Caring for someone with a disability, medical condition, or age-related frailty is a full-time commitment for many Australians. Centrelink provides two main payments to support carers: Carer Payment (an income support payment for those who cannot work full time) and Carer Allowance (a supplementary payment available regardless of employment). Many carers who qualify for both payments don’t claim both. This guide explains who qualifies, the 2026 rates, what the income and assets tests involve, the work rules, and how the additional annual payments work.
What Is Carer Payment?
Carer Payment is a fortnightly income support payment from Centrelink. It is for people who provide constant care to someone with a disability or medical condition that is likely to last at least 6 months, or to someone at the end of their life. Constant care means the care provided each day is substantial, roughly a normal working day, and prevents the carer from working full time.
Carer Payment is paid at the pension rate. This is the same maximum rate as the Age Pension. It is income and assets tested for both the carer and the person they care for. Both must meet the requirements. If you currently receive another income support payment such as JobSeeker Payment or Parenting Payment, you will generally need to choose between that payment and Carer Payment.
What Is Carer Allowance?
Carer Allowance is a supplementary payment of $162.60 per fortnight for carers providing daily care to someone with a disability, medical condition, or who is frail aged. It can be received alongside wages, Carer Payment, or any other income support payment.
A critical difference that many carers miss: Carer Allowance has no income or assets test for the carer. Your earnings, savings, and assets do not affect your Carer Allowance eligibility. Only the care receiver’s income is tested, and it must be under $250,000 per year in adjusted taxable income.
Carer Allowance is also not taxable and not assets tested for the carer. You can receive it even if you work full time. You can also receive it for more than one person if each meets the eligibility criteria. This makes Carer Allowance accessible to many more carers than Carer Payment.
Can You Receive Both Carer Payment and Carer Allowance?
Yes. Many carers receive both payments at the same time. If you meet the eligibility criteria for each, you can claim and receive both. Centrelink offers a combined claim form for Carer Payment and Carer Allowance.
Receiving both payments means up to $1,200.90 in Carer Payment (single rate) plus $162.60 in Carer Allowance per fortnight, before any applicable Carer Supplement or additional payments. If you qualify for both and are not claiming both, you may be missing payment you are entitled to.
Carer Payment Rates 2026
The following rates are effective from 20 March 2026, as published by Services Australia. Rates are adjusted every 20 March and 20 September.
These rates are the maximums. The actual amount you receive depends on your income and assets.
- Single carer: $1,200.90 per fortnight (basic rate $1,100.30 + Pension Supplement $86.50 + Energy Supplement $14.10)
- Couple, each: $905.20 per fortnight
- Couple combined: $1,810.40 per fortnight
- Couple separated due to ill health, each: $1,200.90 per fortnight
Always check the current rates at servicesaustralia.gov.au as rates change twice a year.
Carer Payment Eligibility
Rules for the Carer
To receive Carer Payment, you must:
- Be an Australian resident
- Provide constant care to the person you care for
- Care for someone whose condition is likely to last at least 6 months (or who is at end of life)
- Meet the income and assets tests
You can care for one person or more than one person. If you care for multiple people, different rules apply for how their combined care needs are assessed. You do not need to live with the person you care for in all circumstances.
Rules for the Person Being Cared For
The person you care for must also meet eligibility requirements. For an adult, their care needs are assessed using the Adult Disability Assessment Tool (ADAT). For a child, a separate assessment process applies.
The person being cared for must also meet income and assets tests if they are not already receiving an Australian Government income support payment. Their income must be under $143,752 per year before tax. Their assets must be under $886,750, excluding the principal home and the first two hectares surrounding it. These figures are indexed and may change on 1 January each year.
The Adult Disability Assessment Tool (ADAT)
For adult care receivers, eligibility is assessed using the ADAT. This is a questionnaire-based tool with two parts: the carer completes one section, and a treating health professional (THP) completes the other. The scores are combined to produce a total ADAT score.
The minimum scores needed are:
- For Carer Payment: total ADAT score of at least 25, with the treating health professional’s component scoring at least 10
- For Carer Allowance: total ADAT score of at least 30, with the treating health professional’s component scoring at least 12
If the care receiver scores 40 or more and their condition is permanent and not improving, no reassessment is required. ADAT assessments are valid for two years. An existing ADAT score from a previous CP or CA claim can be used for a new claim for the other payment, subject to age and recency requirements.
