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Eligibility for Carer Allowance (CA) (auto) when a carer is also receiving Carer Payment (CP) (child) 009-03020020

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This page contains information about qualification for Carer Allowance (CA) (auto), and how to action Manual Follow-ups (MFU) created when a carer is not CP (child) and CA (child) current.

On this page:

Basic qualification information for CA

Additional qualification information

Processing CA (auto) within a CP claim

Actioning manual follow up (MFU) activities

Basic qualification information for CA

Table 1: this table describes detailed information about qualification for Carer Allowance (CA).

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Item

Description

1

Two to 4 children each with a disability or medical condition

If the carer is being paid CP (child) combined for between 2 and 4 children, each with a disability or medical condition, the carer will be eligible for CA (auto) for any of those children they do not already receive CA (child) under the standard provisions.

2

Adult and 1 or more children

If the carer is being paid CP (child) for a 'disabled adult' and 1 or 2 children each with a disability or medical condition, the carer will be eligible for CA (auto) for any of those children they do not already receive CA (child) under the standard provisions.

Note: the carer will not have automatic eligibility for CA for the 'disabled adult'.

3

Two carers (not members of a couple)

If 2 people (excluding members of a couple - see Item 4) both qualify for CP (child) for the same child, payment of CA will be shared, and each carer will receive a shared rate of CA.

If another carer is already receiving CA (child) for a care receiver, CA (auto) is not payable.

4

Two carers (members of a couple)

Only 1 member of a couple may receive CA (child) or (auto).

If 1 member of a couple is receiving CA (child) for a care receiver and the other member of the couple qualifies for CP (child) for the same care receiver, only 1 person will receive CA (child) or (auto).

If both members of the couple qualify for CP (child) for 1 care receiver, only 1 person will receive CA (child) or (auto).

5

Exchanged care

If a person qualifies for CP (child) and the care of the children is exchanged, the person will qualify for CA (auto) for each of the children that qualify them for CP (child).

If only 1 carer is the claimant, they will be entitled to receive 100% of the rate of CA (auto) for each child in their care who qualifies the carer for CP (child).

If 2 carers in receipt of CP (child) exchange the care of the qualifying children, then the shared rate of CA (auto) payable will equal the percentage of care listed in the relevant parenting plan. The References page contains a link to section 981 of the Social Security Act, which will be used to determine the actual rate payable.

6

CA (child) carer subsequently qualifies for CP (child)

If a carer is already in receipt of CA (child) for a care receiver who subsequently qualifies the carer for CP (child), and the carer loses eligibility for CA (child) for that care receiver, they will qualify for CA (auto) as long as they qualify for and receive CP (child).

7

CA (auto) customer loses qualification for CP (child)

If a carer loses qualification for CP (child) for a care receiver, they will also lose CA (auto) entitlement on the day qualification for CP (child) was lost.

If the carer was qualified for CA (child) immediately before the grant of CP (child) and qualification for CP (child) and CA (auto) is lost, then CA (child) entitlement under standard provisions will recommence with no break in entitlement. If this does not occur the case should be referred to the ICT Service Desk. The Service Officers are required to help customers with common online problems and seek help from Local Peer Support (LPS) or Service Support Officer before lodging a request in mySupport.

Service Officers seeking to report systems issues on behalf of a customer or themselves must:

  • go to mySupport
  • search using key words, error message or application name and select the relevant webform
  • Complete and Submit the webform. Note any receipt or reference code produced

The exception to this is if the cancellation reason for CP (child) would normally override CA (child) entitlement. For example, death of care receiver or residency.

If carers have not applied separately for CA (child) before the grant of CP (child), and their CA (auto) payment stops because they lose entitlement to CP (child), they have the right to make a new claim for CA (child).

If the deemed claim date for CA (child) is within 28 days of receiving notification of the decision in relation to CP (child) - and they are qualified for Carer Allowance - the date of claim for CA (child) is the date CP (child) and CA (auto) stopped.

Claims made outside the 28 day period cannot be backdated.

8

Short term and episodic care

Short term and episodic care customers will also automatically qualify for CA (auto).


Additional qualification information

Table 2: this table describes additional qualification information including transition and start day rules and additional payments and services.

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Item

Description

1

Transition and grandfathering rules

Carers already receiving CP (child) on 1 July 2009 will be automatically granted CA (auto) for the care receivers that qualify the carer for CP (child) only if the carer, or another person, is not already in receipt of CA (child) for that care receiver.

