Carer Payment rates 2026
Carer Payment · Single
Typical total per fortnight · $32,180.20 ≈ per year (×26 fortnights)
- Basic Rate
- $1,135.40
- Pension Supplement
- $88.20
- Energy Supplement
- $14.10
- Total per fortnight
- $1,237.70
Effective 20 September 2026 · Source: DSS / Services Australia · What changed on 20 September 2026
Carer Payment is income support for people who cannot work in substantial paid employment because they give constant care to someone with a severe disability or medical condition, or to a frail aged person. It is paid at pension rates. It is paid by Services Australia through Centrelink.
This page shows the Carer Payment rates, with their effective date, and how the tests work. Carer Payment is indexed twice a year, and the next change is on 20 March 2027.
Full Carer Payment rate table
| Variant | Base rate | Supplements | Total /fortnight | ≈ per year (×26) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Single | $1,135.40 | $102.30 | $1,237.70 | $32,180.20 |
| Couple (each) | $855.90 | $77.10 | $933.00 | $24,258 |
| Couple (combined) | $1,711.80 | $154.20 | $1,866.00 | $48,516 |
Source: DSS Social Security Payment Parameters, 20 September 2026 — Pension — Single — Resident (common pension rate) · DSS Social Security Payment Parameters, 20 September 2026 — Pension — Partnered (each) — Resident (common pension rate) · derived: 2 × Couple (each) — DSS Social Security Payment Parameters, 20 September 2026 — Pension — Partnered (each) — Resident
The table below shows the Carer Payment rates. Because Carer Payment is a pension, the rates match the Age Pension: a single rate, and a lower rate each for members of a couple. The total is a basic rate plus the Pension Supplement and the Energy Supplement.
When a figure is labelled a total, it means those parts added together. Carer Payment is a full income support payment, which is different from Carer Allowance, a smaller supplement that can be paid on top.
What changed on 20 September 2026
| Rate | Before 20 September 2026 | From 20 September 2026 | Change | Change % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Single | $1,200.90 | $1,237.70 | +$36.80 | +3.06% |
| Couple (each) | $905.20 | $933.00 | +$27.80 | +3.07% |
| Couple (combined) | $1,810.40 | $1,866.00 | +$55.60 | +3.07% |
- On 20 September 2026, Carer Payment, single, rose $36.80, or 3.06%, from $1,200.90 to $1,237.70.
- Carer Payment, single, pays up to $1,237.70 a fortnight, $404.00 (48.46%) more than JobSeeker for a single person with no children at $833.70.
Carer Payment in 2026
| Rate | Before | 1 January 2026 | 20 March 2026 | 1 July 2026 | 20 September 2026 | 2026 change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Single | $1,178.70 | — | $1,200.90 | — | $1,237.70 | +$59.00 (+5.01%) |
| Couple (each) | $888.50 | — | $905.20 | — | $933.00 | +$44.50 (+5.01%) |
| Couple (combined) | $1,777.00 | — | $1,810.40 | — | $1,866.00 | +$89.00 (+5.01%) |
- Carer Payment, single, rose $59.00 (5.01%) across 2026, from $1,178.70 to $1,237.70: $22.20 on 20 March 2026 and $36.80 on 20 September 2026.
How much Carer Payment pays
The Carer Payment rate for your situation is shown in the data block and table above, with its effective date. It is paid every two weeks and includes the Pension Supplement and Energy Supplement.
That figure is the maximum. How much you actually get depends on your own income and assets. The person you care for also has to meet a separate care-receiver income and assets test. The next increase is on 20 March 2027.
| Situation | Income a fortnight | Rent a fortnight | Payment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Single, homeowner, no other income | $0 | — | $1,237.70 a fortnight |
| Single, homeowner, with other income | $500 | — | $1,100.70 a fortnight |
| Single, renting, no other income (includes Rent Assistance) | $0 | $450 | $1,456.85 a fortnight |
| Couple, homeowners, combined other income (combined payment) | $500 | — | $1,814.00 a fortnight |
| Couple, renting, no other income (combined, includes Rent Assistance) | $0 | $450 | $2,011.65 a fortnight |
Assets under the assets-test free area and no financial assets, so no deemed income. Other income is per fortnight. Rent Assistance uses the no-children rates.
- With $500 a fortnight of other income, a single homeowner is paid $1,100.70, $137.00 less than the maximum.
- Renting at $450 a fortnight adds $219.15 of Rent Assistance for a single pensioner, making the payment $1,456.85, $219.15 more than a homeowner with no income.
Carer Payment income test
| Fortnightly income | Effect on your payment |
|---|---|
| Up to $226 | No reduction (this is the income free area) |
| $226 and above | Reduces by 50c for each dollar over $226 |
Source: Services Australia, A guide to Australian Government payments (CO029), 20 September 2026 edition — Income test for pensions; free areas from DSS Social Security Payment Parameters, 1 July 2026; income limits from DSS Social Security Payment Parameters, 20 September 2026
For couples the 50-cent taper applies to combined income above the combined free area and reduces the combined pension.
| Situation | Payment reduces to nil at |
|---|---|
| Single | $2,701.40 /fortnight |
| Couple (combined) | $4,128 /fortnight |
| Couple (combined) — Illness separated | $5,346.80 /fortnight |
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Care receiver income limit (per year) | $143,752 /annum |
| Care receiver lower asset limit | $886,750 /once |
| Care receiver higher asset limit | $1,317,250 /once |
This payment's income test counts deemed income from your financial assets, not just the income you actually receive.
