Carer Payment (CP) claims for care receivers aged 16 or over 009-04080000

CP provides income support to people who provide constant care for an adult with a qualifying Adult Disability Assessment Tool (ADAT) score and the care is provided in the care receiver's private home. The aim of this program is to encourage the provision of care 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. The provision for up to 63 days of respite for carers recognises the need for carers to have a break from their caring responsibilities. There is an additional provision of 63 days for caring responsibilities given while a care receiver is in hospital.

If a care receiver is in respite (not hospital) at the time a customer lodges a CP and/or Carer Allowance (CA) claim, the carer does not qualify for CP or CA and the claim should be rejected as the care receiver is not in their care at the time of claim lodgement.

Temporary cessation of care provisions cannot be applied from date of lodgement, as the carer has not yet qualified for CP and/or CA. If a carer is using up to one day of the temporary cessation of care provisions each week at claim, they may qualify for CP/CA at time of claim.

A carer does not qualify for CP or CA until the care receiver returns to the private home. If the care receiver later returns to the private home, the claim can only be backdated to a date when the carer was providing care in the private home (that is, to a date when the care receiver was not in respite).

Qualification for CP for 16 years or over is based on the circumstances of both the carer and the care receiver and the provision of constant care. Customers need to submit an online claim or lodge a fully completed and signed paper claim.

If a person is caring for an adult and a child, consider either:

• CP claim (child) - caring for a disabled adult and 1 or 2 children with a disability or medical condition (multiple care), or
• CP claim - under the Lower Adult Disability Assessment Tool (ADAT) provisions

A carer is said to provide constant care if they personally provide care on a daily basis for a significant period during each day. The care may be active, supervisory or monitoring. To provide care on a daily basis for a significant period, a carer should reasonably be expected to provide at least the equivalent of a normal working day in personal care, as the policy intent of CP is to recognise that the carer is not able to undertake substantial paid employment because of their caring responsibilities. This includes circumstances where the carer or care receiver is absent from the care situation for part of the day, but the intensity of the care required and provided during the rest of any 24 hour period roughly equates to a normal working day.

The assessing Service Officer has the delegation to determine if constant care provisions are satisfied, based on the medical report and the ADAT carer questionnaire provided with the CP (adult) claim. The constant care requirements are satisfied if the Treating Health Professional (THP) medical report and ADAT carer questionnaire result in a qualifying score for CP, or an assessment of terminal illness. There are circumstances that could indicate constant care is not being provided. Service Officers can take these into account when making a determination.

If a carer has lodged a Carer Allowance Questionnaire (SA381) and they are receiving or have claimed CP, the SA381 should not be used on its own to determine if constant care is being provided. For example, if the SA381 states that for CA the carer is not providing care and attention on a daily basis, it should not be assumed that constant care is not being provided for CP. The situation needs to be clarified before a decision is made and the carer should be contacted.

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 will 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 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.

Carers who are eligible for CP (XWP) may elect to claim CP (Standard) to get certain benefits not available under CP (XWP). Carers can reclaim CP after CP (XWP) has been cancelled and cannot be restored. For more details, see Transfer from Wife Pension (WP) to Carer Payment (CP).