Carer Allowance

Carer's Allowance is a fortnightly payment from Centrelink for parents and carers who provide daily care and attention to a child with a disability or medical condition.

It is a supplementary payment — it can be paid on top of wages, Carer Payment, or other Centrelink payments, and it is not taxable.

Who can get it

You may be eligible if you provide additional daily care and attention, in your home or theirs, to a child under 16 with a disability or medical condition.

From the child's 16th birthday, eligibility is assessed under different criteria.

How much it is

$162.60 per fortnight as at August 2026. The rate is indexed on 1 January each year.

If you care for a child under 16, you will also receive a Health Care Card in your child's name.

Is it means tested?

There is no assets test, and your child's income is not assessed.

There is an income test for the carer. You and your partner's combined adjusted taxable income must be under $250,000 per financial year.

You may see other websites state that Carer Allowance is not means tested. That was true before 2018 and is no longer correct.

Carer Allowance vs Carer Payment

These are two different payments and are often confused.

  • Carer Allowance — a supplementary payment, not income or asset tested beyond the $250,000 threshold, paid in addition to other income
  • Carer Payment — an income support payment for people whose caring responsibilities prevent them from working substantially. It is income and assets tested, and has stricter care requirements.

You may be eligible for one, both, or neither. Centrelink assesses each separately.

How to apply

  1. Set up a myGov account linked to Centrelink, if you don't have one.
  2. Complete the Carer Allowance claim. You will need details about your child's condition.
  3. A Treating Health Professional — usually your GP or paediatrician — will need to complete part of the form. Your child's therapists at Kids Connect can provide supporting reports if that helps.
  4. Centrelink assesses the claim and notifies you.

Apply through Services Australia

Where to get help

Last reviewed August 2026. Payment rates and thresholds change. Confirm current details with Services Australia.