The income test on you has a fortnightly income free area. Above the free area, your payment reduces by 50 cents for every extra dollar of income, and for a couple the combined income is tested. Financial assets are assessed using deeming.
A separate care-receiver income test applies to the person you care for. If they do not receive an income support payment themselves, their yearly income must be under a set limit for you to qualify.
The cut-off for your own income, and the care-receiver income limit, are shown in the income test detail on this page.
Where Carer Payment stops
| Situation | Income free area | Payment reaches $0 at | DSS figure |
|---|---|---|---|
| Single | $226 | $2,701.40 a fortnight | Matches the DSS limit |
| Couple, combined income | $396 | $4,128.00 a fortnight | Matches the DSS limit |
| Couple separated by illness, combined income | $396 | $5,346.80 a fortnight | Matches the DSS limit |
Rounded up to the cent, as DSS rounds its limits.
- Single: the payment reaches $0 at $2,701.40 a fortnight of income, $2,475.40 more than the $226.00 income free area.
- The cut-out for couple, combined income, $4,128.00, is $1,426.60 higher than for single, $2,701.40.
- That is $1,144.23 higher than JobSeeker's single cut-out of $1,557.17.
Carer Payment assets test
| Situation | Assets free area |
|---|---|
| Single — Homeowner | $333,000 |
| Couple (combined) — Homeowner | $499,000 |
| Couple (combined) — Illness separated — Homeowner | $499,000 |
| Single — Non-homeowner | $600,000 |
| Couple (combined) — Non-homeowner | $766,000 |
| Couple (combined) — Illness separated — Non-homeowner | $766,000 |
Source: DSS Social Security Payment Parameters, 1 July 2026 — Pension — Assets free areas; DSS Social Security Payment Parameters, 20 September 2026 — Pension — Assets limits — Resident
Above the free area, your payment reduces by $3 a fortnight for every 1,000 dollars of assessable assets.
| Situation | Assets limit |
|---|---|
| Single — Homeowner | $745,750 |
| Couple (combined), including where only one partner is eligible — Homeowner | $1,121,000 |
| Couple (combined) — Illness separated — Homeowner | $1,324,500 |
| Single — Non-homeowner | $1,012,750 |
| Couple (combined), including where only one partner is eligible — Non-homeowner | $1,388,000 |
| Couple (combined) — Illness separated — Non-homeowner | $1,591,500 |
The assets test on you counts most of what you own, apart from your home if you are a homeowner. Above the assets free area, the pension reduces by a set amount for every extra thousand dollars of assets. Homeowners have a lower free area than non-homeowners.
The person you care for also has care-receiver asset limits. If they do not receive an income support payment, their assets must be under the set limit for you to qualify. The limits are shown on this page.
- A single homeowner's payment stops once assets reach $745,750, $412,750 more than the $333,000 free area, at $3.00 a fortnight less for each $1,000 in between.
- A single non-homeowner can hold $267,000 more in assets than a homeowner before the payment starts to fall.
What this means
Carer Payment is paid every two weeks at the same rates as the Age Pension, and the total already includes the Pension Supplement and the Energy Supplement.
Two tests apply to you, an income test and an assets test, and the lower result is paid, the same as any pension. Financial assets are assessed using deeming.
There is also a care-receiver test. The person you care for must have income and assets below set limits, unless they get an income support payment themselves. This is separate from the test on your own income and assets.
Carer Payment is different from Carer Allowance. Carer Payment replaces a wage you cannot earn because of caring; Carer Allowance is a smaller supplement for the extra costs of caring, and the two can be paid together. The next Carer Payment increase is on 20 March 2027, and this page updates to match.
Who can get Carer Payment
Services Australia assesses Carer Payment on the care you provide and the needs of the person you care for, as well as your own residence status, income and assets. You generally need to be giving constant care, and the person you care for must meet a care needs assessment.
This page reports the rates and the test rules. It does not decide your claim. For the eligibility rules that apply to your own situation, check the official Carer Payment page linked at the top and bottom of this page.
Related
- How much in 2026?The answer and worked examples
- Carer Payment vs Carer AllowanceSide by side at three incomes
- 20 September 2026 indexationEvery payment, old against new
- Payment dates 2026Cycles and public holidays
Carer Payment: common questions
- How much is Carer Payment per fortnight?
- Carer Payment is paid at Age Pension rates. The single rate is shown in the data block at the top of this page, with its effective date, and it includes the Pension Supplement and Energy Supplement. Couples are paid a lower rate each. Your payment can be lower once your income and assets are tested.
- What is the difference between Carer Payment and Carer Allowance?
- Carer Payment is a full income support payment at pension rates for people who cannot work because of caring. Carer Allowance is a smaller supplement for the extra daily costs of caring. You may be able to get both at the same time. See our Carer Payment versus Carer Allowance comparison.
- Does the person I care for affect my Carer Payment?
- Yes. As well as the tests on your own income and assets, there is a care-receiver test. If the person you care for does not get an income support payment themselves, their income and assets must be under set limits for you to qualify. The limits are shown on this page.
- When does Carer Payment go up next?
- Carer Payment is indexed on 20 March and 20 September, the same as the Age Pension. The next increase is on 20 March 2027. This page updates to match.
- Is Carer Payment taxable?
- It depends on the ages of you and the person you care for. Carer Payment is generally taxable if both of you are under Age Pension age, and tax-free if either of you has reached Age Pension age. Because this is a specific rule, check the Australian Taxation Office for how it applies to you.
Estimates and general information only — not financial advice. Check Services Australia for your circumstances.
Rates effective 20 September 2026 · next scheduled indexation 20 March 2027. Source: DSS / Services Australia. Last checked 23 September 2026.