Advice and support
Government funding / CAPS
How much CAPS pays this year, exactly who qualifies, where the application form is, and what happens after you apply. Every figure sourced from Services Australia or the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing.
The Continence Aids Payment Scheme (CAPS) pays eligible people up to $739.40 for the 2026-27 financial year to help with the cost of continence products. To qualify you must be 5 years or older, have permanent and severe incontinence confirmed by a registered health professional, have an eligible neurological condition or a condition on the eligible other conditions list, and be an Australian citizen or permanent resident. If your condition is not neurological, you also need a Pensioner Concession Card.
The payment lands in your bank account as cash, in July or split across July and January, and you spend it on any continence product from any supplier. Source: Services Australia.
CAPS is an Australian Government program that pays eligible people a yearly amount towards the cost of continence products such as pads, pants and bed protection. More than 4.8 million Australians have a bladder or bowel problem, and for people whose incontinence is permanent and severe, products are a real running cost. CAPS exists to offset some of that cost.
Two agencies share the scheme. Services Australia administers it: they process applications and make the payments. The Department of Health, Disability and Ageing sets the policy and publishes the application form and the lists of eligible conditions.
The key thing that makes CAPS different from other funding: it is a payment, not a product delivery. Nobody tells you which brand, type or supplier to use. The money is yours to spend on the continence products that actually work for you.
The rate moves a little each July. Recent rates:
| Financial year | CAPS rate |
|---|---|
| 2026-27 | $739.40 (current) |
| 2025-26 | $717.10 |
| 2024-25 | $694.80 |
The payment does not add to your taxable income and does not stop you getting other payments from Services Australia. It can be paid into your own Australian bank account, the account of the custodial parent of a child getting CAPS, or a legal or authorised nominee's account. It cannot go to a credit card, loan or mortgage account.
Source: Services Australia, How much you can get (page updated 1 July 2026).
You must meet all of the following, as set out by Services Australia:
The Department of Health, Disability and Ageing publishes two lists. The eligible neurological conditions list spans seven categories and includes conditions such as multiple sclerosis, Parkinson's disease, stroke, dementia of any cause, cerebral palsy, spina bifida and other neural tube defects, Down syndrome, spinal cord damage, motor neurone disease and epilepsy. The eligible other conditions list covers non-neurological causes such as prostate cancer, bladder and bowel cancer, chronic urinary retention, Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis, endometriosis and pelvic organ prolapse. Remember: an "other conditions" application also needs a Pensioner Concession Card.
Any of these registered health professionals can complete the health report in your application:
Source: Services Australia, Who can get it (page updated 24 June 2026).
Services Australia lists these exclusions. You cannot be paid under CAPS if any of the following apply:
One rule changed recently and many older guides still get it wrong: you can receive CAPS and Support at Home (the program that replaced Home Care Packages on 1 November 2025) at the same time, provided you meet the CAPS criteria. The exclusion only applies where continence aids were already included in a home care plan before 1 November 2025.
Source: Services Australia, Not meeting eligibility (page updated 8 July 2026).
There are four steps, and the order matters: the health report comes before you lodge anything, because Services Australia cannot process an application without it.
Confirm you meet the rules above. If you are applying for yourself and your Medicare online account is linked to myGov, you can apply online and only need the form's health report section. If you are applying on someone else's behalf, or cannot apply online, you need the full paper form (details below).
Give the whole form to your health professional. They only complete Section 3, the Health Report, confirming your condition and their details. Check it is complete and correct before you lodge: an incomplete health report is the most common cause of delay, and Services Australia cannot process the application without it.
Online: sign in to myGov, open your Medicare online account, select Services, then Continence aids payment scheme, and follow the prompts. You upload only the completed Section 3 Health Report, not the whole form. Online applications have been available since October 2023, and the myGov app works too.
By post or in person: send the completed paper form and any extra documents to the postal address on the form, or hand it in at a service centre.
If approved, the payment goes to the bank account on your application, and you can see your payment history in your Medicare online account. If rejected, Services Australia tells you in writing and you can appeal by calling the CAPS team on 1800 239 309 (Monday to Friday, 8:30 am to 5 pm AEST).
