support)
• Domestic assistance (cleaning, laundry, and meal preparation)
• Nursing and allied health services
• Mobility, assistive technology, and home modifications
• Transport and community participation
• Respite and support for carers
• Short-term pathways where eligible

Your Notice of Decision lists the services you're approved for. Your classification level and priority category will also be there. Your Support Plan sets out exactly which of these you can access.

Residential aged care

An assessment may approve permanent residential aged care when someone can no longer safely remain at home. An approval doesn't force someone to move in; it only confirms eligibility. The person and their family can explore options when and if they choose.

Residential aged care costs are assessed separately. A means assessment determines what a person may be asked to contribute to accommodation and care costs. 

For most people, Services Australia carries this out. If you receive a means-tested payment from the Department of Veterans' Affairs, DVA does it instead.

Residential respite care

Residential respite is a short stay in an aged care home. It can help after an illness or when a person's usual carer needs a break. 

A comprehensive assessment can identify eligibility for residential respite. Availability depends on vacancies at suitable aged care homes.

Transition care

Transition care is short-term support for someone ready to leave hospital but needs more care or rehabilitation first. It can be delivered at home, in the community, or in a residential setting, for up to 12 weeks, or 84 days.

Transition care approvals are time-sensitive. You generally need to begin care within 24 hours of hospital discharge for a residential setting, or 48 hours for home-based care. If no place is available straight away, the approval stays valid for 28 days before you'd need reassessment.

What is the difference between a comprehensive and a home support assessment?

A comprehensive assessment, the type ACAT used to do, approves higher-level care. A home support assessment approves basic, low-level support. Both are now delivered by the same national workforce, the Single Assessment System, rather than by two separate teams.

A home support assessment suits people who need a little help to stay independent at home. A comprehensive assessment is for people with more complex or ongoing care needs.

Who conducts aged care assessments now?

Comprehensive assessments are done by clinical assessors, and home support assessments by non-clinical assessors. Both work for the Single Assessment System, which replaced the separate ACAT and RAS teams in 2024. Clinical assessors may include the roles below:

• Registered nurses: Assess your clinical and nursing care needs.
• Social workers: Assess your social situation and support network.
• Occupational therapists: Assess your daily function and home environment.
• Physiotherapists: Assess your mobility and physical function.
• Geriatricians: Review complex medical needs, in some cases.

Who can apply for an aged care assessment?

You can apply for an aged care assessment if you're an older person finding daily living harder. You may also need support to stay safe and independent. In general, aged care is available to the groups below:

• People aged 65 or older
• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people aged 50 or older
• People aged 50 or older who are homeless or at risk of homelessness

You don't need to wait for a crisis, and it may be a good time to apply if any of the following sound familiar:

• Struggling with showering, dressing, cooking, cleaning, shopping, or getting around safely
• Recovering from illness, surgery, injury, or a fall
• Living with dementia, reduced mobility, frailty, or a long-term health condition
• Feeling isolated or unable to manage essential daily tasks
• Relying heavily on a family carer whose capacity has changed
• Preparing to leave hospital and worried about coping safely at home
• Considering residential care, respite, or more structured support

A family member, friend, carer, GP, or hospital worker can help someone apply. Others need consent and the right authority to access or act on a person's My Aged Care information.

How does the aged care assessment process work?

The process includes 5 steps. Sign up with My Aged Care, arrange the assessment, attend it, get your outcome, then access services.

Step 1. Apply for an assessment

You can apply in 3 ways: online, by phone, or in person. Online applications take about 15 to 20 minutes, and you'll need the person's Medicare card.

• Online: Complete the application through My Aged Care.
• Phone: Call My Aged Care on 1800 200 422, Monday to Friday 8 am to 8 pm, Saturday 10 am to 2 pm.
• In person: Book an appointment with an Aged Care Specialist Officer at a Services Australia centre by calling 1800 227 475.

Once you've applied, an assessment organisation will typically call within 2 to 6 weeks to confirm your needs. Timeframes vary by location, demand, and urgency.

Step 2. The assessment is arranged

The assessment organisation will contact you to set a time. It usually takes place at your home, but it can also happen in a hospital or aged care facility if that's where you're staying.

Step 3. The face-to-face assessment

The assessment typically takes 60 to 90 minutes. The assessor will ask about the topics below:

• Medical conditions and medication affecting your care
• Physical function and mobility around your home
• Cognitive health and memory
• Mental health and emotional wellbeing
• Social situation and support network
• Your goals for how you want to live

You can have a family member, carer, or friend present. You can also request an interpreter, and My Aged Care can arrange one.

Step 4. Receive your outcome

During the assessment, your assessor works with you on a Support Plan. Afterwards, you get a Notice of Decision letter confirming which services you're approved for.

You don't need to start services the day you're approved. Some time limits do apply for transition care and Support at Home funding.

Step 5. Access services

With your approval in hand, you can choose a Support at Home provider, explore residential aged care, or access respite and transition care. You can use any approved provider you choose.

FAQs

How much does an aged care assessment (formerly ACAT) cost?

The assessment is free. The Australian Government funds it as part of the aged care system, so you won't get a bill for the assessment, no matter the outcome. There are no out-of-pocket costs for signing up, attending, or getting your Support Plan.

Does my aged care approval transfer if I move?

Your approval stays with you if you move states. It's stored in the national My Aged Care system, not held by one assessment organisation.

To change Support at Home providers, you'll need to reactivate your referral code through My Aged Care. If your needs change a lot, you can ask for a reassessment.

Can my GP refer me for an aged care assessment?

A GP, hospital, or other health professional can request an assessment for you through My Aged Care. You can apply yourself online or in person, with your GP's referral as supporting information.

How long does an aged care approval last?

Your approval comes with time limits for some services. A transition care approval is valid for 28 days. Once Support at Home funding is allocated, you have 56 days to sign a service agreement and start services. 

You can ask My Aged Care for a 28-day extension to those 56 days. If your needs change significantly, you can ask for a reassessment.

Making sense of your aged care assessment

The system behind aged care assessments changed in December 2024, even if many people still call it ACAT. Knowing which assessment you need, and what it can approve, makes the process far less daunting.

At Care Made Easy, we specialise in self-managed Support at Home, so you stay in control of your services once you're approved. Contact us today if you're not sure where to start.