Continence Aids Payment Scheme (CAPS) 2026-27 Guide: How Much It Pays, Who Qualifies and How to Apply

Oct 2, 2026 

Quick answer

The Continence Aids Payment Scheme (CAPS) pays eligible Australians up to $739.40 for the 2026-27 financial year to help cover the cost of continence products. It is an Australian Government payment run by Services Australia. It is tax free, it is not means tested, and you can spend it on the continence products you choose, from any supplier.

To qualify, you must be 5 years or older, have permanent and severe incontinence confirmed by a registered health professional, and have an eligible condition. Some people also need a Pensioner Concession Card.

Around 4.8 million Australians live with a bladder or bowel problem. If you or someone you support buys continence products every week, CAPS is worth checking. This guide explains, in plain language, what CAPS pays, who can get it, what changed in 2026, and how to apply.

CAPS at a glance (2026-27)

What is the Continence Aids Payment Scheme?

CAPS is an ongoing Australian Government program that gives eligible people a yearly payment towards the cost of continence products. The Department of Health, Disability and Ageing is responsible for CAPS policy. Services Australia, through Medicare, processes applications and makes the payments.

CAPS is a cash payment, not a voucher. The money goes into your bank account and you choose what to buy and where to buy it. When you sign the application, you agree to use the payment to buy continence products and continence related products.

How much is the CAPS payment in 2026-27?

For the 2026-27 financial year, CAPS pays up to $739.40 per person. That is $22.30 more than the 2025-26 rate of $717.10.

The rate is indexed each year and can rise or fall slightly through the Government's budget process. New rates usually start on 1 July.

A few things are worth knowing about the money:

•        It is tax free. CAPS is not included in your income tax calculations.

•        It does not affect other payments. Getting CAPS does not stop you from getting other Services Australia payments.

•        It is not means tested. Your income and assets do not change whether you qualify or how much you get.

•        It is not backdated. Your first payment is worked out pro rata from the date Services Australia receives your complete application. Applying early in the financial year means a larger first payment.

Who is eligible for CAPS?

You can get CAPS if you meet all of these:

1.      You are 5 years or older. There is no upper age limit.

2.      You are an Australian citizen, a permanent resident, or have permanent residency rights for as long as you get the payment.

3.      You have permanent and severe incontinence of the bladder, bowel, or both, confirmed by a registered health professional.

4.      Your incontinence is caused by an eligible neurological condition, or by an eligible other condition.

What counts as "permanent and severe"?

The government defines it as frequent and uncontrollable loss of a moderate to large amount of urine or faeces. It must affect your quality of life and be unlikely to improve with medical, surgical or clinical treatment.

Neurological condition or other condition: why it matters

This is the detail most people miss.

Eligible neurological conditions are grouped into categories. They include spina bifida, cerebral palsy, intellectual disability, paraplegia and quadriplegia, acquired brain injury, stroke, dementia including Alzheimer's disease, and degenerative neurological diseases. The full lists of eligible neurological and other conditions are on the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing website. Search "CAPS eligible conditions".

Other concession cards, such as the Commonwealth Seniors Health Card, a Low Income Health Care Card or a State Seniors Card, do not count for CAPS. If you rely on a Pensioner Concession Card, make sure it is valid on 1 July and 1 January each year.

Who confirms your condition?

A registered health professional who is not a family member must complete the Health Report (Section 3) of the application. This can be your GP, a continence nurse, a registered or community nurse, a physiotherapist, an occupational therapist, an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health worker, or a medical specialist.

Who cannot get CAPS?

The CAPS application guidelines say you are not eligible if:

•        you live permanently in residential aged care (respite, short-term restorative care and flexible care do not count)

•        your NDIS plan includes continence products in your consumables budget

•        you can get continence products through the DVA Rehabilitation Appliances Program (RAP)

•        you have lived outside Australia continuously for three years

•        your incontinence is temporary, can be treated with a conservative program (such as pelvic floor exercises or bladder retraining), medication or surgery, or only happens as night-time bed wetting

•        your condition is a non-neurological condition and you do not have a Pensioner Concession Card

•        you are serving a prison sentence

If you are under 65 and have a permanent and significant disability, the guidelines suggest calling the NDIA on 1800 800 110 first to check whether the NDIS is a better fit.

2026 update: CAPS and Support at Home

From 1 July 2026, people receiving Support at Home or the Commonwealth Home Support Programme (CHSP) can get CAPS again, as long as they meet the CAPS eligibility rules.

Here is what happened, in order:

1.      1 November 2025: the new Aged Care Act started and Support at Home replaced Home Care Packages. The Government stopped approving CAPS for people on Support at Home and CHSP.

2.      February 2026: Support at Home participants who had been getting CAPS stopped receiving it.

3.      1 July 2026: after advocacy led by Continence Health Australia, the Government reversed the decision. CAPS is available again to Support at Home and CHSP clients.

Services Australia now states that you can get CAPS and Support at Home at the same time if you meet the CAPS criteria. CAPS is a separate payment from your Support at Home budget.

If you lost CAPS during this period, call the CAPS team on 1800 239 309 to check what you need to do. Because CAPS is not backdated, it pays to act quickly.

Note: the printed CAPS application form still includes an older question about Home Care Packages. If you are on Support at Home, ask the CAPS team how to answer it.

How to apply for CAPS, step by step

Applying takes four steps. You do not need to reapply each year once you are approved.

1.      Check you are eligible. Use the criteria above and the eligible conditions list on the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing website.

