Carer Payment – this payment can assist if you provide constant care to another person for at least six months full-time, and you are living with them. It also applies if you are caring for someone at the end of their life. 

The amount depends on personal circumstances including the income you and your partner earn from working. This payment is also taxable.

To be eligible for this payment, you need to meet the following criteria:

• Be under the pension income and assets test limits

• Be an Australian resident

• Be caring for someone who is an Australian resident

• Care for someone who has a care needs score high enough on the assessment tools might be an idea to try and explain the care needs score assessment / qualification tool process. 

Both the carer and their loved one need to be eligible.

Carer Allowance - a bi-weekly payment for carers giving support and care to someone either:

• With a disability

• With a medical condition

• Who is frail and aged

This payment will apply if the person you are caring for needs ongoing support for at least 12 months or has a terminal medical condition. 

To be eligible for this payment you need to meet the following criteria:

• Meet an income test

• Give additional daily care to someone as listed above

• Care for someone who has care need scores high enough on the assessment tools used

If you receive either of the above payments, you may also be eligible for other payments.

The Carer Supplement is an annual payment helping with costs of someone with a disability or medical condition. You will get this automatically if you are eligible for either of the above two payments. 

If you need to take a break from caring, you may to entitled to up to 63 days per year of respite without affecting your payment if you get either of the above payment types.

For more information on taking a break, click below.

• Carer Payment breaks

• Carer Allowance breaks

If you are in this bracket and caring for someone, you can choose to get Carer Payment (as above) or Age Pension.

Information to assist you in making that decision is available at Services Australia.