Caring for someone with an illness or disability

Financial assistance and services are available if you provide care to someone who has a disability, illness or is frail-aged.

Financial assistance for carers

Carer Payment and Carer Allowance can provide financial assistance if you provide care every day to someone with a disability, illness, or who is frail-aged.

Carer Supplement is an annual lump-sum payment to assist you with the costs of caring for a person with a disability.

Carer Adjustment Payment can provide one-off financial assistance to help you with the care needs of a child aged under seven years after a sudden accident, illness or disability.

Child Disability Assistance Payment is an annual payment that helps you with the costs of caring for a child with a disability.

The Assistance for Isolated Children Scheme can help parents and carers of school-aged students who cannot go to state school on a daily basis because they have a disability or have special health needs.

A Special Disability Trust helps immediate family members of people with severe disabilities make a private financial provision for their future care and accommodation needs.

Financial assistance for people being cared for

There are payments to help you with the cost of medical equipment you need due to your disability or illness. For example, Continence Aids Payment Scheme provides an annual payment to cover the cost of buying continence products from the supplier of your choice.

The Essential Medical Equipment Payment is an annual $140 payment if you experience additional increases in home energy costs from the use of essential medical equipment to manage your disability or medical condition.

Tell us if your situation changes

It is important that you tell us if your situation changes. For example, if the child you care for goes into respite care, hospital or needs less care. You also need to report changes to your income.