Key points
- My Aged Care is the Australian Government's entry point to subsidised aged care. It checks eligibility, refers people for assessment, issues referral codes and lists registered providers, but it does not deliver care, assess finances or handle complaints about providers.
- The My Aged Care phone number is 1800 200 422, open Monday to Friday 8am to 8pm and Saturday 10am to 2pm, closed Sunday and national public holidays. From overseas the number is +61 2 6289 1555.
- Once Support at Home funding is released through My Aged Care, there are 56 days to enter an agreement with a provider and start services, extendable by 28 days. If the deadline is missed, the funding is withdrawn and reallocated.
- Registering with My Aged Care is not the same as joining a funding queue. Registration, assessment, approval and funding allocation are separate stages.
- A family member can help a parent through My Aged Care as a registered supporter, which lets them help the parent make and communicate their own decisions but not decide for them. Only an appointed decision maker, such as a guardian or enduring attorney, can decide on the parent's behalf.
- My Aged Care's Find a provider tool shows Star Ratings for aged care homes. Complaints about a provider go to the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission on 1800 951 822.
How to contact them
My Aged Care
1800 200 422Mon to Fri 8am to 8pm, Sat 10am to 2pm.
Closed Sunday and national public holidays.
From overseas
+61 2 6289 1555Mon to Fri 8:30am to 5:30pm AEST.
Interpreter, then ask for My Aged Care
131 450Translating and Interpreting Service.
For the cost of a local call.
The website is myagedcare.gov.au.
What My Aged Care actually does
It is the front door. It checks eligibility, refers people for assessment, holds the person's aged care record, issues referral codes, and lists registered providers.
It is run by the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing. Care is delivered by providers, and every provider listed on My Aged Care is regulated by the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission.
What it does not do
My Aged Care does not employ the assessors, does not assess your finances, does not set or negotiate provider prices, does not deliver care, and does not handle complaints about providers.
| What you need | Who handles it | Number |
|---|---|---|
| Eligibility and referrals | My Aged Care | 1800 200 422 |
| The assessment itself | An assessment organisation | They call you |
| Income and assets assessment | Services Australia | Services Australia |
| Complaints about a provider | Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission | 1800 951 822 |
| Independent advocacy | OPAN | 1800 700 600 |
| Delivering the care | Your chosen provider | Direct |
Our who to call page covers the full switchboard, including emergencies.
From registering to starting services
Check eligibility and apply
Online or by phone. The online application takes about 15 to 20 minutes.
An assessment organisation contacts you
They confirm needs and book a visit.
The assessment happens
Usually at home.
You receive the decision
Including a priority category if ongoing funding was approved.
You wait for funding to be released
Approval and funding are separate stages.
You choose a provider and sign
There are 56 days from funding release to enter an agreement and start services.
56 days, extendable by 28The 56 day deadline is a real trap
Once funding is released, you have 56 days to enter an agreement with a provider. It can be extended by 28 days. If you miss it, the funding is withdrawn and reallocated to the next person, and you need to call My Aged Care to rejoin the priority queue. Diarise the date the moment you are notified.
Setting up the online account
A My Aged Care online account is linked through myGov, usually using an Aged Care ID or a Medicare number. A Centrelink customer reference number or Veteran card number may also work. From there you can see the person's record, their assessment outcome and their referral information.
Acting for a parent: registered supporters
Since 1 November 2025, a family member who is formally registered to help through My Aged Care is called a registered supporter, and some registered supporters are also appointed decision makers. The difference is whether you help your parent decide, or have legal authority to decide for them.
| Registered supporter | Appointed decision maker | |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | A trusted person the older person chooses to help them make and communicate their own aged care decisions | Someone with guardianship, enduring power of attorney or similar legal authority under state or territory law |
| Can decide for the person | No | Only in line with their active legal authority |
| Who agrees | Both the older person and the supporter | The older person's consent is not needed if the legal authority is active |
| How it is recorded | A request to register a supporter relationship through My Aged Care | Registered as a supporter, with proof of the active legal authority provided to My Aged Care |
If your parent can still make their own decisions, the registered supporter role is usually the one that applies. If they cannot, only a person with legal authority can decide for them, and only within the scope of that authority. How that authority is created, such as an enduring power of attorney or a guardianship order, depends on your state or territory.
Regular and authorised representatives who were active in My Aged Care on 31 October 2025 became registered supporters from 1 November 2025, according to the Department's registered supporters page. If you were already helping a parent, check their record to confirm you are still listed. Our guide to the Aged Care Act 2024 explains the registered supporter role in more detail.
Using Find a provider
The tool lets you search by service type and location, shortlist up to 16 providers and compare three side by side.
Its limits are worth knowing. It shows Star Ratings for aged care homes. Prices are published by the providers themselves, so confirm the current price with the provider before you agree to anything. Every provider listed on My Aged Care is regulated by the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission and must meet the Aged Care Quality Standards.
Four things people get wrong
Registering is not the same as joining a funding queue. Those are different stages.
My Aged Care does not decide what you pay. Services Australia does the means assessment.
Your care agreement is with the provider, not with My Aged Care.
Complaints about a provider go to the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission, not to My Aged Care.
Frequently asked
What is the My Aged Care phone number?
Do I need to register before an assessment?
How do I act on behalf of my parent?
Is registering the same as going on a waiting list?
What happens if I miss the 56 day deadline?
Can I use My Aged Care from overseas?
Who do I complain to about a provider?
Sources
This guide is general information, written from the published sources below. It is not a substitute for advice about your own circumstances.
Department of Health, Disability and Ageing, 2026
My Aged CareMy Aged Care, 2026
How to contact My Aged CareMy Aged Care, 2026
Registering a supporterMy Aged Care, 2026
How to choose a providerHello Leaders, 2025
Star Ratings under fire: Are they hiding the truth?ABC News, 2024
Five-star ratings are being awarded to aged care facilities that are non-compliant with government standardsDepartment of Health, Disability and Ageing, 2026
Registered supporters in aged care
