Skip to navigation Skip to content

Changes to shared care for Carer Allowance (CA) 009-03050040

Expand/Collapse all sectionsExpand all



This document outlines information to assist in the actioning of changes to shared care for Carer Allowance (CA). It does not include information about the effect of the change of care on Family Tax Benefit (FTB), if it is received by the carer for the care receiver(s).

On this page:

Shared rate of Carer Allowance (CA) customers advise a change in care

Action changes to shared care

Shared rate of Carer Allowance (CA) customers advise a change in care

Table 1:

Expand table

Step

Action

1

Two carers receiving shared rate of Carer Allowance

Note: this procedure does not include information about the effect of the change of care on Family Tax Benefit (FTB). If the carer is also in receipt of FTB for the care receiver, the qualification for FTB must also be assessed

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.

Verify the change in details

When 2 carers receiving a shared rate of Carer Allowance (CA) notify of a permanent change in the share of care each carer provides, it is important that the amount of care provided is confirmed with each carer. If 2 carers of the same care receiver have become partnered, identify the primary carer.

Phone contact: Typically done by Smart Centre staff. Staff may complete this step if they are trained.For Smart Centre Call and Service Centre staff:

  • Send a Fast Note:
    • Select Auto text, use Carers > SUS/CAN/RES > CP/CA - Investigation Required
    • Select Confirm
    • Complete all fields
  • Procedure ends here

Processing Team: Typically done by specialised processing teams in a service centre or Smart Centre. Unless otherwise stated, staff may complete this step if they are trained.Carer Processing staff:

  • call each carer to confirm the amount of care and attention provided
  • make sure both carers continue to be entitled to CA, with the required care and attention provided. Go to Step 2.

2

Is 1 carer relinquishing CA payment, although still providing care?

3

Is 1 carer claiming they provide 100% of the care?

4

One carer claiming they provide 100% of the care

Confirm that this is the case and find out from what date the change in care occurred.

Is 1 carer providing 100% of the care?

5

Is the care arrangement permanent or temporary?
  • If temporary, the carer remains qualified for CA.
    • If there has been a permanent change in the amount of care provided, go to Step 7
    • If there has been no permanent change in the amount of care provided, procedure ends here
  • If the cessation of care is permanent, go to Step 6

6

Permanent cessation in care by 1 carer

For the carer who is no longer providing care, Carer Allowance is to be cancelled.

For the carer who is providing 100% of the care, the rate of CA is to be increased from the latter of the date of event or date of notification.

The cancellation and the increase in care are both actioned by following the process detailed below. The cancellation must be completed first.

  • Access the carer's record if the care receiver is a child
  • Access the care receiver's record if the care receiver is an adult, or a child with their own record:
    • Go to the Care Receiver Summary (CRS) screen
    • 'S'elect the appropriate care receiver from the list
  • The Care Receiver Task Selector (CETS) screen will display
    • Select the Care Details: field, or type 'CDCR' in the Nxt: field
    • Press [Enter]
  • On the Care Details (CDCR) screen:
    • Code the Effect Date: field - this is the latter of the date of event or date of notification
    • The Relationship to Care Rcvr: field should not need to be adjusted
    • Complete only 1 of the Care Days: or Care %: fields to reflect the new proportion of care provided by the carer
  • Go to the Assessment Results (AR) screen:
    • Record the details on a DOC
    • Finalise the activity via the AR screen
    • Advise the carer of the outcome
    • Procedure ends here

7

Have the 2 carers for the same care receiver become partnered?

8

Identifying primary carer

Processing Team: Typically done by specialised processing teams in a service centre or Smart Centre. Unless otherwise stated, staff may complete this step if they are trained.

If 2 carers for the same care receiver have become partnered, identify the primary carer.

Can the primary carer be identified?


Action changes to shared care

Table 2

Expand table

Step

Action

1

Shared care changes

Processing Team: Typically done by specialised processing teams in a service centre or Smart Centre. Unless otherwise stated, staff may complete this step if they are trained.

To action changes to shared care:

  • access the carer's record if the care receiver is a child
  • access the care receiver's record if the care receiver is an adult, or a child with their own record
  • go to the Care Receiver Summary (CRS) screen
  • 'S'elect the appropriate care receiver from the list

2

Care Receiver Task Selector (CETS)

Processing Team: Typically done by specialised processing teams in a service centre or Smart Centre. Unless otherwise stated, staff may complete this step if they are trained.

The Care Receiver Task Selector (CETS) screen will display.

On this screen, select the Care Details: field, or type 'CDCR' in the Nxt: field.

[Enter].

3

Care Details (CDCR)

Processing Team: Typically done by specialised processing teams in a service centre or Smart Centre. Unless otherwise stated, staff may complete this step if they are trained.

  • Code the Effect Date: field - this is the date on which the new declaration (under section 981) was made to share or change the CA between 2 qualified carers. This date overrides the usual date of effect provisions, and is therefore not subject to arrears payment or backdating. For more information see Shared care for Carer Allowance (CA)
  • Other carer details: field: ensure that the name of other carer who would be qualified for CA (whether they have claimed or not) is coded in this free text field. If the other carer has been granted CA, their CRN and date of birth should also be recorded
  • The Relationship to Care Rcvr: field should not need to be adjusted
  • Complete only 1 of the following fields to reflect the new proportion of care provided by the carer
  • Care Days: field (between 1 and 14), or
  • Care %: field (between 1 and 100). If the carers are qualified under section 954A because the carers and the care receiver live separately, the share of care is calculated on the proportion of the total caring hours each carer provides. Because of this, the care must be entered as a percentage

Note: when a declaration of shared care is determined, the percentage of care provided must be coded to reflect that the person with the greater amount of care is the primary carer. This must be done before the review period commences.

4

Finalising the activity

Processing Team: Typically done by specialised processing teams in a service centre or Smart Centre. Unless otherwise stated, staff may complete this step if they are trained.

Go to the Assessment Results (AR) screen.

  • Record the details on a DOC
  • Finalise the activity via the AR screen
  • Advise the customer of the outcome
  • If 2 customers sharing CA for 1 care receiver became partnered, procedure ends here

5

Repeat the process, this time for the other carer

Processing Team: Typically done by specialised processing teams in a service centre or Smart Centre. Unless otherwise stated, staff may complete this step if they are trained.

  • Record the details on a DOC, including that the Service Officer is satisfied that 2 carers are each qualified for CA for the same care receiver(s) and the proportion of care calculated
  • Advise the carer of the outcome