Aged Care  

Changes to Residential Aged Care Fees 

The Australian Government has announced that the Aged Care Rules 2025 will be amended to help protect aged care residents.  Under these changes, providers can no longer charge residents a Higher Everyday Living Fee (HELF) for services that they were receiving for free as part of their care arrangements before1 November 2025. These changes are due to feedback from residents, their families, carers, advocates and providers.  

Learn more at the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing website by clicking the following link: https://www.health.gov.au/ministers/the-hon-sam-rae-mp/media/protecting-older-australians-in-residential-aged-care?language=en 

Applications open to Become a Member of the National Aged Care Advisory Council  

Applications are now open to become a member of the National Aged Care Advisory Council (NACAC).  

The NACAC was created to provide evidence-based advice to support the quality, safety and sustainability of Australia’s aged care system. 

The Australian Government is looking for 6 new members who have significant expertise in a range of areas including:  

• Consumer advocacy 
• Workforce development 
• Education  
• Dementia  
• Palliative Care  

To learn more, or submit an expression of interest (EOI), head to the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing’s vacancies page by clicking the following link: https://shorturl.at/q5WE5 

EOI close 8 October 2026. 

Government Income Payments 

Increase in Disability and Aged Care Pensions  

The payment for the Disability Support Pension, Age Pension, and Carer Payment increased on 20 September 2026. 

The increase is $36.80 a fortnight for singles, and $55.60 a fortnight for couples. 

You do not need to do anything to receive the payment increase. It will happen automatically.  

Learn more at the Services Australia website by clicking the following link: https://www.servicesaustralia.gov.au/some-payment-rates-are-increasing-20-september-2026 

Mortality Rates of People Receiving Government Payments  

A new report has been published which examines data on the mortality rates of Australians who receive different forms of payments including the disability support pension (DSP), unemployment payments and carers payments.  

This study revealed that the deaths of people who receive a government payment is significantly higher than people who do not receive a government payment (610 deaths per 100,000, compared to 67 deaths per 100,000). 

It also showed that out of all of the different payment types, people who received the DSP had the worst outcomes with an average of 1,600 deaths per 100,000 over the 11-year period.  

This research will be used to assist with QDN’s future advocacy work, as it provides valuable evidence of the need for reform for people with disability across all areas, including health.  

To read the full report, go to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare website by clicking on the following link: https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/centrelink/mortality-outcomes-people-receiving-income-support/contents/summary 

Human Rights & Justice 

Disability Discrimination Explainers  

The Australian Human Rights Commission has created a series of explainers to help people better understand what disability discrimination is, how the Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) works, and why needs to be reformed.  

There are currently seven different explainers that are available in a PDF and Word Document version.  

Some of the topics include:  

• How can the test for indirect discrimination be improved?  
• What is positive duty to eliminate disability discrimination?  
• Does the DDA protect the rights of people with disability?  

To download the explainers or learn more go to the Australian Human Rights Commission website by clicking the following link: https://humanrights.gov.au/resource-hub/by-resource-type/reviews-and-inquiries/reviews/disability-discrimination-act-review 

New Sentencing Pathway  

An online resource called ‘Sentencing Pathway’ has been developed by the Office of the Victims’ Commissioner to help victims of crime learn more about their rights and understand the sentencing process in Queensland. 
The Sentencing Pathway was designed to be accessible so that it can be used by people with disability. 

It contains information about:  

• how courts make sentencing decisions 
• the factors courts consider when sentencing an offender 
• what different sentencing outcomes mean. 

Learn more about the new Sentencing Pathway by clicking the following link: https://www.victimscommissioner.qld.gov.au/pathways/sentencing 

NDIS  

Parliament of Australia Report – NDIS Expenditure Projections in the Budget 2026–27 

The Australian Government has published a report about the savings they believe may occur as a result of NDIS reforms and from reducing the annual growth rate of the NDIS from 11% to 2% in 2029–30.  The report concludes that NDIS spending will continue to rise every year, but at a slower rate than it would without reform.  

To read the full report, go to the Australian Policy Online (APO) website by clicking the following link: https://apo.org.au/node/335922?utm_campaign=Policy-Pulse-17-September-2026&utm_content=apo.org.au%2Fnode%2F335922&utm_medium=email&utm_source=comms.apo.org.au 

An Overview of NDIS Legislation Changes: Securing the NDIS for Future Generations Webinars 

The NDIS is hosting webinars to help NDIS participants, their families, carers and providers understand the recent NDIS reforms.  

The webinars are being provided every week (with the same content each week) until early November.  

Some of the topics that may be discussed include:  

• changes to plan reassessments 
• support determinations 
• how decisions may be made under the updated legislation 
• what participants need to know when using their plan 
• where to access information, guidance and support. 

To learn more or to register for the webinar, head to the NDIS events page by clicking the following link: https://www.ndis.gov.au/news/events?page=1 

Claiming Across Funding Periods  

The NDIA has released information to help participants understand their NDIS budgets and funding periods.  

The NDIA have confirmed that if you run out of funding then you can claim for your NDIS support in your next funding period if: 

• you and your providers agree to claim in the next funding period 
• you have enough funding to cover the supports needed for that period and in the rest of your plan 
• your provider agrees to wait for their payment until your next funding period. 

If you are self-managed, you can also choose to delay your claim if you do not have enough funding in your current funding period. 

This flexibility in funding aims to help participants who have fluctuating or changing support needs.  

Learn more about NDIS budgets and funding periods at the NDIS website by clicking the following link: https://ndis.gov.au/participants/using-your-funding/understanding-your-ndis-funding/what-ndis-funding