Carers who are current or suspended on 30 June 2010 and were:

  • granted CP (child) under the DCLAD (2009) or CA (child) under the Child Disability Assessment Determination (CDAD) (2001) will maintain qualification and payability under their existing provisions until they are selected for review under DCLAD 2020 or lose qualification on or after 1 July 2010. This group of care receivers will not appear on the Carer Payment Grandfathered (CRGF) screen
  • granted CP (child) due to caring for a Profoundly Disabled Child (PDC), or two children who require the equivalent care of a PDC, will maintain qualification and payability under PDC provisions until they are selected for review under DCLAD 2020 or lose qualification on or after 1 July 2010. Carers in this group who reclaim CP (child) for the same care receiver from 1 July 2010 to 17 August 2020 will be required to provide a DCLAD (2020) care load assessment and medical report. These groups of care receivers will appear on the CRGF screen

2

CA (child) claims lodged within 28 days of CP

If a person lodges a claim for CP (child) and they are qualified, but CP is not payable (for example, a partner’s earnings preclude payment), the date of claim for CA (child) will be the date of claim for CP, if:

  • they lodge a claim for CA (child) within 28 days of receiving notification of the decision in relation to CP, and
  • they are qualified for CA (child)

Claims lodged outside the 28 day period cannot be backdated to the date of claim for CP.

3

Child Disability Assistance Payment

As with CA (child), the CA (auto) carer will receive the Child Disability Assistance Payment (CDAP) if receiving CA (auto) on 1 July. All conditions of CDAP must be met, including the under 16 age requirements for the care receiver. Thus, carers receiving CA for adult care receivers 16 years of age or over are not entitled to CDAP.

4

Health Care Card (HCC)

All CA (auto) child care receivers are eligible for a Health Care Card (HCC) in their name in addition to any Pensioner Concession Card (PCC) or HCC held by the carer.

Normal concession card hierarchy rules apply.


Processing CA (auto) within a CP claim

Table 3: this table describes granting CA (auto) within a CP (child) new claim activity before the CP claim is finalised.

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Step

Action

1

Assessment Warning Error (AWE) message

Process Direct will display the Assessment Warning Error (AWE) message within CP (child) claims when the carer may be eligible for Carer Allowance (auto).

W039DL - Carer Allowance may be payable

Does the carer want to be assessed under Carer Allowance (auto) provisions?

  • Yes, make 2 genuine attempts to contact the customer to discuss the advantages and disadvantages between CA (auto) and CA (standard). If the customer elects to receive CA (auto) or 2 attempts to contact the customer are unsuccessful, go to Step 2
  • No, tell the carer they may test eligibility for CA under standard provisions.

2

Assess Carer Allowance (auto)

When all provisional coding of the CP (child) new claim is complete and the Entitlements (ELD) screen is displayed, manually go to the Care Details (CDCR) screen, and:

  • code all required carer/care receiver details on the CDCR screen with the date of effect of the date of grant of CP (child)
  • before finalising the claim, check the Carer Allowance Action and Assessment Result (CJAA) screen displays CA being paid under the auto rules

Go to the ELD screen and finalise the CP (child) claim ensuring CA (auto) is also granted.

If the combined CP and CA (child) claim will result in CP (child) granting and CA (child) rejecting and the carer is eligible for CA (auto):

  • do not finalise the combined CP and CA claim
  • cancel the combined claim
  • process the CA claim as an individual claim for CA (child)
  • finalise the rejection of the CA (child) claim. Do not inhibit the rejection letter

On the following day:

  • process the CP (child) component of the claim
  • from the ELD screen, manually go to the Care Details (CDCR) screen
  • key all required carer/care receiver details on the CDCR screen with the date of effect as the date CA (auto) is to be granted from
  • before finalising the claim, check the Carer Allowance Action and Assessment Result (CJAA) screen displays CA being paid under the auto rules
  • go back to the ELD screen

Go to Step 3

3

Finalise claim

To adjust:

  • debt details, go to the Assessment Consequences (ASC) screen
  • arrears, go to the Daily Rate Component (RAC) screen

Select Finish.

When there are no errors, a confirmation dialog box will appear. Select OK.

Claim outcome DOC

When finalising the claim, DOC options will be presented. Select the relevant payment and the relevant claim decision.

Select Finalise to record the relevant DOC on the customer's record. This will display on the Document List (DL) screen.

CA auto is granted under S954B SSA 1991.

Is the claim resulting in a JSP to CP transfer where a change in circumstances results in CP cancelling within the new claim activity?

4

Re-establish where CP entitlement has ceased within the new claim activity

If the carer is in receipt of JSP on the day the CP claim is processed, and the claim results in a JSP to CP transfer, however a change in circumstances results in CP cancelling within the new claim activity and JSP must be re-established.

Create an open Work Item. Use Fast Note - select Auto Text, use Job seekers > Claims > JSK regrant required following Carers period > JSK regrant required.


Actioning manual follow up (MFU) activities

Table 4: this table describes how to action Manual Follow-ups (MFU) created when a carer is not both CP (child) and CA (child) current.

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Item

Description

1

Carer in receipt of CP and CA (HCC only level)

If a CP (child) carer is only in receipt of CA (HCC level) for the child care receiver(s), it is appropriate to investigate whether the carer wishes to be assessed at the payment level for the child.