The Income Test for Carer Payment
Carer Payment uses the pension income test. For a single carer, the first $218 per fortnight of income is free. Above that, Carer Payment reduces by 50 cents for every dollar of income. For a couple, the combined income free area is $380 per fortnight, reducing by 25 cents for every dollar above that.
The income cut-off points from 20 March 2026 are:
- Single: $2,619.80 per fortnight
- Couple living together (combined): $4,000.80 per fortnight
- Couple living apart due to ill health (combined): $5,183.60 per fortnight
Above these amounts, Carer Payment is not payable for that fortnight. Rent Assistance and the Work Bonus may raise your cut-off point in some circumstances. These amounts are indexed and change with each rate adjustment.
The Assets Test for Carer Payment
The full-pension assets test limits from 20 March 2026 are:
- Single homeowner: $321,500
- Single non-homeowner: $579,500
- Couple combined homeowner: $481,500
- Couple combined non-homeowner: $739,500
When assets exceed these limits, the payment reduces until it cancels at a higher cut-off. The principal home and the first two hectares are not counted in the assets test for the carer. Check the current cut-off points at servicesaustralia.gov.au as they are reviewed in March, July, and September each year.
Can You Work While Receiving Carer Payment?
Yes. The 100-hour rule allows you to do paid or self-employed work for up to 100 hours in any 4-week period and still receive Carer Payment. You must report your hours and income to Centrelink. Any income you earn may reduce your payment rate through the income test, but the 100-hour limit is on time, not on the dollar amount earned.
Some guides describe the work limit as 25 hours per week, which is a rough guide but not the exact rule. The actual rule is 100 hours in any rolling 4-week period. This gives some flexibility for carers with irregular work schedules.
Additional Annual Payments for Carers
Carer Supplement
Carer Supplement is an automatic annual payment. You receive $600 for each eligible payment held on 1 July each year. If you receive both Carer Payment and Carer Allowance, you receive $600 per payment, up to $1,200 per year. You do not need to apply; Centrelink pays it directly into your bank account. Carer Supplement does not add to your taxable income.
Child Disability Assistance Payment
The Child Disability Assistance Payment is paid automatically each year if you receive Carer Allowance for a child with disability for a period including 1 July. You do not need to apply for this either. The payment helps cover the costs of caring for a child with disability.
Carer Adjustment Payment
The Carer Adjustment Payment is a one-off payment for carers of a child under 7 years of age. It applies where a catastrophic event has led to a severe medical condition or major disability. The carer must demonstrate strong financial hardship. Unlike Carer Supplement and Child Disability Assistance Payment, this payment requires a separate claim.
Carer Payment and Age Pension
Carer Payment and Age Pension cannot be received at the same time. If you are Age Pension age and caring for someone, compare both payments to decide which is better. The care receiver income and assets requirements differ between the two payments. If you or your care receiver reaches Age Pension age while on Carer Payment, that payment becomes taxable.
Carer Payment and the NDIS
Carer Payment and NDIS participant supports operate independently. Carer Payment is not affected by the NDIS supports the participant receives. The participant’s NDIS plan is also not affected by the carer receiving Carer Payment.
Accessing Carer Gateway services does not affect Carer Payment, Carer Allowance, or any other Centrelink payment. Carers can use all three simultaneously: NDIS supports for the participant, Centrelink carer payments for the carer, and Carer Gateway supports for the carer’s own wellbeing.
How to Apply for Carer Payment
- Check your eligibility at servicesaustralia.gov.au before starting your claim.
- Create or log in to your myGov account and link it to Centrelink. If you don’t have a Centrelink Customer Reference Number (CRN), visit a service centre.
- Start your claim online: In your Centrelink online account, select Make a claim or view claim status, then Make a claim. Under Carers, select Get Started, then Apply for Carer Payment/Carer Allowance.
- Gather your documents: identity documents (Australian passport, birth certificate, or citizenship certificate), details of the person you care for, and any medical evidence Centrelink requests.
- Medical evidence: Centrelink will advise you of the medical forms required. For an adult care receiver, the ADAT must be completed by both the carer and a treating health professional. Centrelink will send the forms to the treating professional directly in some cases.
- Submit combined claim: You can claim Carer Payment and Carer Allowance through the same claim process. Centrelink recommends claiming both if you think you may be eligible for both.
- Wait for a decision: Centrelink generally pays Carer Payment from the date you lodge your claim, not from when eligibility began. Claiming early is important.
Why Choose Nhanya Foundation for Carer Support in Melbourne
Nhanya means persistence. Caring for someone with a disability, mental health condition, or serious illness is one of the most demanding commitments a person can take on. Navigating the financial support systems available to carers adds another layer of complexity. We work alongside carers to understand their rights, their options, and the supports available across the NDIS and Centrelink systems.
