The Federal Government has announced a big boost to the aged care sector.

The Government says 17,385 new aged care places worth an estimated $910 million will be created.

Of the new places it says it will build, 10,940 will be new residential places worth an estimated $678.3 million, as well as 6,445 new home care places worth an estimated $232.4 million.

Minister for Aged Care Sussan Ley said the additional funding would benefit thousands of older Australians.

“These new home care places help our elderly remain in their own home and receive the care they need, which is particularly important for anyone with high-level needs. The Government is also investing an additional $67 million in capital grants across the nation to help approved providers establish new services or upgrade existing facilities,” Ms Ley said.

The money is the result of the 2015 Aged Care Approvals Round (ACAR, and mark the last ACAR to include home care places.

From February 2017, new arrangements for ACAR funding will follow the consumer not the provider, allowing people to choose the care which suits their individual needs, and then direct funding to that provider.

Applications for the 2016 ACAR round will commence in June and focus on the provision of residential aged care places and capital funding, as well as introducing, for the first time, short-term restorative care places.

More information is available here.