Carer notification issues 110-08040070

Recipients of CP and/or CA must observe the general 14 day notification provisions. That is, all customers generally have 14 days to notify Services Australia of a change in their circumstances. Exceptions apply to Centrelink International Services (CIS) customers, and customers notifying of bereavement events. In both these cases, the notification period is 28 days.

Other exemptions to the 14 day rule (up to 28 days) may be granted only by the Secretary - they may not be delegated and must be in writing. Failure to notify of a change of circumstances may result in an overpayment, cancellation or suspension of CP and/or CA.

It is important to be aware that caring responsibilities may affect a customer's ability to comply with the usual notification provisions - for example, the carer may find it difficult to attend an office to notify of a change in their circumstances. In these cases it is necessary to sensitively discuss with the customer alternative ways of complying with their notification obligations (for example, phone, fax, post, e-mail, or by appointing a correspondence nominee).

CP and/or CA place an obligation to notify equally on the carer and the care receiver. If the care receiver is a child, the obligation to notify of a change rests with the parent to notify of any changes in circumstances that may affect the carer's entitlement to CP. This procedure contains a list of additional notifiable events for CP and/or CA.

CP carers can report employment income, volunteer work, training or study activities and the number of hours they worked per week including travel time, using the online Report Employment Income service. CP carers can also choose to use respite of 7 days per week where they exceed the 25 hours per week rule as an alternative to cancellation of their CP. The procedure Reporting Employment Income via Centrelink online account contains further information.

CA carers who are not exempt from providing their income details for the Carer Allowance income test must notify the following changes to their adjusted taxable income:

• the carer’s adjusted taxable income for the previous tax year was $250,000 or more
• the carer and their current partner’s combined adjusted taxable income for the previous tax year was $250,000 or more, or
• the carer or their partner are 60 years of age or over and have an account-based income stream