One timing point worth knowing: CAPS is not backdated. Your first payment is calculated pro-rata from the date Services Australia receives a complete application, so it pays to apply as soon as you are eligible rather than waiting for July.
Source: Services Australia, How to apply and Department of Health, Disability and Ageing.
The official form is the Continence Aids Payment Scheme Application Guidelines and Application Form, a single 14-page document published by the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing. It has no separate form number; guidelines and form come together, covering eligibility, applicant details, representative details if someone is acting for you, and the Section 3 Health Report. The paper form must be printed and completed in block letters with black or blue pen.
Three ways to get it:
If you are applying for yourself online, you do not need to lodge the paper form at all: only Section 3 gets uploaded to your online application.
You choose one of two payment frequencies:
Services Australia does not give exact payment dates; you or your nominee receive a payment statement confirming the details each time. If you apply mid-year, your first payment is a pro-rata amount to bring you in line with your chosen frequency. For example, apply in October on the bi-annual option and you receive a prorated portion first, then your next full payment in January. You can view and print your CAPS payment history for the last 5 years in your Medicare online account through myGov.
Source: Services Australia, How much you can get and How to manage your payment.
CAPS is one of several funding routes, and they interact: an NDIS plan that includes continence support excludes you from CAPS, eligible veterans use DVA instead, and some state schemes expect your CAPS payment to be used first.
| Scheme | What you get | Disposable products | Where to start |
|---|---|---|---|
| CAPS | Up to $739.40 a year (2026-27), paid as cash to spend anywhere | Yes, your choice | Services Australia or 1800 239 309 |
| NDIS | Products funded as consumables in your plan, no fixed amount | Yes, where assessed | Your planner or continence nurse, 1800 800 110 |
| DVA RAP | Products supplied free through contracted suppliers | Yes | Your GP or prescriber, 1800 838 372 |
| State top-ups | Varies by state: product supply, subsidy, or nothing for disposables | Depends on the state | State scheme guide |
For the full breakdown of the national schemes, including aged care's Support at Home and what each one does and does not fund, see our CAPS, NDIS and DVA comparison.
State schemes sit on top of CAPS, not instead of it, and the order matters in some states: EnableNSW, for example, requires you to have claimed your CAPS entitlement first each year before it tops up. Every state and territory is different, so check the state and territory funding guide for where you live.
Anything that manages your continence. The Department of Health, Disability and Ageing confirms you can buy any continence products you need with CAPS funding, from supermarkets, pharmacies, online or by phone, and your health professional can advise on the types that suit your needs. If you would rather not manage the money yourself, an organisation that helps you buy continence products can be your authorised nominee and receive the payment directly.
Because CAPS gives you free choice of product and supplier, the real question becomes which product actually fits, holds and stays comfortable. $739.40 does not go far on products that end up unused in a cupboard. That is exactly what samples are for: settle on the right product first, then commit your payment to it. When you are ready to buy, our products are available through distributors across Australia.
Answer a few questions and we will send free samples to try at home, so your CAPS money only goes on products you know work for you.
If you're a healthcare professional, you can access a wide range of exclusive resources and order up to 40 free samples. Register today and let us help you make a difference in delivering trusted and affordable continence care. You are usually the person completing the Section 3 Health Report, so samples help you recommend a product with confidence.
Please register with your organisation's email address so we can verify you as a healthcare professional. Registrations made with a personal address are set up as customer accounts.
Last reviewed: 28 July 2026. The CAPS rate is re-rated every July, so this page is reviewed each year in the first week of July. Every figure here links to the official source that sets it, but the scheme's own website is the only current source: please check Services Australia or call 1800 239 309 before you rely on an amount or a rule, and where anything here differs from the scheme's own information, the scheme is correct. This is general information, not financial or medical advice. CAPS is run by the Australian Government, not by Ontex, and products are bought from distributors.
More on funding: the government funding overview, the national schemes compared, and state and territory schemes. Or explore the full continence range and where to buy. For free, confidential advice, the National Continence Helpline is 1800 33 00 66 (8 am to 8 pm AEST, Monday to Friday).