2.      Choose how to apply.

o       Online: if you are applying for yourself, use your Medicare online account through myGov, or the Express Plus Medicare mobile app.

o       Paper form: download the CAPS Application Guidelines and Form from the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing website. Representatives, such as a parent, guardian or nominee, and organisations must use the paper form.

3.      See your health professional. They complete and sign Section 3, the Health Report. They need to name the condition causing your incontinence.

4.      Submit and wait. Send the paper form to Services Australia by post to Continence Aids Payment Scheme, GPO Box 9822, Sydney NSW 2001, or by fax on 02 6122 9746. If post or fax is not possible, you can email a scan to CAPS@servicesaustralia.gov.au. Do not send it to the Department of Health.

Once your application is processed, you will get a payment statement. If you do not qualify, you will get a letter saying the application was not approved.

Tips to avoid delays

•        Fill in every part of Section 1, including all six eligibility questions.

•        Attach certified copies of any legal documents if someone is applying on your behalf. Never send originals.

•        Check your health professional has signed Section 3 before you send the form.

•        Keep your bank details up to date with Services Australia. CAPS cannot be paid into a credit card, loan or mortgage account.

•        Use the current version of the form from the government website.

When and how is CAPS paid?

You choose one of two payment options when you apply:

Your first payment may arrive outside these months. For example, if you apply in October and choose bi-annual payments, you get a pro rata amount first, then your next full payment in January. If you choose two payments, your eligibility may be checked again before the second one.

Services Australia does not publish exact payment dates. You will get a payment statement each time a payment is made.

Who can receive the money?

The payment goes into an Australian bank account belonging to one of these:

•        you

•        a parent, if the person getting CAPS is a child

•        a legal or authorised nominee, such as someone with power of attorney or a Centrelink payment nominee

•        an organisation that agrees to help buy continence products for you

Anyone who receives the payment for you must use it only for your continence products.

Keep your details up to date

Tell the CAPS team on 1800 239 309 if anything changes, such as your address, nominee, bank account, concession card or condition. If you do not, your payment may stop, or you may be overpaid and have to pay it back.

What can you buy with your CAPS payment?

You can spend CAPS on any continence products you need, from any supplier. That includes supermarkets, pharmacies, and online or phone orders. Your health professional or the National Continence Helpline (1800 330 066) can help you work out which products suit you.

Common purchases include:

•        pull-up pants and protective underwear

•        all-in-one slips (briefs)

•        pads and liners

•        bed and chair protection

•        wipes and other continence related products

How far does $739.40 go?

Spread across a year, $739.40 works out to about $2.03 a day. For many people that covers part of their yearly product costs, not all of it. That is why the price you pay per product matters.

Making your CAPS payment stretch further with Caringly

Caringly is an Australian continence care brand founded by healthcare professionals. Because CAPS is paid straight into your bank account, you can use it to shop at caringly.com.au like any other supplier.

At current Caringly prices, a full 2026-27 CAPS payment could cover:

What you get when you order from Caringly:

•        Australian made products with tested absorbency

•        discreet delivery to your door

•        free shipping on orders over $49

•        products from $36.99

•        a 60-Day Fit Promise, so you can find the right fit with confidence

Not sure which style suits you? Start with our product range and check the sizing details on each product page.

Caringly is not part of the Australian Government and does not process CAPS applications. To apply, contact Services Australia.

Frequently asked questions about CAPS

How much is the Continence Aids Payment Scheme in 2026-27?

CAPS pays up to $739.40 per eligible person for the 2026-27 financial year. The rate is indexed each year.

Is the CAPS payment taxable?

No. CAPS is not counted as taxable income and does not affect your other Services Australia payments.

Is CAPS means tested?

No. Your income and assets do not affect eligibility. However, if your incontinence is caused by a non-neurological condition, you need a Centrelink or DVA Pensioner Concession Card.

What age do you have to be to get CAPS?

You must be 5 years or older. There is no upper age limit.

Can I get CAPS and the NDIS at the same time?

Not if your NDIS plan includes continence products in your consumables budget. If your NDIS plan does not fund continence products, speak to the CAPS team about your situation.

Can I get CAPS if I am on Support at Home?

Yes. From 1 July 2026, people on Support at Home or CHSP can get CAPS if they meet the eligibility rules.

Can I get CAPS if I live in an aged care home?

Not if you live there permanently. Respite, short-term restorative care and flexible care do not stop you getting CAPS.

Do I have to reapply for CAPS every year?

No. Once approved, you keep getting CAPS while you stay eligible. Services Australia may ask you to confirm your eligibility. Children aged 5 to 15 should have their continence reassessed by a health professional at least every two years.

When is CAPS paid?

Either once a year in July, or twice a year in July and January. Your first payment is pro rata from the date your complete application is received.

Is CAPS backdated?

No. CAPS is not retrospective, so apply as soon as you think you qualify.

Where can I spend my CAPS payment?

Anywhere that sells continence products, including pharmacies, supermarkets and online stores such as Caringly.

Who do I call about CAPS?

Call the CAPS team at Services Australia on 1800 239 309, 8.30am to 5pm AEST, Monday to Friday. For free product and continence advice, call the National Continence Helpline on 1800 330 066, 8am to 8pm AEST, Monday to Friday.

Sources

This article was checked against these official sources on 2 October 2026:

•        Department of Health, Disability and Ageing: Continence Aids Payment Scheme (CAPS)

•        Services Australia: How much you can get

•        Services Australia: Who can get it

•        Department of Health: CAPS Application Guidelines and Form

•        Continence Health Australia: Continence Aids Payment Scheme

This article is general information only and is not medical, legal or financial advice. Payment rates and rules can change. Always check the latest details with Services Australia or the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing before you apply.