Coding absences for Carer Allowance (CA) where care of the care receiver is shared 009-06040050

Exchanged care provisions for CA child care receivers usually apply when the two carers are separated or divorced parents of the care receiver and one or both carers also receive Carer Payment (CP). However, shared care can also apply to other CA cases.

Shared care for CA may be applied when two carers regularly provide care and attention to the same care receiver. In this case both carers may be eligible to claim a share of CA each, whether the second carer claims or not. Care must be shared regularly for shared care provisions to apply. Note: the application of hospitalisation and respite provisions for shared care arrangements may lead to complications which must be discussed with the carers.

Reminder: while shared care provisions do not apply to Carer Payment (CP), the shared care arrangement must be considered when determining eligibility or continuing eligibility for CP. See Eligibility for Carer Payment (CP) when a care receiver is aged 16 years or over and Assessing Carer Payment (CP) when the care is shared.

A carer who shares care of an adult or child care receiver with another carer is entitled to receive 100% of the maximum rate of CA when the other carer has not made a claim for CA, or has made a claim that has not been assessed (Section 964 of the Social Security Act). This applies regardless of the number of days of care provided by the qualified carer who has claimed. That is, they may only provide care for one day per week/fortnight, and still be paid the maximum rate of CA, as long as the care receiver/s continue to receive care and attention on a daily basis from either of the two carers in the private residence of the carer and the care receiver (for CA child and CA adult co-resident cases). CA can only be shared between two carers who together are responsible for providing care and attention each day of the week. Care may also be provided by a third or subsequent carer however CA can only be shared between two qualified carers.

A carer who shares care of an adult or child care receiver with another carer is entitled to receive 100% of the maximum rate of CA until another carer qualifies for CA for the same care receiver, and a declaration is made by the secretary in accordance with Section 981.

When two members of a couple share the care of a care receiver, shared care provisions cannot be applied. Share care provisions will also not apply when, one carer lives with the adult care receiver (section 954) and the other carer does not. In this case, both carers could not qualify for CA at the same time. For example, a co-resident carer provides care Monday to Friday and a non co-resident carer provides care on Saturday and Sunday. Neither qualify for CA as the care is not provided by two co-resident or two non co-resident carers.

In the case of a child care receiver, the child must be a dependent child of both carers. If the care is shared between a parent and a grandparent it is highly unlikely that this will be the case. CA can only be paid to the carer who has the dependent child. If the shared care provisions do not apply and the arrangement is temporary, then the temporary cessation of care (TCC) provisions may apply whilst the child is in the care of the other carer. If the shared care provisions do not apply and the arrangement is not temporary, then the carer may loose entitlement to CA if daily care is not being provided. This needs to be investigated. Whilst there are similar rules for Family Tax Benefit (FTB), to qualify for FTB a customer requires an FTB child rather than a dependent child. FTB will be paid on the percentage of care provided even if the second carer does not claim or qualify for FTB.

If a decision is made to pay CA to two carers under the shared care provision, the date of effect is the date the Section 981 decision is made, other date of effect provisions (for example, deemed date of claim, backdating, arrears) do not apply.

When CA care is shared, recording or updating an absence on one carer will automatically record or update the record of the other carer, provided the other carer currently receives a part rate of CA for the same care receiver. For CA, 63 days of temporary cessation of care are allowed for each care receiver. This means that if the rate of CA is shared, the 63 days are also shared, which is why the absence is coded on both carers' records.

If shared care CA is restored or granted and backdated, absences that apply to the other carer may need to be applied to both carers. A warning will display in these cases, advising the Service Officer to check the other carer's record for temporary cessation of care dates during the restoration/backdating period.

An absence should only be recorded if the care receiver has not received any care and attention from either of the two carers for a period of 24 hours from midnight to midnight. If one carer temporarily provides extra care on a short term basis when the other carer would normally have provided this care, this is not temporary cessation of care.

A warning will appear when coding a shared care respite absence, reminding the Service Officer to check if the care receiver is in the care of the other carer, whether or not the other carer receives a part rate of CA.

If the care receiver continues to receive care and attention on a daily basis from one carer or the other, under shared care provisions, then temporary cessation of care has not occurred. Therefore, when the care receiver is in the care of one of the carers as part of a regular shared care arrangement, temporary cessation of care days should not be recorded against the other carer who is not providing the care.

In the case of a child care receiver or co-resident adult care receiver, temporary cessation of care has not occurred if daily care and attention continues to be provided by a current partner or another person who lives with the carer.

In the case of a non-co-resident carer, temporary cessation of care has not occurred if the daily care and attention continues to be provided by another person who does not live with the care receiver.

If shared care provisions apply, and the care receiver is hospitalised for a 24 hour period (from midnight to midnight) the hospitalisation will be automatically recorded on both carers' records. As the care receiver is in hospital, it is not necessary to check if they are with the other carer, so no warning is displayed when the hospital absence is coded. Refer to normal coding for hospitalisation. Note: there is no limit to hospitalisation for child care receivers, however respite limits still apply and absences must be coded.

When Carer Payment (CP) (child) is paid under exchanged care provisions, CA is paid to each parent based on the proportion of care they regularly provide for each child. Therefore temporary cessation of care is always assessed based on shared care provisions.

For example, if one parent provides more or less care than normal, this is not temporary cessation of care for CA if the other parent is providing that care. Temporary cessation of care only occurs for CA if neither of the parents (or their current partner or another person they live with) provides care for a 24 hour period from midnight to midnight.

When a carer and/or care receiver advises of an overseas absence, it may be necessary to code portability details as well as coding the respite absence. There are separate procedures concerning respite absences, and on portability for Carer Payment (CP) and/or Carer Allowance (CA) depending on the payment the carer receives.

Under portability provisions, CA may be portable for up to six weeks. In shared care cases, each carer may still access up to six weeks portability, subject to respite considerations and whether shared care provisions continue to apply.

Generally, if the care receiver receives care and attention daily from one or other of the carers who normally share care on a fortnightly basis (whether they have both claimed or not) temporary cessation of care has not occurred. However, if the care receiver does not accompany the carer overseas and remains with the other carer for an extended period, the Service Officer should be satisfied that CA can continue to be paid based on shared care provisions.