Nhanya Foundation is a Melbourne-based not-for-profit organisation and registered charity. We support people with disability and their carers, including families navigating the intersection of NDIS planning, Centrelink payments, and community services.
Our Support Coordination service helps NDIS participants and their families understand the full picture of available support. This includes both the participant’s NDIS plan and the carer’s Centrelink entitlements. Support coordinators can help identify when carers may be missing Carer Allowance or Carer Supplement they are entitled to.
Our Advocacy and Service Navigation service supports carers who have had carer payment claims denied, been incorrectly assessed, or who need help navigating a Centrelink decision review. Appeals of Centrelink decisions follow a specific process, and having advocacy support can make a significant difference to the outcome.
The Specialist Support Coordination service assists families in complex situations: where the carer’s health is at risk, where family violence is present, or where NDIS, aged care, and Centrelink intersect.
Our Allied Health Therapy Services include psychology and occupational therapy, relevant for carers experiencing burnout or mental health impacts from their caring role.
Our Assertive Outreach and Stabilisation Program reaches young people aged 12 to 25 who have disengaged from services. In many cases, parents or family members of young people in this cohort are carers who may not realise they are eligible for carer payments.
Our Disability Support Services provide in-home and community support for people with disability, which directly reduces the burden on informal carers and helps sustain caring arrangements.
Nhanya Foundation is a not-for-profit organisation and registered charity. Our services are guided by community benefit, not private profit. Any proceeds are reinvested into charitable activities supporting people experiencing hardship and disadvantage.
For current information on Nhanya’s NDIS registration, search the NDIS Commission Provider Register at ndiscommission.gov.au.
Contact Nhanya Foundation at nhanya.org.au/contact or call 03 8595 9012. Referrals can be submitted at nhanya.org.au/referral.
Frequently Asked Questions About Carer Payment Australia
What is Carer Payment in Australia?
Carer Payment is a fortnightly income support payment from Centrelink for people who provide constant care to someone with a disability, medical condition, or who is frail aged, and whose caring role prevents them from working full time. As of 20 March 2026, the maximum rate is $1,200.90 per fortnight for a single carer. It is income and assets tested. Rates are adjusted every 20 March and 20 September and should always be verified at servicesaustralia.gov.au.
What is the difference between Carer Payment and Carer Allowance?
Carer Payment is a full income support payment (up to $1,200.90 per fortnight single) for carers who provide constant care and cannot work full time. It is income and assets tested. Carer Allowance is a supplementary payment ($162.60 per fortnight) for carers who provide daily care and attention. Carer Allowance has no income or assets test for the carer and can be received alongside any income or other payment. Both can be received simultaneously.
How much is Carer Payment in 2026?
From 20 March 2026: single $1,200.90 per fortnight; couple each $905.20; couple combined $1,810.40; couple separated due to ill health each $1,200.90. Rates include the basic rate, Pension Supplement, and Energy Supplement. These are adjusted twice a year. Always verify current rates at servicesaustralia.gov.au.
Can I work while receiving Carer Payment?
Yes. You can do paid or self-employed work for up to 100 hours in any 4-week period and still receive Carer Payment. You must report your hours and income to Centrelink. Any income earned may reduce your payment rate through the income test. If you exceed 100 hours in a 4-week period, Carer Payment may stop for that period.
What is the income test for Carer Payment?
The pension income test applies. Single carers have a free area of $218 per fortnight; above that the payment reduces by 50 cents per dollar, with a cut-off at $2,619.80 per fortnight. Couples have a combined free area of $380 per fortnight. The care receiver must have income under $143,752 per year (if not receiving a government payment). These figures are indexed and change annually. Check current amounts at servicesaustralia.gov.au.
What is Carer Supplement?
Carer Supplement is an automatic annual payment of $600 per eligible payment held on 1 July. You do not need to apply. If you receive both Carer Payment and Carer Allowance, you may receive up to $1,200 in Carer Supplement per year. It does not add to your taxable income and is paid directly into your bank account.
What other payments are available for carers of children with disability?
Additional payments for carers of children with disability include the following: Child Disability Assistance Payment (automatic annual payment if you get Carer Allowance for a child at 1 July), Carer Adjustment Payment (one-off payment for catastrophic events affecting a child under 7 with demonstrated financial hardship), and a Health Care Card for the child when the carer receives Carer Payment or Carer Allowance.
