Temporary Cessation of Care (respite) provisions for Carer Payment (CP) and Carer Allowance (CA) 009-06010010

Has there been a change in care receiver/s during the current calendar year?

• Yes, and:
• the carer is on the phone, go to Step 2
• the carer has presented at a service centre, go to Step 3
• the case has been referred to a specialist officer or processing centre, go to Step 4
• No, go to Step 5

As the system may not allocate TCC (respite) days correctly, refer the case to a Service Support Officer (SSO). SSO go to Step 4.

As the system may not allocate TCC days correctly, a hand-off needs to occur to the Technical Support Line. The Resources page contains a link to Technical Support Line contact details. Technical Support go to Step 4.

Will the expected number of TCC days for all care receivers exceed 63 days in the current calendar year, and TCC days have been recorded for the previous care receiver(s)?

• Yes, and the carer is entitled to 63 days TCC for the current care receiver. Note: due to system limitations, when a carer has a change of care receiver(s), the system will use the balance of TCC days coded for the previous care receiver(s) and not allocate a new 63 days balance for the new care receiver(s). This is not correct and is due to current system limitations. Contact the Carers Level 2 Policy Help Desk via the Online Query Form. Procedure ends here
• No, go to Step 5

If the care receiver is hospitalised, in respite, or in prison or psychiatric confinement because they have been charged with an offence, go to Step 6.

If the carer is absent:

• because they are in prison or psychiatric confinement and they have been charged with an offence, this is not TCC. See Carer Payment (CP) carer is absent. Procedure ends here
• because they have ceased caring for more than 25 hours in a week to work, study or train, see Carer Payment (CP) and Carer Allowance (CA) carer undertakes paid employment, self-employment, voluntary work, education or training activities. Procedure ends here
• because they are in hospital (although the hospitalisation provisions cannot apply, the TCC provisions can apply), go to Step 6
• for a reason other than they are in prison or psychiatric confinement because they have been charged with an offence, go to Step 6

Is the cessation of care temporary?

• Yes, go to Step 7
• No, go to Step 8

• If the carer is absent, see Step 4 in Table 2
• If the care receiver is absent, see Step 1 in Table 2

When the cessation of care is permanent, cancel the CP and/or CA.

Note: care requirements do not apply to CP (XWP) but still apply to the carer's CA. If the carer is getting CP (XWP), their CP will be auto-cancelled when their only or last payment level CA is suspended or cancelled for any reason. A carer loses their qualification for CP (XWP) permanently if payment level CA is not reinstated without a gap in entitlement.

Has the care receiver been/or is about to be, admitted into hospital?

• Yes, go to Step 2
• No, go to Step 4

Do hospitalisation provisions apply?

• Yes, go to Step 3
• No, go to Step 4

Code all absences using the Temporary cessation of Care workflow tool.

If the tool is unavailable or not working, manually code the Absences Details (ABSN) screen with a one-off absence or a regular absence.

Note: absences are 24 hour periods, midnight to midnight.

Tell the carer they must advise Services Australia within 14 days of the care receiver returning home or leaving the hospital.

If coding the absence manually, go to Step 4.

Code all absences using the Temporary Cessation of Care workflow tool. Absences are 24 hour periods, midnight to midnight.

Note: if the absence from care was due to the carer going overseas without the care receiver, there is a current system limitation, which continues to count TCC after expiration of portability.

Where the carer's payments will suspend after 42 days the TCC end date should reflect only 41 days if care is provided on the day of departure and TCC will commence from the following day. Code respite with start date equal to day after departure and end date equal to the end of the limited portability period. Therefore the TCC period will be 41 days provided the carer has this number available. For guidance on the interaction between Portability and TCC and correct recording procedures, see Carer Allowance (CA) and Carer Payment (CP) interaction of portability and temporary cessation of care (respite) rules.

See the Resources page for an example.

If the tool is not available or not working, manually code the absence on the Absences Details (ABSN) screen. Code a one-off absence or a regular absence.

If none of the following scenarios apply, go to Step 5:

• CA (manual) child care receiver undertakes education, training or treatment and is absent from the care situation. The carer may remain current at 'nil rate' for up to 13 weeks, as long as the care receiver is expected to return to care within that period. For CA (auto), the carer loses eligibility for CA immediately when they lose eligibility for their associated CP (child)
• care provider and care receiver are partnered, but are separated due to respite care. A respite care couple are entitled to be paid at the single rate of CP until the respite care ends. A respite care couple is where 1 partner has:
• entered approved respite care, see Legislation in the References page, and
• has remained, or is likely to remain, in that care for at least 14 consecutive days

Manually key 'AR' in the Nxt field, to go to the AR screen. Otherwise the Activity List (AL) screen will display and the started activity will need to be selected from this screen.

The workflow creates a DOC in either the carer's or care receiver's record. Add any other relevant details including the dates of confinement and the name of institution if known.