20 March 2026: means-test thresholds and lifetime caps indexed
Last updated 20 August 2026
Figures current as at the 20 March 2026 indexation - next indexation 20 September 2026
On 20 March 2026, the means-test thresholds and the lifetime caps on non-clinical contributions were indexed, as they are every 20 March and 20 September. It’s routine - but if you pay contributions, these are the numbers that decide when you stop.
What changed
The lifetime caps rose to:
- $137,917.01 for standard Support at Home participants; and
- $86,185.23 for grandfathered “no worse off” participants - people who at 12 September 2024 already had a Home Care Package, were on the National Priority System, or had been assessed or approved.
The lifetime cap counts every non-clinical contribution you pay - on independence services like personal care and transport, and everyday living services like cleaning and gardening. Once your running total reaches the cap, you stop paying non-clinical contributions for life. Clinical care never counts, because it’s free for everyone. The means-test thresholds Services Australia uses to set your contribution percentage moved with the same indexation.
Who it affects
Day to day, most people notice nothing - your contribution percentages don’t change with indexation. The caps matter most to self-funded retirees and part-pensioners paying higher percentages, who accumulate towards the cap fastest. If you’re grandfathered, the lower $86,185.23 cap applies, which means you reach the finish line sooner - one of several ways the “no worse off” rules work in your favour.
These figures index twice a year, on 20 March and 20 September. The next indexation is 20 September 2026, so the caps above will rise again then.
What to do
- Nothing is required - indexation applies automatically.
- If you pay substantial contributions, keep an eye on your running total on your monthly statements so you know how far you are from the cap. Our guide to contributions explains how the percentages work.
- If contributions are causing genuine difficulty, you don’t have to wait for a cap - financial hardship provisions exist through Services Australia, and nobody should go without care because they can’t contribute.
- Your exact position depends on your means assessment, so check your own situation with Services Australia or My Aged Care (1800 200 422).
Not sure what you should be paying?
We’ll walk through your statement with you - free, no obligation.
Sources
- Department of Health, Disability and Ageing, health.gov.au - Support at Home contribution arrangements and indexed lifetime caps, 2026.
- Support at Home Program Manual - contributions, means testing and lifetime caps.
- My Aged Care, myagedcare.gov.au - income and means assessments, accessed 20 August 2026.