Introduction

The aged care reforms have had a wide ranging impact on the existing legislation and policy of a number of departments. The impact on DVA income support legislation and policy is restricted to the following issues:

• rent assistance (residential care allowance) eligibility;
• income and assets assessment of accommodation bonds;
• homeownership status;
• entitlement of pensioners in respite care; and
• special income and assets rules introduced post 1 October 1998 (see DI C13/98).

The changes to existing policy associated with the first 4 issues is detailed in the following sections.