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Item

Question

Carer Payment (CP)

Carer Allowance (CA)

1

Is it an income support payment?

CP is an income support payment.

CA is not an income support payment.

2

Is the payment income/assets tested?

Yes, and an income/assets test also applies to care receivers who are not in receipt of an income support payment.

Income-tested only.

CA is not taxable or assets tested. There is an income test. To be eligible for CA, the carer’s and their partner’s combined adjusted taxable income must be under $250,000 a year. This includes deemed amount from account-based income streams if the account holder is 60 years of age or older. The same income limit applies if the carer does not have a partner.

The income test does not affect the rate of CA that is paid.

CA can be paid in addition to wages or an income support payment. The CA income test does not apply to carers who are exempt from providing their CA income details.

3

What care must be provided?

The care provided must be constant (on a daily basis for a significant period equivalent to a normal working day).

• The care must be provided in the home of the care receiver (the carer does not necessarily have to live with the care receiver), or
• The carer can also be providing care while the care receiver is in hospital
• CP (child) may be paid for
• episodic care
• Short term care
• combined care
• multiple care
• exchanged care - special conditions apply

The carer must provide care and attention on a daily basis in a private home that is the home of either the carer(s) and/or the care receiver.

• The carer and the person being cared for must be living together in the same private home (or the carer providing care while the care receiver is in hospital), or
• If the carer does not live with the adult care receiver, they must be providing 20 hours or more per week of personal daily care and attention in the private home of either the carer or care receiver

4

What rules apply to absences?

See Absences for Carer Payment (CP) and Carer Allowance (CA).

• For CP (adult), there is a limit of 63 days for hospitalisation and 63 days for respite care. See:
• Hospitalisation provisions for Carer Payment (CP) and Carer Allowance (CA) and
• Temporary cessation of Care (respite) provisions for Carer Payment (CP) and Carer Allowance (CA)
• For CP (child) carers, there is a limit of 63 days for respite care, but no limit for hospitalisation. All absences must be coded. 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. See:
• Carer Payment (CP) (child) episodic care
• CP is not payable when the carer is in prison or psychiatric confinement because they have been charged with an offence. See Carer Payment (CP) carer is absent.

See Absences for Carer Payment (CP) and Carer Allowance (CA).

• For CA (adult), there is a limit of 63 days for hospitalisation and 63 days for respite care. See:
• Hospitalisation provisions for Carer Payment (CP) and Carer Allowance (CA) and
• Temporary cessation of Care (respite) provisions for Carer Payment (CP) and Carer Allowance (CA)
• For CA (child) carers, there is a limit of 63 days for respite care, but no limit for hospitalisation. All absences must be coded. 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. See:
• Temporary cessation of care (respite) and hospitalisation (CLK)
• Carer Payment (CP) (child) episodic care
• CA (child) may be paid at a reduced rate when the child care receiver is absent for education, training and treatment (ETT).
• CA is not payable when the carer is in prison or psychiatric confinement because they have been charged with an offence. See Carer Allowance (CA) carer is absent.

5

Can the carer work/train/study without affecting eligibility?

Yes, the carer can participate in employment, education or training if the activity (or activities), including travel time, do not exceed 25 hours per week.

Yes, the carer can work/train/study for an unlimited number of hours, as long as they are still providing the required level of personal care and attention on a daily basis.

6

Who can be cared for?

CP is payable to carers of:

• an adult (aged 16 years and over) with a severe disability or severe medical condition, or who is frail aged
• children (aged under 16) with a severe disability or severe medical condition

See Eligibility for Carer Payment (CP).

CA is payable to carers of:

• any number of children (aged under 16 years)
• maximum of 2 adults (aged 16 years and over) with a disability or medical condition, or who are frail aged

If the carer is paid Carer Allowance (child) (manual) and has a Health Care Card (HCC) the carer may receive payment until a care receiver is 16 years and 3 months.

Entitlement to HCC only Carer Allowance (child) will cease on the care receiver's 16th birthday.

See Eligibility for Carer Allowance (CA).

Advise carers receiving CA that care receivers aged 16 or over may be eligible for an income support payment. Care receivers should be directed to the Services Australia Website to explore payment options available. Customers can apply for a payment or concession card online.

7

What are the qualifications for an adult care receiver?

The carer cares for:

• an adult who has an Adult Disability Assessment Tool (ADAT) score of:
• 25 or more, or
• 20 or more, where the disabled adult also has a dependent child under 6 years of age or a Carer Allowance child under 16 years.

See Eligibility for Carer Payment (CP) when a care receiver is aged 16 years or over.

The carer cares for an adult who has an Adult Disability Assessment Tool (ADAT) score of 30 or more and their disability or medical condition is considered permanent or expected to continue for 12 months or more.

See Eligibility for Carer Allowance (CA) when the care receiver is aged 16 years or over.

8

What are the qualifications for a child care receiver?

