Significant legislative changes will impact Aged Care providers in the coming months, including further pay increases for workers and the introduction of new rights-based Aged Care Act. As these comprehensive reforms for the Aged Care sector take place, Humanforce is here to help you navigate these updates, streamline compliance, and ensure your workforce is paid correctly and on time.

🔥 What’s New?

1. Additional pay increases for employees under Nurses, Aged Care, and SCHADS (Social, Community, Home Care and Disability Services) Industry Awards

From 1st of October 2025 an additional round of pay increases for aged care workers and in-home carers will take effect under the Aged Care Award, Nurses Award and SCHADS Award.

2. New rights-based Aged Care Act

From 1st November 2025 implementation of the new Aged Care Act will focus on:

• Resident rights, dignity, and choice.
• Higher quality and transparency, including increased minimum care hours, staff training, and clearer reporting.
• Stricter regulatory oversight and more frequent inspections.
• Launch of the Support at Home Program with new funding and reporting standards.
• Enhanced safeguarding to protect residents.

⭐️ Why These Changes Matter

The additional round of pay increases for aged care workers will ensure better and fairer wages for aged care workers, helping increase worker engagement, retain top talent professionals within the industry and ultimately enhance quality of resident care.

The new Aged Care Act reforms bring sweeping changes to compliance, quality standards, and workforce remuneration. Timely updates to pay rates and operational policies are essential to avoid compliance risks, protect resident rights, and support financial sustainability. Aged Care providers must act promptly to align workforce practices to these new legal obligations and maintain trust with residents, families, and regulators.

🏁 Getting Started 

Ensure your employee pay rates remain compliant with the new updated minimum wage requirements:

• Maintain payrates In Humanforce WFM.

To prepare for the new Aged Care Act, Australian Aged Care providers are:

• Reviewing and updating policies to align with the new Aged Care Act
• Delivering staff training on new standards and reporting obligations
• Utilising Workforce Management dashboards such as Humanforce’s AN-ACC dashboard to prepare for transparency requirements
• Communicating the changes to staff and stakeholders early.

⚖️ Compliance Confidence

Humanforce’s Award Interpretation Engine and Workforce Management solution can help organisations automate complex wage calculations, provide proactive compliance alerts, and streamline record-keeping. The Humanforce HCM suite combines Payroll, HR, Talent, and compliance tooling, which could help organisations stay ahead of new legislation, minimise compliance risks, and future-proof aged care operations.

Disclaimer: This article contains general information only and is not intended to constitute legal, financial, industrial relations or other professional advice. While care has been taken to ensure accuracy at the time of publication, the information may not reflect the most current legal or regulatory developments. Employers should not rely on this content when making decisions and should seek independent professional advice regarding their obligations under applicable laws and awards. Humanforce accepts no liability for any loss arising from reliance on the information contained in this article.