Carer Payment or Age Pension?

Information from the April 2007 Centrelink Carers Leaflet

If you are over age pension age and you are caring for someone, you may choose to receive either Carer Payment or Age Pension depending on your circumstances. For example, if you are getting Carer Payment because you are caring for someone who is not your partner, and that person dies, you may be entitled to receive a bereavement payment. You would not be entitled to this bereavement payment if you were getting Age Pension.

However, if you intend to travel outside Australia, receiving Age Pension during an absence from Australia may be more beneficial than receiving Carer Payment.

While there are several differences between Carer Payment and Age Pension, there are also several areas that are the same for both payments.

Carer Payment and Aged Pension:

• Have the same rate of payment
• Have the same income and assets tests (for Carer Payment a special income test may apply to the care received)
• Are taxable (Carer Payment is taxable once the carer, or the person being cared for, reaches age pension age) and
• Entitle the customer to a Pensioner Concession Card

 To find out more about claiming Carer Payment or Age Pension, see the Centrelink factsheet titled "Carer Payment or Age Pension" visit www.centrelink.gov.au or phone Centre.link on 132717.