Carer Allowance (CA) customer going overseas 009-03100020

David and Karen are going to the USA on holiday for about 5 weeks from 22 June to the end of July.

David receives Carer Payment (CP) and Carer Allowance (CA) for caring for Karen who is on Age Pension. They also receive Rent Assistance (RA).

This is a temporary absence. CP and CA are portable and can be paid while the customer is overseas. CP add-ons can continue to be paid for the entire period while the customer remains qualified. This includes the Carer Supplement as David will be in receipt of the qualifying payment in the period that covers 1 July.

David and Karen (as in Example 1) come back to Australia and a week later discover that David needs to go overseas to visit a parent who is extremely ill.

David intends to stay 6 weeks then come back and continue to care for Karen who will be in respite care while David is away.

David’s departure is treated as a new event and payment is portable for a maximum of 6 weeks however, the portability period is limited by respite rules. If David exceeds the respite CA and CP will cancel.

David's absence will need to be coded both for portability and respite and for both payment types.

Debbie receives CA for child Eileen. Both are going to live in South Africa on a permanent basis.

Debbie's CA is not portable and will cease on departure.

Gina cares for Georgio. They travelled to Greece together for a planned trip of 6 weeks, to visit relatives, on 1 February.

Gina decides to take the opportunity to have a break from care and takes a 2 week holiday using the respite days under the temporary cessation of care provisions. The relatives are happy to take care of Georgio during this time as Gina has had no respite for over 12 months.

Gina qualifies for CA throughout the whole absence because the 6 weeks temporary absence overseas and the 2 weeks temporary cessation of care during that absence are within the limits of the allowed portability of 6 weeks. Both the 2 weeks respite and the portability must be coded.

Freda receives CA for child, Mark. Freda's partner Phil takes Mark overseas to stay with relatives in Canada for 12 weeks. Freda remains at home in Australia.

This is not a portability absence. Phil is not on any Social Security benefit. Freda is not overseas. Therefore there is no need to code a portability absence for anyone.

This is not a respite absence because Mark is in the care of Phil, so it is a normal qualifying situation.

The absence has no effect on Freda's CA.

The information should be recorded on a DOC.

Note: while a child care receiver can remain in the care of the carer's partner and the absence is not a respite absence for CA, this rule does not apply if the care receiver is an adult. For adult care receivers, the respite absence must be recorded.

Tim and Rachel are parents of child Sarah. Rachel receives CA for Sarah. Rachel has gone overseas to see a sick parent in Scotland. Rachel has left Sarah in the care of Tim in Australia.

This is portability. The absence must be coded for portability purposes.

It is not a respite absence however, as Sarah is still in the care of the carer's partner and it is a normal qualifying situation for CA.

The Service Officer will only code the travel on the RSCD screen and record the details of who is caring for Sarah on a DOC.

Note: while a child care receiver can remain in the care of the carer's partner and the absence is not a respite absence for CA, this rule does not apply if the care receiver is an adult. For adult care receivers, the respite absence must be recorded.

If Rachel had left Sarah in the care of Rachel's sibling, respite would need to be coded. Rachel's travel should also be coded for portability.