Carer Allowance (child)

Home

Carer Fact Sheets

Payments, Costs and Money Management

Tuesday, 01 May 2012 00:00

Carer Allowance (caring for a child under 16 years)

The Carer Allowance is a tax-free income supplement from Centrelink of $114 per fortnight to help carers with the costs of caring. To be eligible, you must not be receiving wages for providing this care. This Fact Sheet contains information on who can apply, the conditions of receiving the Carer Allowance, and how to apply to Centrelink. It has been prepared with assistance from Centrelink and the Welfare Rights Centre.

Can I work and still get the Carer Allowance?
Carer Allowance can be paid in addition to wages or other income support payments such as Age Pension, Carer Payment (caring for a child under 16 years) or Parenting Payment.

What do I need to make a claim?

When to claim

You should register an intent to claim for Carer Payment and/or Carer Allowance (caring for a child under 16 years) as soon as possible.

You should then submit your claim for Carer Allowance within 14 days so that we can pay you from the earliest possible date.

Claim forms to complete

The following steps will help you obtain a claim form to suit your personal circumstances.

Step 1

Contact Centrelink on 13 2717 or visit a Centrelink Customer Service Centre and our staff will ask you some questions to determine your circumstances and issue you with the appropriate claim forms.

Step 2

Read the information attached to your claim form. This contains important information you need to know, including the privacy notice, before you lodge your claim for Carer Payment and/or Carer Allowance:

Information you need to know about your claim for Carer Allowance and Carer Payment

Returning your forms

Step 3

Return your completed forms, proof of identity for yourself, your partner (if you have one) and for the person being cared for, medical reports and any other documents we have asked for to your nearest Centrelink Customer Service Centre.

Note: To authorise a person to act on your behalf when dealing with Centrelink, or who can receive your payments, refer to someone to deal with Centrelink for you.

Claim outcome

We will send you a letter advising if your claim is successful. If you are eligible for Carer Allowance, the letter will tell you when your payment starts and how much you will get paid.

How much care must I provide to qualify?

You may receive Carer Allowance (caring for a child under 16 years) if you:

are looking after a child with a physical, intellectual or psychiatric disability who needs additional care and attention on a daily basis, or
you care for 2 children with disabilities and the children do not individually qualify you for Carer Allowance (child) but together create a substantial caring responsibility, and
you live with the child (or children) you are caring for.

Note: If you qualify for Carer Payment (caring for a child under 16 years) you will generally receive Carer Allowance automatically.

Can I get the Carer Allowance for more than one person?
You may qualify for Carer Allowance for each dependent disabled child in your care, regardless of the number of children. If you care for two or more children with disabilities and each child receives care on a daily basis, their scores under the Child Disability Assessment Tool can be added together. In this situation, the amount of Carer Allowance (child) payable is the fortnightly amount payable for one child.

If you share the care of one or two children with disabilities with another person, Carer Allowance can be shared according to the amount of time each person spends with the child.

What other requirements apply?

To qualify for Carer Allowance (caring for a child under 16 years), you and the child you care for must be living in Australia permanently as:

an Australian citizen, or
the holder of a permanent resident visa, or
a New Zealand citizen who was in Australia on 26 February 2001, or for 12 months in the 2 years immediately before that date, or was assessed as "protected" before 26 February 2004.

What if my claim is unsuccessful?

If you disagree with a decision

You always have the right to appeal any decision made by Centrelink.

If you need assistance with a review or an appeal, contact:

your nearest community legal centre by checking the White Pages in your telephone book, by calling the Combined Community Legal Centres Group on 02 9212 7333, or www.nswclc.org.au.

the Welfare Rights Centre

          Telephone 1800 226 028
            TTY (02) 9211 0238 (for those with a hearing or speech impairment)
            www.welfarerights.org.au

Click Here to download the Carer Allowance (child) fact sheet from the Australian Welfare Rights Network

For more information contact: -

Centrelink
Telephone: 13 27 17
TTY: 1800 810 586 (for those with a hearing or speech impairment)
www.centrelink.gov.au/

If you think you need an interpreter, or if you feel more confident with an interpreter, you should use one of the three free available interpreter services.

Most Centrelink offices have interpreters available at regular times each week. Your local Centrelink office can tell you whether there is an interpreter available who speaks your language, and at what times they are in the office.
You can telephone the Multilingual Telephone Information Service (MTI), which is part of Centrelink. MTI is staffed by Centrelink officers who are bilingual. You can ring them directly on 13 12 02 and they can answer your questions for you.
You can also call the Telephone Interpreter Service (TIS) on 13 14 50 and ask for an interpreter. This is a free service.

For hints on how to apply, see our newsletter article Applying for the Carer Allowance.

For information on reviews and appeals, see our Fact Sheet Complaints to Services.

You may be eligible for other financial assistance: see our Fact Sheet Money Management for more information.

What next?

If you would like to discuss the issues raised in this Fact Sheet you may like to try:

checking out our Services Directory to find the local services that may be able to assist you as a working carer
contacting Carers Australia on 1800 242 636 for information, support, referral and advice about your caring role and services that can assist you. If English is not your first language and you need assistance in talking with the Centre, contact the Translating and Interpreting Service on 131450.
subscribing to our monthly newsletter, Work 'n' Care, for regular information and support regarding the issues facing working carers.

Have You Subscribed?

Gateway Menu

Work 'n' Care Newsletter