What happens when a person you care for passes away

In this video I am going to talk about what to do when a person you’re caring for passes away. If you’ve recently lost someone, I want to share my deepest condolences/sympathies. I hope this information can assist you during this difficult time. We understand that contacting Services Australia might not be top of mind after losing someone you care for. However, we do need to be made aware of the loss of the person you’ve been caring for within 28 days. To do this, you can call us on 132 300 and say ‘bereavement’ when asked why you’re calling. We can help you from there. If you get Carer Payment, you may continue to get this payment for up to 14 weeks after the person you cared for passes away. Please take this time to care for yourself and consider whether you need to apply for another income support payment if you need it. I’d encourage you to apply as soon as you’re able. We will still have your details on our records, so applying will be easier. In addition to the continuation of Carer Payment for 14 weeks, you may also be eligible for a lump sum bereavement payment. If the person you were caring for was your partner, please click the link in the caption to my other video, that talks about how the lump sum is calculated. If they weren’t your partner, then the lump sum bereavement payment is calculated differently. Carer Allowance is a supplementary payment if you care for someone with a disability, medical condition or who is frail aged and needs ongoing daily care for at least 12 months or has a terminal medical condition. It can be paid in addition to wages, or another income support payment like Carer Payment. It isn’t assets tested, and you and your partner’s combined assessable income must be under $250,000 per financial year. You can also apply for Carer Allowance as a supplemental payment made in addition to another income support payment. It’s common that customers who get Carer Payment are paid the Carer Allowance as well, but you can also get it with our other payments like Age Pension. If you were getting Carer Allowance in addition to another income support payment that wasn’t Carer Payment (like Age Pension), you may be eligible for a Carer Allowance bereavement payment. This is the equivalent of 14 weeks of Carer Allowance paid as a lump sum. If you are only receiving Carer Allowance and no other income support payment, you won’t be eligible for any bereavement payments. We know this can be a distressing time and you may not be sure what you’re eligible for, so Services Australia will work out what you’ll be entitled to and make the payments, you don’t have to apply for any bereavement payments. If you need extra support, the link in the caption can help you find and connect with counselling and grief services, so please use the services if you need support.