Australian aged care firm accused in class action of charging residents for high teas and classes they couldn’t use

Arcare says it's unable to comment on the federal court case in which it's alleged it illegally charged fees

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Residents at one of Australia's largest aged care providers have launched a class action lawsuit alleging fees for services such as high teas and exercise classes were illegally charged to clients who cannot use them due to immobility and other issues.

The suit, filed in the federal court, alleges residents of more than 50 Arcare aged care facilities across four states were charged a daily additional services fee" by Arcare embedded within a signature package" between July 2020 and July 2026. This includes fees paid by residents who are immobile, unable to swallow, or cognitively impaired.