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For carers and family

Carers and family who are financially disadvantaged

Many carers don’t apply for financial assistance, because they’re unsure of who to contact or they’re put off by the procedures. Either that or they see their role as a duty and feel embarrassed about asking for assistance. If this describes your situation, you could be losing out on money that the government has specifically allocated for helping people in your situation.

For example, if you’re financially disadvantaged the government can help you and the person you care for providing subsidised services such as:

• Centrelink
• Financial hardship assistance
• Commonwealth Carelink Program (more information)
• Aged Care Assessment Teams (ACATs or ACAS) (more information)
• Home and Community Care Program (HACC) (more information)
• Community Aged Care Package Program (CACP) (more information)
• Extended Aged Care at Home (EACH) (more information)
• Extended Aged Care at Home Dementia (EACH D)  (more information)
• Veterans’ Home Care (more information)
• Commonwealth Carer Respite Centres and Commonwealth Carer Resource Centres  (more information)
• Day Therapy Centres (more information)
• Transition Care Program (more information)
• Legal Aid

Centrelink

• The Carer Payment provides an income support payment (similar to a pension) for people who are unable to participate in the workforce because they’re caring for someone who is frail and aged, or who has a severe medical condition or disability.
• The Carer Allowance provides an income supplement payment for people who provide daily care for someone with a disability or severe medical condition. It can be paid on top of the Carer Payment or an Age Pension.
• The Disability Support Pension is available to people who are unable to work for at least two years because of a disability.
• The Mobility Allowance is paid to eligible disabled workers to meet the extra cost of travel.
• Rent Assistance is also available if you receive the Carer Payment and pay rent for private accommodation.
• The Pensioner Concession Card (PCC) and Health Care Card (HCC) A Pensioner Concession Card (PCC) is automatically issued by Centrelink to all Social Security and Department of Veterans' Affairs (DVA) service pensioners or war widows receiving an income support supplement. Low income earners receiving selected payments may be entitled to a PCC.
• The Pensioner Concession Card entitles the holder to reduced cost medicines and a range of concessions.

Contact Centrelink for information about these pensions and other benefits. Centrelink also provides a Financial Information Service – a free, independent financial planning service whether you’re on benefits or not. You can call Centrelink on 13 27 17, or contact the Centrelink Multi-lingual Service on 13 12 02 for more information.
Read more: Financial support for carers

Financial hardship assistance

Under the Aged Care Act 1997 there are provisions for people in aged care homes who have difficulty paying care fees and accommodation payments.

People applying for financial hardship assistance may need help with their daily care fees, the income-tested fee, the accommodation charge, or the accommodation bond. Where assistance is granted, the Australian Government pays an additional supplement so that the aged care home is not disadvantaged.

The application form for financial hardship can be found on the Department of Health and Ageing website.
Read more: Financially disadvantaged people in aged care homes

Commonwealth Carelink Program

Commonwealth Carelink Centres provide you with free and confidential information on community aged care, disability and other support services available locally, interstate or anywhere within Australia.
Read more: Commonwealth Carelink Centres

Aged Care Assessment Teams (ACATs or ACAS)

Aged Care Assessment Teams/Services will help you access all the services your family member are eligible for after they’ve met with you and discussed your needs.
Read more:Being assessed

Home and Community Care (HACC) program

If your family member requires some basic help at home, the HACC program can assist by supporting their independence at home and in the community. Special arrangements may be made if they cannot afford to pay.
Read more: About the Home and Community Care program

Community Aged Care Package (CACP)

This service provides a tailored, planned and managed package of community care services, including help with housework, shopping and personal care. Your family member may be asked to pay a fee if they’re able to contribute to the cost of care, but they won’t be denied this service if they cannot afford to pay. (This fee cannot exceed 17.5 per cent of the maximum basic rate of pension, excluding the GST compensation supplement).
Read more: About Community Aged Care Package

Extended Aged Care at Home (EACH)

These packages are individually planned and coordinated according to the complexity of your family member’s home care needs. They may be asked to pay a fee for an EACH package of care (GST free). However, as with CACP (above), fees must not exceed 17.5 per cent of the maximum basic rate of pension, and the person you care for will not be denied a service that you need based on an inability to pay.
Read more: About Extended Aged Care at Home

Extended Aged Care at Home Dementia (EACH D)

If you or someone you care for needs assistance because of behavioural problems associated with dementia, the EACH D program can provide high-level care through an individually tailored package. The amount charged forms part of an agreement between you and the service provider. However, if the person you care for cannot pay the fee, they will not be denied a service that you need.
Read more: About Extended Aged Care at Home Dementia

Veterans’ Home Care

Veterans’ Home Care (VHC)  (more information) services are similar to Home and Community Care (HACC) services. They include domestic assistance, personal care, home and garden maintenance and respite care. Veterans and war widows/widowers are expected to pay a small co-payment for all services provided through Veterans’ Home Care, except for respite care. The Department of Veterans' Affairs (DVA) also provides financial assistance for eligible veterans, war widows/widowers and their dependants, including respite finance for their carers.
Read more: Programs for veterans

Commonwealth Carer Respite Centres and Commonwealth Carer Resource Centres

There is lots of assistance available for carers today, including timely, quality information, carer education and support that’s both culturally and linguistically sensitive. If you have a family member or friend who helps you to continue living at home, you may also be interested in respite care opportunities, which give you and your carer the chance to take a short break. There is no charge for the assistance provided at either the Commonwealth Carer Respite Centres or the Commonwealth Carer Resource Centres. However, if you use a referred service, then individual service fees may apply.
Read more: About the National Respite for Carers Program

Day Therapy Centres

These centres provide you with a wide range of therapy services such as physiotherapy (more information), occupational and speech therapy (more information), podiatry (more information) and other therapies. There may be a fee for services provided by Day Therapy Centres. However, your family member will not be denied access to services based on an inability to pay.
Read more: Day Therapy Centres

Transition Care Program

The Transition Care Program has been designed to help older people improve their independence and confidence after a hospital stay. The program provides a package of low-intensity therapy  (more information) and support as part of an ongoing but slower recovery process, giving you time to determine what level of care your family member will require in the future.
Read more: Transition Care Program

Legal aid

Legal aid provides a range of services for people who are unable to meet the costs of resolving a legal problem. These services may include advice, information, representation and negotiation.
Read more: Legal aid

This page was last updated on: 04 April 2008

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