CP (child) should be considered when the carer cares for:

• a single child with a severe disability or severe medical condition under the age of 16 years
• 2-4 children under the age of 16 years who together, have care needs the same as a single child with a severe disability or severe medical condition (combined care)
• both an adult with a disability and 1 to 2 children with a severe disability or severe medical condition (multiple care)
• a qualifying child for a one-off period of at least 3 months but less than 6 months (short term care)
• a qualifying child for at least 3 months but less than 6 months where the child's condition is of an episodic nature or likely to recur (episodic care)
• a child with a terminal illness, certified by a medical practitioner, or
• care receivers under the exchanged care provisions

Qualifications for carers who were granted Carer Payment (child) under the Disability Carer Load Assessment (child) Determination (DCLAD) (2009) between 1 July 2009 and 30 June 2010 will have their qualification preserved until they are selected for review or lose qualification.

See Eligibility for Carer Payment (CP) when a care receiver is aged under 16.

• CA (auto) is paid to carers for the period during which they receive CP (child). If this does not apply, consider CA (child)
  Note: carers receiving CP (child) on 1 July 2009 will be automatically granted CA (auto) from that date.
• If a child does not qualify the carer for CP (child), they may apply for CA (child) under the standard provisions. To qualify for CA (child) the carer must care for a child under the age of 16 years:
• with a recognised disability, which must be certified in writing by a Treating Health Professional (THP)
• who qualifies under the Disability Carer Load Assessment (child) Determination (DCLAD) 2020 (or under provisions for grandfathered customers who claimed prior to 1 July 2010)
• 1 carer providing care for 2 care receivers under 16 whose combined disabilities have a significant impact when assessed against the DCLAD
• with a terminal illness, certified by a medical practitioner, see Guide to Social Security Law, section 1.1.T.86 in the References page

See Eligibility for Carer Allowance (CA) (child) when a customer is claiming or receiving CA only.

9

Can separate payments be made to 2 or more carers in respect of the same care receiver?

Adult: Yes, if the ADAT score equals or exceeds the minimum score for 2 or more carers to qualify. ADAT score of above 80 with a THP score of 32 or more.

Child: Yes, if the THP confirms more than 1 carer is required to provide the amount of daily care and each carer meets all other qualification criteria.

No, but a single rate of payment may be shared between 2 carers when the care is shared.

10

What concession cards are available?

Pensioner Concession Card (PCC) for carer.

CP (child) carers who provide short term and episodic care customers will receive a HCC with entitlement for the dates of the short term or episodic care. See:

Carer Payment (CP) (child) short term care

Carer Payment (CP) (child) episodic care

Health Care Card (HCC), in the child care receiver's name, is available to carers of children under 16 where the child is a disabled child who has a physical, intellectual or psychiatric disability which is permanent or to last for an extended period (more than 12 months) or requires extra care and attention for 14 hours or more per week.

Once a care receiver child turns 16, they may be eligible for an ex-care receiver Health Care Card (SS456). To be eligible, they need to be aged 16-25 years, a full-time student who has a disability or medical condition that previously qualified their carer for CA (child) on the day before they turned 16.

Child care receivers who qualify their carer for CA (auto) are eligible for an HCC in their name in addition to any Pensioner Concession Card (PCC) that is issued to the carer.

11

What income and assets tests apply?

The carer is subject to the Pensions Income and Assets Test. If Services Australia does not have current information about the carer (and their partner's) income and assets, the person claiming CP must complete an Income and Assets form (SA369).

If the care receiver (16 years and over) is not in receipt of an income support payment from the agency or the Department of Veterans' Affairs, they are also required to supply their income and assets details (form SA304A).

CA is not taxable or assets tested. There is an income test. To be eligible for CA, the carer’s and their partner’s combined adjusted taxable income must be under $250,000 a year. This includes deemed amount from account-based income streams if the account holder is 60 years of age or older. The same income limit applies if the carer does not have a partner.

The income test does not affect the rate of CA that is paid.

CA can be paid in addition to wages or an income support payment. The CA income test does not apply to carers who are exempt from providing their CA income details.

12

Are customers eligible for Working Credit?

Carers of workforce age receiving CP are eligible for Working Credit.

Carers receiving CA are not eligible for Working Credit.

13

Is an advance payment available?

Yes, determined by the Advance Payment Qualifying Amount (APQA).

No lump sum advance.

14

Are arrears payable?

No arrears payable for CP (adult).

No arrears payable for CA.

15

Is the payment taxable?

Carer Payment is taxable where either the carer or care receiver are over Age Pension age.

Carer Allowance is non-taxable.

16

Is the customer eligible for the Pension Supplement?

CP recipients of any age may be eligible for Pension Supplement.

CA recipients are not eligible for the Pension Supplement.

17

Does the newly arrived resident's waiting period apply?

Yes, unless the carer has a Visa Subclass 16 or 836 or holds a permanent refugee visa. See Residence assessment for customers claiming Carer Payment (CP).

A waiting period for Carer Allowance was introduced on 1 January 2019. For more information, See Residence assessment for customers claiming Carer Allowance CA.

18

What are the rates of payment?

Standard pension rates. See Pension payments in the Rates Chart

See Carer Allowance in the Rates Chart