Death of a child care receiver and the effect on Carer Allowance (CA) 009-03090050

This document outlines information about bereavement assistance available from Services Australia upon the death of a child care receiver where the carer is receiving Carer Allowance (CA), and what action is required by Service Officers.

Confirmation and recording of death

Before any action is taken, confirmation of death must be provided. Once confirmed, it is important that the death be recorded as soon as possible to ensure that customers receive their correct entitlement.

The notification period to advise of a bereavement is 28 days for carers in receipt of Carer Payment and/or Carer Allowance. The References page contains links to the policy.

Bereavement payments for a Family Tax Benefit (FTB) child

A bereavement payment for the carer may be payable, the period depends on whether the child care receiver met the definition of a FTB child:

Where the child met the definition of a FTB child immediately before their date of death, the carer may be entitled to 14 weeks of bereavement payment. This will be paid as a lump sum. It does not matter if the carer received FTB payments or not
Where the child did not meet the definition of a FTB child the carer may be entitled to 4 weeks of bereavement payment. This will be paid as a lump sum

The bereavement payment is paid at the CA rate that applied immediately before the child died.

Bereavement payments for a CA (auto) child

There is no lump sum bereavement payment for a CA (auto) child.

CA (auto) is not paid under CA bereavement conditions but continues to be paid because of the CP bereavement period.

Where the carer received CA (auto) a lump sum bereavement payment is not payable. However CA (auto) will continue to be paid for the 14 weeks of the bereavement period because of the continuation of CP.

Carer Payment (CP) Bereavement assistance

If a carer is receiving CP and CA for a child care receiver, the carer may be entitled to receive Bereavement payments, including lump sums, for both CP and CA. CP and CA bereavement provisions for a child are not dependent on each other and are to be assessed separately. For further information regarding the Bereavement provisions for CP, see Death of an adult or child care receiver and the effect on Carer Payment (CP).

Wife Pension Transfer to Carer Payment CP (XWP)

The 14 week bereavement continuation period only applies to CP (XWP) customers where the last or only payment level CA care receiver dies. CP (XWP) customers may be eligible for a Lump Sum Bereavement Payment if their partner dies, or they only get payment level Carer Allowance (CA) for one care receiver. See Transfer from Wife Pension (WP) to Carer Payment (CP).

CP (XWP) customers may also be eligible for a CA bereavement lump sum for a CA child care receiver as explained in this document.

The Resources page contains a link to the Services Australia website for information and what to do when someone has died. It also provides information on a known system issue where the system does not pay correct CA lump sum bereavement payment.