Aged Care 101: What is the Higher Everyday Living Fee (HELF)?
The Higher Everyday Living Fee, or HELF, is a new optional fee that lets aged care residents pay for a more premium experience, from better meals to in-room entertainment. It’s completely optional, and declining it shouldn’t affect the standard care you receive. This guide breaks down what HELF actually covers, how it’s priced, and the exact questions to ask your provider before you sign anything.
Image: Alican Lazutti
When comparing aged care homes, you might have come across the term Higher Everyday Living Fee (HELF). This is HELF, introduced in November 2025, and made to give aged care home residents the option of a more premium experience. But what is it, how much is it, and how does it affect you or your loved one?
What is HELF?
In simple terms, HELF is a fee for extra services in residential aged care homes. This includes “higher living” services like premium meals, in-room television services, Wi-Fi usage, just to name a few. It’s taken over the need for multiple fees at once, like the Extra Service Fee and Additional Service Fee.
Is HELF compulsory?
The good news is that it’s a completely optional fee, and you can choose whether you or your loved one is willing to pay for the premium service. If you don’t choose to pay for this option, you shouldn’t be forced or charged for it by a provider.
What if I don’t want to pay for HELF? Will I get less than others?
As per the law, non-HELF-paying residents will not be given lesser living conditions. All residential aged care residents will receive standard high-quality care and services under the Aged Care Quality Standards and the Service List, but HELF-paying residents will simply receive additional benefits.
Choosing not to pay for HELF won’t prevent you from finding a place in a home, but a specific room you’re interested in may come with the fee built in. When looking at a particular facility, ask for the fee, and your right to decline it, in writing. Providers should be transparent and clear about how HELF comes into play in their particular facility.
How much is HELF?
HELF is also not a “one size fits all” service fee. Each establishment and its provider sets its own price and services, all at its own discretion. Prices vary between different aged care homes and sometimes between rooms in the same facility. It’s important to ensure that you know exactly how much the home will be charging you for your specific choices.
Before agreeing to anything in writing, make sure you’re clear on what you’re signing
Here are some questions to ask your provider to get a better picture of how it will affect you:
- How much is HELF for this particular provider?
- What are the premium services that come with this fee for this particular provider?
- Do I still have to pay it even if I don’t use all the services?
- How often is HELF charged?
- How much notice will I get if the price goes up?
HELF is one part of a much bigger picture. When selecting a residential facility, you will encounter basic daily fees, means-tested care contributions, and accommodation costs, with this new premium option potentially added to the mix. None of it needs to be worked out alone, and none of it needs to be decided on the spot.
Your checklist
- Take the price list home.
- Ask for the details in writing.
- Compare a few homes before you choose.
- If a fee isn’t clear, ask again until it is.
Understanding a fee like HELF is just one step in finding the right home. With the right questions, and the right support, that step gets a lot easier to take.
