Published May 2025
With the July 2025 aged care reforms just around the corner, residential aged care providers are preparing for a few important shifts. While the changes aren’t as complex as those in home care, there are still several things to review, reconfigure, and communicate – particularly when it comes to fees.
At Care Systems, we’ve been working closely with our residential clients to make sure everything is lined up ahead of time. From new billing rules to fresh reporting requirements, here’s what’s changing, and how you can stay one step ahead.
“It’s not a massive lift, but it does need attention,” says Luke Goodfellow, Executive Director at Care Systems. “These changes give providers more structure, but also more responsibility – especially around communication with families.”
What’s Changing from July?
- HELF (Higher Everyday Living Fee) becomes the new standard for daily living services – think meals, laundry, cleaning and lifestyle.
- New fee types are available, including RAD Retention, Hotelling Contribution, and Non-Clinical Care Fees.
- DAP & RAD rules are updated for new permanent residents.
- Accommodation balance reporting moves to Aged Care Web Services (ACWS) from August.
While it might sound like a lot, much of this is about making sure your systems and templates reflect the updated language and categories and that your team feels confident in applying them.
Let’s Talk HELF
The introduction of the Higher Everyday Living Fee (HELF) is one of the bigger shifts for residential care.
Here’s what we know (so far):
- HELF is compulsory for all new permanent residents from 1 July.
- You can choose to apply HELF to existing residents, but it must be communicated transparently.
- HELF replaces older bundled or itemised fees for services like catering, cleaning, and lifestyle — simplifying structure, but requiring clarity in billing.
“We’re encouraging providers to start those conversations now,” says Luke. “Families may have questions, and having clear answers will go a long way.”
If you haven’t already, now’s the time to:
- Configure HELF in your system
- Review billing statements for clarity
- Prepare FAQs or comms material to support families and residents
We’ve built full HELF support into Care Systems to make setup and implementation as smooth as possible.
What to Do and When
Before July 1 – Set the Groundwork
| Task | Why It Matters |
| Configure HELF and new fee types | Ensure you’re ready to apply these from Day 1 for new residents |
| Review pricing structures and admission templates | Keep things clean and easy to explain |
| Check and close out legacy fees | Avoid double-ups or confusion in July billing |
In July – Apply & Communicate
| Task | Notes |
| Use new fee types for all new permanent residents | Including HELF, RAD retention, and non-clinical care fees |
| Decide your approach to HELF for existing residents | If adopting HELF, ensure it’s clearly communicated and agreed |
| Prepare for family questions | Use FAQs and team support to respond with confidence |
From August – Start Reporting
| Task | Action |
| Submit accommodation balances via ACWS | This becomes the new standard from August |
| Complete first RAD Retention calculations | For new residents under revised rules |
| Continue reviewing billing and reconciliation | Especially for services charged under HELF |
Our Advice?
Don’t wait until July to start thinking about these changes. Most of what needs doing is straightforward but it’s much easier when you give yourself a little space to prepare.
“This isn’t about stress-testing your systems,” Luke adds. “It’s about taking small, clear steps to stay ahead of the change.”
Need a Hand?
Care Systems has already made updates in your environment to support:
- HELF configuration and billing
- RAD/DAP rule changes
- New fee type support
- Accommodation balance reporting via ACWS
If you’d like us to walk you through anything from setting up HELF to updating resident templates reach out. We’re here to help.
📩 Email support@caresystems.com.au
📞 Or contact your Implementation Lead
