Eligibility for Carer Payment (CP) 009-04030000

CP (child) is a fortnightly income support payment for people who are unable to support themselves through substantial employment due to the demands of their caring role. It provides income support to people who provide full-time personal care or supervision to a person with a severe disability or severe medical condition in the person's private home, rather than in an institution. Caring is a physically, emotionally and financially demanding role. The payment of CP recognises the various financial, social and opportunity costs borne by carers.

In certain situations, two or more carers may qualify for CP for the same care receiver aged under 16. To qualify for CP for a care receiver aged under 16 years the carer must:

• Satisfy the residence requirements
• Be personally providing constant care for a child with a severe disability or severe medical condition with a qualifying DCLAD score in the home of the care receiver
• Note: the carer is not required to live with the care receiver
• The carer may cease care for a maximum of 25 hours per week (including travel time) for the purposes of paid employment, self-employment, voluntary work, attending an educational institution or training, and still qualify for CP. Hours where the carer continues to provide care for the care receiver are not counted
• Have income and assets below the maximum allowed under the pension’s income and assets test

Qualifications for CP (child) changed on 1 July 2009. See Eligibility for Carer Payment (CP) when a care receiver is aged under 16 for:

• pre and Post 1 July 2009 rules
• grandfathering provisions for DCLAD 1 July 2020 when the Disability Care Load Assessment Determination (DCLAD) (2020) replaced the Child Disability Assessment Determination (CDAD) 2001 and DCLAD 2009 determinations
• grandfathering transitional rules for CP (child) customers who were current on 30 June 2009

The provision for up to 63 days of respite for carers recognises the need for carers to have a break from their caring responsibilities while remaining qualified for payment.

There is no limit to the number of hospitalisation days for child care receivers, however all absences must still be recorded. If the carer is paid under the short term care or episodic care provisions, the respite limit will be a pro-rata amount, based on the period for which CP (child) is being granted.

CP provides income support to people who provide constant care for an adult with a qualifying Adult Disability Assessment Tool (ADAT) score, in the person's private home. The aim of this program is to support the provision of care for people with a significant disability in the home rather than in an institution. Caring is a physically, emotionally and financially demanding role. The payment of CP recognises the various financial, social and opportunity costs borne by carers.

In certain situations, 2 or more carers may qualify for CP for the same care receiver aged 16 or over.

If a care receiver is in respite (not hospital) at the time a carer lodges a CP and/or Carer Allowance claim, see Complications to grants of Carer Payment (CP) and/or Carer Allowance (CA).

To qualify for CP for an adult care receiver, the carer must:

• Satisfy the residence requirements
• Be personally providing constant care for an adult with a qualifying ADAT score in the home of the care receiver
• Note: the carer is not required to live with the care receiver
• The carer may cease care for a maximum of 25 hours per week (including travel time) for the purposes of paid employment, self-employment, voluntary work, attending an educational institution or training, and still qualify for CP. Hours where the carer continues to provide care for the care receiver are not counted
• Have income and assets below the maximum allowed under the pensions income and assets test

Wife Pension customers who were getting payment level Carer Allowance on 19 March 2020 qualify for CP (XWP) under grandfathering provisions as long as payment level CA continues without a break. They are not required to satisfy the normal CP requirements such as:

• constant care
• the 25 hour rule, or
• CP reviews including the Care Receiver Income and Assets (CRIA) test

Pensions income and asset tests continue to apply. Temporary Cessation of Care (respite and hospitalisation) rules do not apply to CP (XWP) but all CA rules continue to apply to CA as normal.

When a CP (XWP) customer’s only or last payment level CA is suspended or cancelled for any reason (including due to respite or hospitalisation) or reduced to a zero rate due to Education, Training or Treatment (ETT), CP (XWP) will automatically be cancelled.

A carer will lose qualification for CP (XWP) permanently if they have a break in payment level CA entitlement after 19 March 2020. For more information, see Transfer from Wife Pension (WP) to Carer Payment (CP).

If the carer is under the normal school leaving age in their State or Territory, it is necessary to check that the appropriate education authority has given permission for the young person to leave school or to reduce their workload. The school-leaving age differs depending on the state or territory in which the person resides (not the location of the school).

Carers of workforce age receiving CP are eligible for Working Credit. If a carer has unused working credits or a Student Income Bank (SIB), they may be able to restore them within 12 months.

Although there is no age limit for carers, any carer aged under 18 or over 80 years needs to be referred to a Centrelink Social Worker to ensure that the carer has the physical and emotional capacity to provide the level of care required, and also to provide information and assistance in accessing support services.

If there are complications to grants of CP and/or CA due to the carer being in respite, a Social Worker can provide information to help in making a decision about qualification for CP.

A Social Worker can also help with determining the level of care in situations where a care receiver also cares for a person and is in receipt of CP: Social Worker assessment of care situations for CP and CA claims.

The adult care receiver must:

• be either:
• an Australian resident, or
• a higher Adult Disability Assessment Tool (ADAT) score adult who is receiving a social security pension and CP may be granted to another person for the adult under a scheduled international social security agreement, and
• be receiving a social security pension or benefit, or a Service Pension or Income Support Supplement or Veteran Payment, or would receive one of these payments if they have been an Australian resident long enough, or
• have income and assets which satisfy the non-customer Care Receiver Income and Assets (CRIA) test (noting that some assets are disregarded, see Components of the Care Receiver Income and Assets (CRIA) test, and
• require care permanently or for a minimum of 6 months (as opposed to 12 months for Carer Allowance), or less than 6 months if the condition is terminal

Eligible Parenting Payment (PP), Carer Payment (CP) and Special Benefit (SpB) customers can volunteer for Parent Pathways. This service offers flexible and individualised support to parents and carers with children under the age of 6 plan for or pursue their study, training and work goals.

A datalink with the Department of Home Affairs will where possible, automatically populate residence details for customers from 1 September 1994 to date as well as citizenship and movement information for the customer if they are available. Once a person is identified as a Centrelink customer, Department of Home Affairs will advise of any future changes to their visa subclass or if they, their partner or their child leaves or returns to Australia.

For current CP carers, it may be necessary to update country of residence, visa information or Australian citizenship details. For assistance, see Activating the Department of Home Affairs datalink and contingency procedures if datalink is unavailable.