primary · Services Australia
Each eligible person receiving care
$162.60 / fortnight
From 2026-07-01 to 2026-09-19
Guide p.19, 2026-07-01 to 2026-09-19.
I provide daily care · Services Australia
Carer Allowance
Supplementary payment for daily care. Not an income-support pension. Income test (high threshold), no assets test. Can be paid with Carer Payment.
$162.60 / fortnight
Hover the amount for four other currencies (live rate).
Who it is for
People providing daily care to someone with a disability or medical condition who meets the care-receiver test.
A small state supplement. It is not Carer Payment and not private income protection.
ISSA (1 January 2024) — Income test (ISSA 2024, matches 2026 booklet)
Combined annual income must not exceed A$250,000.
Conditions
- Care
- Daily care of an eligible care receiver.
- Income
- Combined adjusted taxable income under $250,000. No assets test.
Primary source first. A disputed or stale figure stays visible. Hover a rand or dollar figure for four other currencies. W weekly · F fortnightly · M monthly · A annually.
stale · International Social Security Association
ISSA 1 Jan 2024 — per eligible person
A$153.50 / fortnight
From 2024-01-01 to 2024-12-31
2026 booklet is $162.60. Keep 2026.
Cross-checks
- note Services Australia payment pages Some advice sites still quote $157.40 or $159.30. The July 2026 government booklet lists $162.60. Prefer the booklet / live page.
- disagrees ISSA country profile — Australia ISSA A$250,000 income test matches the 2026 booklet. The fortnightly rate does not (A$153.50 vs $162.60) — keep 2026 for the rate. ISSA Country profiles: Australia, policies as of 1 January 2024 (https://www.issa.int/node/195543?country=796). Amounts lag the 1 July 2026 payments guide (co029-2607). Compass keeps 2026.
How to apply
Services Australia. Medical report. Can be paid for each eligible child and up to two eligible adults.
Methodology
coreau_ss_methodology.centrelink_indexation
Maximum rates from Services Australia. Pensions and most allowances index on 20 March and 20 September. FTB indexes 1 July. Income and assets tests can pay less than the maximum. Current Compass figures are overlaid from the 1 July–19 September 2026 payments guide (co029-2607). Change this row in Core AU and the Compass follows.
- Read the live Services Australia page for that payment.
- Cross-check A guide to Australian Government payments for the current quarter (Core AU job payments_guide_quarterly).
- Do not treat a September-preview blog figure as in force before indexation day.