In response to the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety, the Australian Government set targets to reduce the number of younger people (aged under 65) living in residential aged care. The goal of the targets was to have no younger people living in permanent residential aged care (residential aged care) by January 2025. Although this and other targets have not been fully met, the number of people aged under 65 living in residential aged care has fallen substantially, a decrease from 5,216 to 880 people (an 83% reduction) between 30 June 2019 and 30 June 2025.

Whilst progress has been made on the targets, younger people remain living in residential aged care and should continue to be supported to transition into more age-appropriate care, where it is their preference. The National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) is the primary avenue for more age-appropriate accommodation for younger people with disability. By linking aged care and NDIS data, this report provides unique insights about younger people living in residential aged care and explores differences between NDIS participants and non-participants in this setting.

Key findings

• Around two in three younger people living in residential aged care are NDIS participants.
• More than three in four NDIS participants use aged care services before they access the NDIS.
• Less than one in three NDIS participants with funding for specialist disability accommodation use it.