HELF is an optional fee that residents can choose to pay for services that go beyond what every aged care resident is already entitled to. It replaced the previous Extra Service and Additional Service fees when the Aged Care Act 2024 came into effect on 1 November 2025.
Every resident receives high-quality care and standard everyday living services regardless of whether they pay HELF. This fee exists purely to offer extra choice, not to create a baseline that residents must pay for to receive good care.
What can HELF cover?
HELF can apply to services that are either a higher standard than what’s already provided, or services that sit outside the standard service list altogether. It cannot be charged for accommodation.
Every resident’s priorities are different. For one person, this might mean a wider choice of meals. For another, it could be additional allied health sessions. The point of HELF is flexibility, letting residents shape a lifestyle package around what matters to them.
What protections are in place?
HELF comes with some built-in reassurances. It is always the resident’s choice, and residents will never be charged for something they have not agreed to or do not use.
Everything is set out in its own clear agreement, separate from accommodation and care arrangements, and it is reviewed each year to make sure it still suits them. If services are bundled together, residents should not end up paying more than if they had chosen them individually.
Learn more
For the full details on HELF, including your rights and what to look for in a Higher Everyday Living Agreement, visit the My Aged Care website.
