Budgeting Money Share Tweet The Carer Payment is a supplementary payment available to parents or carers who provide daily care and attention for adults and children with a severe disability or medical condition. Carers Payment may be paid on top of Carer Payment or other payments, such as Age Pension. A claim for Carer Allowance can be based on the assessment of a health professional, without the need for a final diagnosis, if it is evident the person needs personal care and will continue to need it for at least 12 months. Eligibility basics to get Carer Payment be an Australian resident care for someone who is an Australian resident care for 1 or more people who have care need scores high enough on the assessment tools used for an adult or child care for someone who’ll have these needs for at least 6 months be under the pension income and assets test limits. Carers Payment Eligibility When applying for Centrelink Carers Payment, both the carer and the care receiver must meet eligibility criteria. Eligibility for the carer The carer must meet the following conditions: personally provide constant care, in the home, to someone with a disability or medical condition, or who is frail aged meet the income and assets tests be living in Australia, and meet residence requirements A carer who cares for a child under 16 years and receives Carer Payment, generally receives Carer Allowance automatically. How much is the Carer Payment? If you’re providing care to someone 16 or older Carer Allowance is $144.80 each fortnight. There is no Health Care Card for the person you provide care for. If you’re providing care for a child under 16 Carer Allowance is either: for a child with higher needs: $144.80 each fortnight and a Health Care Card for the child for a child with lower needs: a Health Care Card for the child. Click below to go to the official Services Australia website to get the most updated rates for the Carer Payment How much can carers get? Eligibility for the care receiver A care-receiver 16 years or over must meet the following conditions: require care in their home or in hospital meet an income and assets test unless they receive an eligible pension or benefit paid by Centrelink or an eligible service pension or an income support supplement paid by the Department of Veterans Affairs meet the residence requirements, and either be an adult 16 years or over with a medically assessed physical, intellectual or psychiatric disability, or frail aged, or be an adult 16 years or over with a medically assessed physical, intellectual or psychiatric disability, or frail aged, with a dependent child in their care. If the dependent child is aged 6 or older, the care receiver must qualify for and receive Carer Allowance for that child A child care receiver under 16 years must meet the following conditions: require care in their home or in hospital meet a combined income and assets test for the child being cared for, the parents and their dependent children. If the child being cared for does not live with a parent or legal guardian, only the income and assets of the child are assessed meet the residence requirements, and either be a child under 16 years with a severe disability or severe medical condition assessed by a treating health professional, or be one of 2 to 4 children under 16 years with disabilities or medical conditions whose combined care needs are equal to that of a single child aged under 16 with a severe disability or severe medical condition, or one of 1 or 2 children and an adult who each have disabilities or medical conditions, whose combined care needs are equal to that of a single child with a severe disability or severe medical condition, or one of 2 or more children under 16 who individually or combined have severe disabilities or severe medical conditions and are in an exchanged-care arrangement Once you have read about eligibility the next steps are: register an intent to claim read the conditions for claiming complete the claim form provide supporting documentation submit your claim here Centrelink will assess your claim and let you know the outcome What is the difference between a carer’s payment and a carer’s allowance? Carer Payment: Is an income support payment if you give constant care to someone who has a disability, has a severe medical condition, or is an adult who is frail aged. Carer Allowance: Is a fortnightly supplement if you give additional daily care to someone who has a disability, has a medical condition, or is frail aged. Carer Supplement The Carer Supplement is an annual payment of $600 which is attached to each Carer Allowance. The Supplement is paid in July each year. It helps cover costs when caring for someone with a disability or a medical condition. Click below to go to the official Services Australia website to get the most updated rates for the Carer Supplement Learn more about the Carer Supplement Are you caring for someone who is frail, aged or has a disability? Services Australia can help. For more information on the Carer Payment phone Centrelink on 13 2717 or visit Services Australia.