Carer Payment Calculator 2025
Estimate your Carer Payment and Carer Allowance entitlement based on your income, assets, and care situation. Updated with December 2025 rates.
Carer Payment Rates (Dec 2025)
Carer Allowance (Dec 2025)
Carer Allowance has no income or asset test - you may receive it even if you don't qualify for Carer Payment.
Disclaimer: This calculator provides estimates only. Actual payments depend on individual circumstances assessed by Services Australia. Always confirm with Centrelink.
Your Details
Constant care means the person requires care equivalent to a full-time job. 14+ hours qualifies for Carer Allowance only.
Frequently Asked Questions
As of December 2025, the Carer Payment maximum rate is $1,149.00 per fortnight for singles and $866.80 per fortnight each for couples. This is the same rate as the Age Pension and Disability Support Pension.
The Carer Allowance is $156.90 per fortnight and is NOT income or asset tested - you can receive it regardless of your financial situation if you meet the care requirements.
Together, a single carer providing constant care could receive up to $1,305.90 per fortnight ($33,953 per year).
The 5 key eligibility requirements for Carer Payment are:
- Constant care requirement: You provide constant care for someone with a severe disability, medical condition, or who is frail aged
- Care receiver eligibility: The person you care for must have a qualifying condition and require care equivalent to a full-time job
- Care location: You provide care in a private home (your home or the care receiver's home)
- Income and assets test: You must meet the income test (under $212/fn single) and assets test ($314,000 homeowner)
- Residency: You must be an Australian resident and be in Australia when you claim
No, Carer Allowance is NOT means tested. There is no income test or assets test for Carer Allowance. This means you can receive the full $156.90 per fortnight regardless of your income or assets, as long as you meet the care requirements.
This is different from Carer Payment, which IS means tested. Many carers who don't qualify for Carer Payment due to income or assets can still receive Carer Allowance.
To receive Carer Allowance, you need to provide at least 14 hours of care per week (averaged over 12 months) to someone with a disability or medical condition.
The Carer Payment income test works as follows:
- Income free area (single): $212 per fortnight - you can earn this much without any reduction
- Income free area (couple combined): $372 per fortnight
- Taper rate: For every dollar over the free area, your payment reduces by 50 cents
- Cut-off (single): Payment stops at approximately $2,510 per fortnight
- Cut-off (couple): Payment stops at approximately $3,849 per fortnight combined
Employment income may have a Work Bonus applied (up to $300/fn not counted).
Current Carer Payment rates (December 2025):
| Status | Per Fortnight | Per Year |
|---|---|---|
| Single | $1,149.00 | $29,874 |
| Partnered (each) | $866.80 | $22,537 |
| + Carer Allowance | $156.90 | $4,079 |
Rates are indexed in March and September each year. Carer Payment is equivalent to the Age Pension and Disability Support Pension rate.
Carer Allowance is $156.90 per fortnight (approximately $4,079 per year) as of December 2025.
Key facts about Carer Allowance:
- NOT means tested - no income or assets test
- You can receive it on top of other payments (including Carer Payment)
- Requires providing at least 14 hours of care per week
- Paid for each qualifying care receiver (you can receive multiple allowances)
- Includes a $600 annual Carer Supplement payment in July