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Aged care, NDIS, tax among July 1 changes

A raft of federal government changes - affecting aged care, disability care and tax for high-income earners - kick off from July 1.

A woman uses a walking stick to assist her mobility in Canberra
Changes to aged care dominates a long list of federal policy changes to kick on from July 1. (AAP)

Changes to aged and disability care dominate a long list of federal policy changes to kick on from July 1.

Those entering nursing homes from July 1 will have their assets included in calculating the fees payable for living expenses and care.

High and low-care services will also be able to charge their residents an accommodation payment, which replaces the up-front bond.

Residents will be able to choose this accommodation payment as a lump sum or a daily payment.

On top of the basic daily care fee, people might have to pay a means-tested fee of up to $25,000 annually, based on income and assets.

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But no one will pay more than $25,000 a year or a lifetime amount of $60,000 in means-tested residential care fees.

Aged care providers will have to publish charges and fees on the government website myagedcare.gov.au.

Home care packages will be income-tested, but no full pensioner will pay an income-tested fee.

Part pensioners will pay no more than $5000 a year and people with an income of more than $43,186 will pay an income-tested care fee on a sliding scale up to a total of $10,000 a year.

As with residential care, no one will pay more than $60,000 in an income tested care fee over their lifetime.

July 1 will also deliver the start of national disability insurance scheme trial sites in Western Australia, Northern Territory and the ACT, while the sites in NSW, Victoria, Tasmania and SA will expand.

The scheme will cover the entire ACT, the Barkly region of the NT and the Perth Hills area of WA.

The NDIS is being funded from an increase in the Medicare levy by half a percentage point from 1.5 to two per cent.

Veterans are set to gain from higher indexation of the Defence Forces Retirement and Benefits schemes.

And mature-aged people out of work could benefit, with a payment of up to $10,000 available to employers who hire them.

Work for the dole will be expanded and apprentices will no longer access the Tools For Your Trade payments but be eligible for trade support loans.

Income earners above $180,000 will be hit with a two per cent "temporary budget repair levy", which will continue for three years.

The superannuation guarantee rate will rise from 9.25 per cent to 9.5 per cent.


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