Death of an adult care receiver and the effect on Carer Allowance (CA) 009-03090060

Bereavement provisions for CA are determined differently and separately to bereavement provisions for Carer Payment (CP).

Eligibility for a bereavement payment for a carer receiving CA (adult) depends on:

• whether or not the carer receives both CA and an income support payment, and
• if the income support payment received by the carer is a payment other than CP

If the carer is in receipt of:

• CA only, the carer is not entitled to a Bereavement Payment
• both CA and CP (for the same or another care receiver), the carer is not entitled to a CA Bereavement Payment, but may be entitled to a bereavement payment for CP (this will depend on which care receiver has passed away)
• both CA and an income support payment (including Department of Veterans' Affairs (DVA)) that qualifies the carer for a bereavement payment, they are not entitled to a CA Bereavement Payment
• both CA and an income support payment (other than CP) that does not qualify them for a bereavement payment, they are entitled to CA up to the end of the bereavement rate continuation period and also may be entitled to a CA Bereavement Payment

The CA Bereavement Payment is the equivalent of up to 7 fortnightly instalments of CA. The payment is paid as a lump sum to the carer after notification of the care receiver's death.

If CA is shared between 2 carers, each carer will receive a CA Bereavement Payment based on the percentage of care they provided prior to the care receiver's death. However, if the care provided for CA is shared care but only one carer is receiving CA on the day of the care receiver's death, and is receiving 100% of the CA payment, then that CA carer will be paid the full rate (100%) of the CA Bereavement Payment.

Services Australia records the death to ensure the carer's payment is correctly reassessed and that any bereavement payments associated with other payments received by the care receiver are processed, for example Disability Support Pension (DSP).

The notification period for the occurrence of a bereavement event is 28 days for carers in receipt of CP and/or CA. The References page contains links to the policy.

Before recording a death, check whether the care receiver had permanently entered an institution and that the care receiver had permanently left the care of their carer before their death.

When there has been a permanent cessation of care prior to the death of the care receiver, CA should be cancelled from the first date the carer did not provide care and attention.

A debt being created depends on:

• if the carer was eligible for a CA Bereavement payment
• the date Services Australia was notified of the care receiver's death
• date CA was paid to

The Process page contains details about whether there is a debt and the period of the overpayment.

When a CA Bereavement Payment is made in error, (for example, care receiver's death incorrectly recorded) the death action will be undone by the Service Officer. An overpayment of the bereavement payment must be raised manually by the Service Officer and arrears must be paid to the carer if they have missed CA payments since the death action was recorded.

Carers may be entitled to receive the annual Carer Supplement if the bereavement period includes 1 July of any given year and the carer was entitled to a CA Bereavement Payment. The Supplement of up to $600 is issued as an immediate payment on the same day as the CA Bereavement Payment.

When a CA care receiver passes away, Service Officers must send a Q079 letter to the carer. If the carer is entitled to a CA Bereavement Payment the letter will advise:

• the amount of the CA Bereavement Payment, or
• the amount of CA Bereavement Payment and Carer Supplement, and
• the new CA rate if there are surviving care receivers, or
• cancellation of CA if there are no surviving care receivers

After a customer dies, Nominee and Power of Attorney (POA):

• arrangements stop
• can no longer get details about the deceased person
• do not automatically become the executor or administrator

A statutory declaration cannot be used as authorisation for access to a deceased person's details. Tell the third party to seek advice from a lawyer, Probate Office or Public Trustee. See Requests for information after someone has died.