Breaks from caring

Taking a respite break

You can have up to 63 days of respite each calendar year without your payment stopping. A calendar year is from 1 January until 31 December.

You can use these days for anything, including a holiday or simply a break from caring.

While you’re having a break the person getting care can either be:

• in formal respite care, at home, or elsewhere
• looked after by a friend, neighbour or family member.

If you have exceptional circumstances and may need a longer break, you can speak to us about your situation by:

• booking a phone or face to face appointment
• calling our Disability, sickness and carers line
• visiting a service centre.

If the person getting care goes into hospital and they’re under 16 years

We’ll keep paying you Carer Payment if the child getting care goes into hospital, as long as both the following apply. You:

• keep caring for them while they’re there
• plan to still provide care for them at home when they leave hospital.

We’ll check back with you if they’ve been in hospital for more than 12 weeks.

If you don’t provide care for the person while they are in hospital, you can use your respite days.

If the person getting care goes into hospital and they’re 16 years or over

We’ll keep paying you Carer Payment for up to 63 days in a calendar year. You’re eligible if the person you provide care for is in hospital and all the following apply:

• you keep caring for them while they’re there
• they are likely to return to your care when they leave
• you plan to still provide care for them when they leave hospital.

If you don’t provide care for the person while they are in hospital, you can use your respite days.

Tell us if the person getting care is in hospital for more than 63 days in a year. We may be able to still pay you by using some of your respite days.

Book a phone or face to face appointment, call our Disability, sickness and carers line, or visit a service centre to see what we can do.

What to tell us

You must tell us within 14 days if you take a break from caring, or the person you care for is in hospital.

If your Centrelink online account is linked to myGov, you can sign in and select View/Update Absence from Care to tell us about changes to your circumstances.

Sign in to myGov

If you don’t have a myGov account or a Centrelink online account you can create them.

You can also tell us by:

• booking a phone or face to face appointment
• calling our Disability, sickness and carers line
• visiting a service centre.