What is an Income Tested Care Fee (ITF)?

An Income Tested Care Fee (ITF) is a means-tested personal contribution that some recipients of Support at Home funding may be required to pay if they have not registered with Centrelink or are assessed as having sufficient funds to personally contribute to the cost of their in home care.

The amount of daily funding your approved provider receives is reduced by the amount you have been determined as being able to contribute. The total value of the funding does not change, only the source of the funds. For example, if your Support at Home Funding is valued at $9000 and you have been assessed as eligible to pay $3000 as your ITF contribution, then the government subsidy to the provider will be $6000. However, the contributed $3000 will be used first before the government contribution.

Recipients who have not yet had their income assessed will need to pay the maximum daily ITF amount from the first day of their Support at Home Funding. However, if the income assessment results in a lower or no ITF amount, the excess paid will be refunded, when the approved provider has received a refund from Services Australia.

Before making the decision to accept Support at Home Funding, it is advisable to determine if an ITF applies to you.

Personal contributions are collected fortnightly by direct debit, which is an authority that customers sign with the organisation, allowing them to take money directly from a nominated account under specified conditions, as approved under banking rules.

You can find out more here.