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We define severe disability in 3 ways.
Definition 1
A person who has reached 16 years of age and all of the following apply:
- whose level of impairment would qualify the person for Disability Support Pension or who is already receiving a Department of Veterans’ Affairs (DVA) Invalidity Service Pension or DVA Invalidity Income Support Supplement
- who has a disability that would, if the person had a sole carer, qualify the carer for Carer Payment or Carer Allowance
- who has a disability and is unable to work more than seven hours a week in the open labour market.
Definition 2
A person who has reached 16 years of age and all of the following apply:
- whose level of impairment would qualify the person for Disability Support Pension or who is already receiving a DVA Invalidity Service Pension or DVA Invalidity Income Support Supplement
- who is living in an institution, hostel or group home where care is provided for people with disabilities and funding is provided under an agreement between the Commonwealth, states and territories
- who has a disability and is unable to work more than seven hours a week in the open labour market.
Definition 3
A child younger than 16 who both:
- is a person with a severe disability or a severe medical condition
- has a carer who has been given a qualifying rating of intense under the Disability Care Load Assessment (Child) Determination for caring for that person.
The child must also have had a treating health professional certify in writing that, because of that disability or condition either:
- the person will need personal care for 6 months or more
- the personal care is required to be provided by a specified number of persons.