Carer Payment and Carer Allowance

An income-support payment for people who can't work much because they're providing constant care to someone with a severe disability, severe medical condition, or who is frail aged. It's means tested.

You can't generally receive Carer Payment and another income-support payment (like JobSeeker or Age Pension) at the same time — but you can transfer between them.

A smaller fortnightly payment for people providing daily care. You can receive Carer Allowance whether or not you work, and whether or not you also receive Carer Payment. There's an income test but no asset test. Services Australia publishes the current rate, which changes with indexation.

If you receive Carer Payment or Carer Allowance, you may also receive an annual Carer Supplement (paid in July). Other one-off Carer Bonuses are sometimes announced by the government.

Through Services Australia. The carer fills in a claim, and the person being cared for has a treating health professional fill in a medical form. The whole process can take 6–12 weeks. Your payment may be back-paid to the date you started the claim.