Carer Adjustment Payment (CAP) for carers of young children 009-07020000

Advise the carer of the general criteria.

A carer can apply for CAP if, following a catastrophic event the:

• child, aged under 7 years, has a severe illness or medical condition or a major disability due to injury from an accident. To be eligible, carers need to lodge their claim for CAP within 2 years from the date of diagnosis of a severe illness, medical condition or major disability following the catastrophic event, and
• child care receiver has significant care needs for example, needs full-time care from the carer for a minimum of 2 months following the catastrophic event, and
• care receiver's carer qualifies for Carer Allowance (CA) in respect of the care receiver, and it is payable (this does not include the Health Care Card (HCC) only level of CA), and
• carer is not eligible for Carer Payment (CP), and the carer and their partner are not eligible for an income support payment. If the carer or their partner become eligible for an income support payment after the catastrophic event, they may still be able to claim CAP for a period after the catastrophic event occurred but before income support was paid. The carer must test their eligibility for an income support payment unless their declared income and/or assets (carer and partner) are clearly above the prescribed income support payment limits. The Carer Adjustment Payment claim form (SS454) collects income and asset details, and
• carer can show a very strong need for financial support during the adjustment period immediately after the catastrophic event

Note: carers should be advised of the eligibility criteria but should not be discouraged from making a claim.

Check if the carer is currently receiving, or in the process of claiming, CA for the child involved in the catastrophic event:

• Yes, go to Step 4
• No, go to Step 3. Note: if the carer's CA payment is cancelled due to respite, encourage them to lodge a claim for CAP and reapply for CA when the care receiver returns to their care

Tell the carer they must lodge a claim for CA. See Claiming Carer Payment (CP) and/or Carer Allowance (CA) to help the carer claim CA.

Go to Step 4.

• Yes, tell carer if they have become eligible for an income support payment after the catastrophic event, they may still be able to claim CAP for a period after the catastrophic event occurred, but before income support was paid. Go to Step 5
• No, go to Step 5

Run the Mail Forms workflow in Customer First to issue the Carer Adjustment Payment (CAP) claim form (SS454).

Tell the carer:

• to present their case by explaining their circumstances and describing the ways in which their family’s life has been disrupted resulting in them needing extra support. This may include disruptions to things like the parent or carer's capacity to work, and/or care arrangements for other children in the family
• to lodge the completed SS454 CAP claim form:
• by uploading it using online services with the form code SS454, or
• by posting it to the address on the back of the SS454:
  Centrelink, Carer Services
  Reply Paid 7805
  Canberra BC ACT 2610, or
• at a service centre
• claims are expected to be processed within 12 to 15 weeks from date of lodgement

Note: all children aged under 7 involved in the catastrophic event will need separate claim forms for CA and CAP. However, carers who have children aged 7 and over who are also affected, should provide their details on the CAP claim form.

If the carer returns the CAP claim form at a service centre:

• check claim to ensure the carer has completed the following 'must have' information:
• Carer's name
• Address
• Phone number(s)
• Signature
• scan the claim and all associated documents together as one single scan to the carer's customer record using the code SS454:
• Workload Management (WLM) will categorise the scanned document/s creating a work item which is then allocated to a Wagga Carer Smart Centre (WPH) for review
• If the request for review has not been uploaded/scanned as an SS454, amend the form code in Work Optimiser

Carers may return their forms via other options listed in Step 5.

CAP claims are managed by Wagga Carer Smart Centre (WPH).

WPH will:

• forward the SS454 and additional information to Department of Social Services (DSS) to assess
• upon receipt of DSS decision:
• try to contact the carer via phone to advise the outcome
• arrange payment of CAP, if claim has been granted

DSS will:

• arrange for a Senior Officer to assess the claim
• send their decision to WPH to implement
• issue a decision letter to the customer

Note: there are times where DSS may send the decision letter to WPH to issue to the customer on their behalf.

Carers may request a review of decision for rejected claim or ask for a review of the amount they were granted.

Tell the carer:

• review of decision requests must be made in writing. The statement or letter must clearly state the reason why they disagree with the decision
• further information and supporting documents can be provided to show how the catastrophic event has affected their family
• to lodge their written request by:
• uploading via online services
• attending a service centre
• posting it to:
  Centrelink, Carer Services
  Reply Paid 7805
  Canberra BC ACT 2610
• a Senior Officer from DSS who has not been involved in the case before will consider the original decision. The DSS officer may vary or affirm the original decision and will advise Services Australia of the review
• Services Australia will tell the carer of the outcome of the review

Note: do not record details in the Centrelink (APL) system.

If the written request for a review of decision is received at the service centre:

• scan the information to the carer's record using the code SS454:
• WLM will categorise the scanned document/s creating a work item which is then allocated to WPH for review
• If the request for review has not been uploaded/scanned as an SS454, amend the form code in Work Optimiser
• do not record details in the Centrelink Appeal (APL) system
• change the form code in Document Tools

The request for review will be managed by WPH.

WPH will:

• forward the request for review to DSS to consider
• upon receipt of DSS decision:
• implement the DSS decision (arrange payment of CAP, if required)
• try to contact the carer via phone to advise the outcome
• send the DSS decision letter to the carer

DSS will:

• arrange for a Senior Officer who has not already been involved in the case, to review the decision
• send their decision to WPH to implement
• send the decision letter to WPH