Applications are now open for the Aged Care Award Wages - Historical Leave Liabilities Increases - 1 August 2026 grant. The grant helps providers cover some of the higher costs arising from the Fair Work Commission's 1 August 2026 wage increase for eligible aged care nurses.

The grant will help supplement 1 August 2026 award wage increases to leave entitlements with:

• 25% of the Fair Work Commission increase to leave entitlements for registered residential aged care providers
• 50% of the Fair Work Commission increase to leave entitlements for Support at Home, Commonwealth Home Support Program, Transition Care Program, and the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Flexible Aged Care Program providers.

Multi-Purpose Services providers will receive their leave liabilities funding through existing funding agreements and are not eligible for this grant.

You can use the funding to pay accumulated increased leave costs, including:

• annual leave, also known as recreation leave
• personal leave, also known as sick leave
• long service leave.

To be eligible you must be one of the following entity types:

• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Corporation (registered under the Corporations (Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander) Act 2006)
• Company
• Corporate Commonwealth Entity
• Non-Corporate Commonwealth Statutory Authority
• Corporate State or Territory Entity
• Non-corporate State or Territory Entity
• Non-corporate State or Territory Statutory Authority
• Local Government
• Cooperative
• Incorporated Association
• Statutory Entity
• Partnership, or
• Unincorporated Association.

• Email: Grant.ATM@health.gov.au