Carer Payment (CP)/ Carer Allowance (CA) absence Manual Follow-up (MFU) 009-06010080

• A Respite absence: is where CP and CA carers have up to 63 days per calendar year where they can be temporarily absent from the caring situation but still qualify for payment
• A Hospitalisation absence: is where carers caring for an adult 16 years and older, are also allowed 63 days when:
• the care receiver is receiving care in hospital and
• the carer is participating in that care

From 20 March 2025, CP customers who exceed their respite or hospitalisation respite balance can enter an extended suspension period of up to 26 weeks (6 months) instead of having their payment cancelled. Service Officers should:

• review the customer’s record to determine if the customer is eligible to access the extended suspension period and
• talk to the customer about their options when actioning the absence MFU

An MFU activity is created:

• when Services Australia has recorded absences for a period, and the total of absence days of the relevant type is more than 63
• on the carer's record 14 days before the 63 days are due to expire

The MFU reminds the Service Officer to contact the carer to tell them their payment will be affected by the temporary absence within a fortnight

A message will display to prompt the Service Officer to discuss options with the carer when:

• details of an absence are recorded and
• the total number of days are nearing or
• would exceed the allowable threshold

Messages will not appear if the balance of respite days is equivalent to, or more than, the number of days left in the calendar year ending 31 December. If details of a discussion with the carer are already recorded, further action to the MFU may not be needed.

Customers may have special circumstances that:

• allow an extension to their 63 days of absence or
• they may be able to enter an extended suspension period if all other eligibility criteria are met

Service Officers must review the customer’s record to establish eligibility for an extended suspension period of 26 weeks (6 months).

A customer can be considered for an extended suspension period where all the following criteria have been met. The carer:

• would have been cancelled because of exceeding respite days
• resides in Australia, and
• remains eligible for all other reasons

If the carer does not meet the above criteria or loses eligibility for another reason, such as no longer providing care, they are not eligible to enter the extended suspension period. In these cases, their CP will be cancelled.

Services Australia can extend the period of respite in special circumstances. A special reason is determined by an APS 5/6 level officer. The APS5 does not have to occupy a particular position to have the delegation for this decision but will usually be the supervisor of the Processing Service Officer actioning the review.

If a special reason exists, a carer can cease to provide the care receiver with constant care for more than 63 days in a calendar year and still retain qualification. A special reason would not exist if the carer chose to extend a holiday beyond 63 days. A decision to continue payment would usually only be made if:

• the reason for ceasing care was outside the control of the carer and
• consistent with the need for, and provision of, personal care and attention

It should be clear in these situations that a return to care at the required level can be expected after a definite period and that the carer will resume providing the care.

Hospitalisation cannot be extended beyond 63 days. However, if the absence continues after the expiry of the hospitalisation days the carer's remaining temporary cessation of care (respite) days, if any, can be used to allow continuation of payment.

Regular absence rules do not apply to CP (XWP) - Carer Payment (CP) paid under grandfathering provisions for ceased Wife Pension carers. However regular absence rules continue to apply to CA as normal. This means CP (XWP) carers who are not providing additional care and attention each day as the care receiver is absent, can continue to be paid CA by using their TCC (respite and hospitalisation) days for CA. Absence codes that relate only to CP should not be recorded for any TCC days for a carer receiving CP(XWP). Absence MFUs for CP (XWP) carers only apply to their CA.

When a CP (XWP) carer's only or last payment level CA is suspended or cancelled for any reason or changed to CA HCC only, CP (XWP) will be automatically cancelled. A carer loses their qualification for CP (XWP) permanently if payment level CA is not reinstated without a gap in entitlement.

For more information about these rules for CA see, Transfer from Wife Pension (WP) to Carer Payment (CP).