Customer is separated from their partner – temporarily or due to respite care 106-07120040

A couple are members of a respite care couple if:

• one of the members has entered approved respite care, and
• the member who has entered the approved respite care has remained, or is likely to remain, in that care for at least 14 consecutive days

Customers must have an Aged Care Assessment Team (ACAT) approval for government-subsidised residential respite care. The ACAT approval will specify whether the customer is eligible for low or high level respite care, depending on the customer's care needs. Customers who are approved for respite care can have up to 63 days of subsidised respite care in a financial year. This can be extended by up to 21 days at a time if approved by an ACAT.

A customer in approved respite care is eligible for the respite care supplement from the date of entry/admission but not for the date of discharge from care. Verification is required to confirm the nursing home/hostel is in receipt of the respite care supplement for the customer/partner.

Respite care couples will be assessed against the single rate of payment applicable, but the assessment will still take into account the combined income and assets as if they were a member of a couple.

A statement of admission from a nursing home or hostel can be accepted as verification of the length of admission and the provision of approved respite care.

All nursing homes and hostels that receive a Commonwealth subsidy for the provision of respite care are required to issue each customer with a statement on the day of admission setting out details of the anticipated length of admission. If a customer does not have a statement from a nursing home or hostel, it is necessary to verify the date of admission and discharge and that the nursing home or hostel receives a respite care supplement.

Rent Assistance (RA)

A respite care couple are not entitled to receive RA for respite fees, as the fees are not rent within the meaning of the Social Security Law. Respite care couples are assessed individually for RA.

If a respite care couple are paying rent for their principal home and receiving RA before one member of the couple entering approved respite care, the customer in respite care can continue to receive RA for their principal home for up to 52 days while in respite care.

The Resources page has frequently asked questions about respite care.

A couple are a temporarily separated couple if they are:

• members of a couple
• living separately and apart from each other, but not on a permanent or indefinite basis, and
• are not an illness separated or a respite care couple

The circumstances resulting in them living apart must either be largely out of their control, or where the assessor considers it reasonable given their situation.

Temporarily separated couples will continue to be assessed against the partnered rate of payment applicable. That is, being assessed as a temporarily separated couple will not change the customer’s, or their partner’s rate of income support payment.

However, a member of a temporarily separated couple may be eligible to receive Rent Assistance, Telephone Allowance and/or utilities allowance at a higher rate.

It is not the intention that evidence of a temporary separation is required for most assessments.

See the Resources page for examples of a temporary separation.

A member of a temporarily separated couple may be eligible to receive Rent Assistance (RA), Telephone Allowance (TAL), and/or Utilities Allowance (UA) at a higher rate.

For a member of a couple to receive the higher rate of RA, TAL or UA they must also be individually qualified for the applicable payment. For example, a member of a couple who moves temporarily to care for a sick relative is not eligible for RA if they are not paying rent at their temporary address.