If the carer wants to be assessed for CA at payment level:

  • in the current CP (child) carer's record, go to the Benefit Action (BA) screen and reject CP (child) from the date of grant (DOG), inhibiting the rejection letter and zero out any debt generated
  • in the carer’s record, run the Carer cancellation and suspension workflow to cancel the CA (HCC only) from CP (child) date of grant
  • create a Social Application (SOA) new claim with the date of receipt as the original date of grant of CP (child) and process the new claim as usual
  • when all of the CP new claim coding has been completed, and the Entitlements (ELD) screen is displayed, manually go to the Care Details (CDCR) screen
  • code all required carer/care receiver details on the CDCR screen with the date of effect as the date CA (auto) is to be granted from
  • before finalising the claim, check the Carer Allowance Action and Assessment Result (CJAA) screen displays CA being paid under the auto rules
  • zero out any arrears generated for CP (child)
  • go to the ELD screen and finalise the CP (child) claim

2

Carer’s partner in receipt of CA (HCC only level)

If the carer's partner is in receipt of CA (HCC only level) but the carer would otherwise qualify for CA at payment level, check with both the carer and partner to determine who should receive CA at payment level.

If the CP carer wishes to receive the CA at payment level:

  • in the partner’s record, run the Carer cancellation and suspension workflow to cancel the CA (HCC only) from CP (child) date of grant
  • create a Social Application (SOA) new claim on the current CP carer’s record with the date of receipt as the date the original date of grant of CP and process the new claim as usual
  • when all of the CP new claim coding has been completed and the Entitlements (ELD) screen is displayed manually go to the Care Details (CDCR) screen
  • code all required carer/care receiver details on the CDCR screen with the date of effect as the date CA (auto) is to be granted from. Before finalising the claim, check the Carer Allowance Action and Assessment Result (CJAA) screen displays CA being paid under the auto rules
  • zero out any arrears generated for CP
  • go to the ELD screen and finalise the CP (child) claim

If the partner wishes to have their level of CA increased from 'HCC only' to 'payment' level, see Eligibility for Carer Allowance (CA) (child) when a customer is claiming or receiving CA only.

3

Carer in receipt of CP (child) but no person is receiving CA for the child

Where no one is currently receiving CA for the CP child care receiver, check with the carer to determine whether they wish to receive payment of CA for the child.

The carer may either:

For CA (Auto):

  • in the current CP (child) carer's record:
    • go to the Benefit Action (BA) screen
    • reject CP (child) from the date of grant (DOG), inhibiting the rejection letter, and
    • zero out any debt generated
  • create a Social Application (SOA) new claim on the current CP (child) carer’s record:
    • use the date of receipt as the date the original date of grant of CP
    • process the new claim as usual
    • when all of the CP (child) new claim coding is completed and the Entitlements (ELD) screen is displayed
    • manually go to the Care Details (CDCR) screen
  • code all required carer/care receiver details on the CDCR screen with the date of effect of the original date of grant of CP (child)
  • before finalising the claim, check the Carer Allowance Action and Assessment Result (CJAA) screen displays CA being paid under the auto rules
  • zero any arrears of CP generated
  • go to the ELD screen and finalise the CP (child) claim

CA (auto) does not have the same eligibility requirements as CA (standard), for example, the child care receiver does not need to be a dependent child of the carer, and the period of the medical condition does not need to be at least 12 months.

If the carer's CA has been cancelled in error, restore the carer at the care receiver level via the CJBA screen.

4

Another carer (non-partner) is already receiving CA for the CP child

Where another carer is already receiving CA for the CP child at either a full or partial rate, the carer may be entitled to a partial rate of payment (under s.981 shared care provisions).

Determine whether shared care provisions are to apply.

If shared care no longer applies and the CP carer is entitled to the full rate of CA auto:

  • in the CA shared carer’s record, run the Carer cancellation and suspension workflow to cancel the previous shared carer’s CA
  • in the CP (child) carers record, go to the Benefit Action (BA) screen and reject CP (child) from the date of grant (DOG), inhibiting the rejection letter and zero any debt generated
  • create a Social Application (SOA) new claim on the current CP (child) carer’s record with the date of receipt as the original date of grant of CP (child) from and process the new claim as usual
  • when all of the CP (child) new claim coding has been completed and the Entitlements (ELD) screen is displayed manually go to the Care Details (CDCR) screen
  • code all required carer/care receiver details on the CDCR screen with the date of effect of the original date of grant of CP (child)
  • before finalising the claim, check the Carer Allowance Action and Assessment Result (CJAA) screen displays CA being paid under the auto rules
  • zero any CP (child) arrears
  • go to the ELD screen and finalise the CP (child) claim

If shared care is established:

  • go to the Benefit Action (BA) screen and reject CP (child) from the date of grant (DOG), inhibiting the rejection letter and zero any debt generated
  • create a Social Application (SOA) new claim on the current CP (child) carer’s record with the date of receipt as the date the CP was granted from and process the new claim as usual
  • when all of the CP (child) new claim coding has been completed and the Entitlements (ELD) screen is displayed manually go to the Care Details (CDCR) screen
  • code all required carer/care receiver details on the CDCR screen (recording the level of shared care provided) with a 'Effect Date' of today
  • before finalising the claim, check the Carer Allowance Action and Assessment Result (CJAA) screen displays CA being paid under the auto rules
  • zero any arrears of CP (child) generated
  • go to the ELD screen and finalise the CP (child) claim