Carer is absent from caring situation 009-06030000

Carer Payment (CP) and Carer Allowance (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. Where a carer is in receipt of both CP and CA, temporary cessation of care provisions operate concurrently, not exclusively of one another. That is, the carer is entitled to 63 days of temporary relief from care in the calendar year, not 126 days.

Carers can participate in paid employment, self-employment, voluntary work, education or training activities, and still qualify for Carer Payment (CP) as long as the total time the carer is not providing constant care (including travel time) does not exceed 25 hours per week. Carers can work at home, provided they can still satisfy the care receiver's need for frequent personal care or constant supervision.

Qualification for CP requires constant care on a daily basis for a medically qualified person. The Social Security Act precludes qualification where employment or training including travel time exceeds 25 hours per week.

Temporary Cessation of Care (respite and hospitalisation) rules do not apply to CP (XWP) - Carer Payment (CP) that is paid under grandfathering provisions for ceased Wife Pension carers. However, Temporary Cessation of Care (TCC) rules continue to apply to CA as normal.

However, 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.

Constant care, and the 25 hour rule do not apply to CP (XWP). Respite codes that only relate to CP should not be recorded for any TCC days for a carer receiving CP (XWP).

For more information, see Transfer from Wife Pension (WP) to Carer Payment (CP).

Carer Payment carers can report their employment income, volunteer work, training or study activities and the number of hours they worked per week (including travel time) online, using the Report Employment Income service. Carers can also access respite days via the service if they temporarily exceed the 25 hours per week rule. The procedure Reporting options available online contains further information.

Where a Carer Payment recipient ceases care for more than 25 hours per week for paid employment, self-employment, voluntary work, education or training, their eligibility should be reviewed. It is likely that the qualification of 'constant care' is no longer being met.