Mable home
Log in

What is Carer Payment and how to claim it

Aged CareDisability

Last updated

16 Oct 2023

Reading time

2 min read

Share

A Carer Payment is income support you may receive if you provide constant care to a person who lives with a medical condition, severe disability or is a frail, older person.

The Carer Payment can be in addition to other income you earn.

Who is a carer?

In the context of the Carer Payment, a carer is someone who provides unpaid care for a person in their own home, the other person’s home, or in hospital.

The person may need physical help, such as to get dressed or to be lifted in and out of bed. 

They may need support around shopping, meals, and medication. Their care may also include supervision that helps keep them independent and safe.

A carer receiving Carer Payment may provide care for one person or multiple people.

Am I eligible for Carer Payment? 

To receive the Carer Payment, both you and the person you care for, must be eligible. 

You must both be Australian residents and you will need to meet an income and assets test.

How much you receive from the Carer Payment depends on how much you get paid and what you own. 

The person you provide care for will also be assessed as to their income and assets. Learn more about the income and assets test.

You may be eligible for the Carer Payment if  the person you care for:

  • Has a disability or medical condition that may last at least 6 months, or has a terminal illness; and
  • Needs constant care in their home, your home, or in hospital.

Learn more about eligibility conditions for Carer Payment.

How much can I get? 

How much Carer Payment you receive depends partly on whether you are single or partnered.

Currently, the maximum rate is $1,096.70 per fortnight if you are single and $1,653.40 per fortnight if you are partnered. 

How to claim Carer Payment

  • First, check your eligibility for Carer Payment 
  • You will need a myGov account linked to Centrelink. You will need to give  documents, including a medical form for the person you care for. The form could be provided by either a doctor or another medical professional 
  • Once you have submitted your claim, Centrelink will check your eligibility. If you are approved, you should start receiving payments within a few weeks.

For more information on Carer Payment, visit the Service Australia website.

You might be interested in

Support worker dries dishes while talking to a client in a wheelchair.
10 June 20269 min read
Support Workers
Preventing everyday harm in support work
As a support worker, you want your clients to feel safe, respected and supported. You may already think carefully about how to provide safe support and prevent serious incidents. But harm is not always obvious. Sometimes, small everyday actions, words or assumptions can affect a client in ways you may not have intended or noticed at the time. This is sometimes referred to as everyday harm. Over time, these small moments can build up and may affect how respected, heard, in control or safe your client feels. The newly launched Everyday Harm website brings together practical resources to help support workers and organisations build safer, more respectful support relationships. These resources were developed through Australian Research Council studies, including interviews with people with disability about their experiences. Mable was proud to be involved in this project as an Industry and Community Partner organisation. We hope these resources help you better understand everyday harm
jenny-conor-device-600x450px_xa0fvc
10 June 20263 min read
DisabilityAged CareSupport Workers
Manage your care with the new Mable app for clients
The Mable: Find Support app is new and designed to make managing your support easier. It has a simplified design so everything you need is one place. In this article, we share what’s new in the app and how these updates can help you organise your support more easily. What’s new in the Mable: Find Support app? The new app features a new navigation menu that groups key features together, making it easier to find what you need. You can easily move between the four main areas: Home : View upcoming support sessions, updates, and quickly manage changes. My Support: Find everything related to your ongoing support here, including your current support workers, support hours and more. Find Support: An easier way to quickly post a job, search for support workers and more. Messages: Chat, video call or voice call with support workers. A simpler way to stay on top of your support Our new app gives you a more streamlined support experience, so you can spend less time looking for what you need
30 April 20263 min read
Disability
NDIS reforms announced: What we know so far
We know recent news about NDIS reforms might feel heavy. For many of you, your participants, and your loved ones, hearing about potential service caps or changes to funding for social and community participation is deeply stressful. We want to start by saying: we hear you, and we are here for you. Our commitment to you remains unchanged While the government works through these changes, we want you to know Mable's business model is not changing. Our platform continues to be a place where you can find and book independent support workers who best meet your needs or those of your clients. While we may make a few small technical updates behind the scenes, your ability to use Mable remains exactly as it is today. We're your partner and advocate During this transition, we're dedicated to supporting safe, transparent connections. We are actively advocating for person-centred approaches to care that respect your choice and control, and we'll keep helping our community understand what these r