Financial Supports for Carers

Carers who provide full-time care may be eligible for the fortnightly Carer Payment to help them meet their basic costs of living.

The Carer Allowance is a fortnightly payment to carers of someone with a severe disability or illness or who is frail aged to assist with the additional costs of caring on top of their usual costs of daily living.

The Carer Supplement is an annual payment of $600 which is attached to each Carer Allowance. The Supplement is paid in July each year.

Automatic annual payment of $1000 for Carers receiving Carer Allowance, for children 16 years or younger. The Child disability assistance payment is paid in July each year.

The Carer Adjustment payment is a once-off payment of up to $10,000 to assist families with a catastrophic event where a child younger than 7 is diagnosed with a severe disability or severe medical condition.

There are a range of other payments that carers can get under some circumstances.

They cover such things as special payments to carers of children with disability, payments to assist with the costs of raising children, incontinence aids and the running of medical equipment and medically required temperature control.