Why this matters
Aged care homes are designed for older people. Younger people living there often miss out on things that matter at their stage of life: friends their own age, work, study, family life and control over their day. The Department of Health, Disability and Ageing says aged care is not an appropriate service for people under 65.
The YPIRAC targets
In response to the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety, the government set targets, apart from in exceptional circumstances, of:
- No people under 65 entering residential aged care by 1 January 2022
- No people under 45 living in residential aged care by 1 January 2022
- No people under 65 living in residential aged care by 1 January 2025
Where things stand
The targets have not been met, but the numbers are falling. According to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare's December 2025 fact sheet, at 31 December 2025:
- 776 people under 65 were living in permanent residential aged care, 263 fewer than a year earlier
- 11 people under 45 were living in permanent residential aged care
- 53 people under 65 entered permanent residential aged care in October to December 2025
- 546 younger people in aged care had an approved NDIS plan, and 73 of them had a goal to leave
New entry rules since 1 November 2025
The Aged Care Act 2024 started on 1 November 2025. It prevents younger people from entering residential aged care except in very limited circumstances and where it is their preference. Government funded aged care is now limited to people with care needs who are:
- Aged 65 or over
- Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander people aged 50 or over
- Homeless or at risk of homelessness, and aged 50 or over
- Already living in an aged care home or using aged care services
How the NDIS can help you move out
If you are an NDIS participant living in aged care, the NDIS can support you to explore and move to a more suitable home if you choose to. Depending on your needs, that might include:
- Specialist Disability Accommodation, for people with extreme functional impairment or very high support needs
- Supported Independent Living or an Individualised Living Option for support at home
- Medium term accommodation while your long term home is being found or built
- Home modifications, assistive technology and nursing or health related supports
- Support coordination, often specialist support coordination, to plan and manage the move
If you are not an NDIS participant
Not every younger person in aged care has disability or is eligible for the NDIS. Through the YPIRAC System Coordinator Program run by Ability First Australia, younger people who are not participants can get one to one help to identify options and access alternatives, if that is what they want.
What the 2026 NDIS changes mean
Specialist Disability Accommodation and supports in your home are protected from the October 2026 funding reset. If you move into 24 hour support, the high support needs plan variation lets you ask for daily living and home and living funding to be increased, within limits, after the reset is applied to your plan. SIL providers must now be registered with the NDIS Commission, so check registration when you choose one.