Relaxation of eligibility for Carer Payment following review

Some welcome news for those carers of children and adults with complex and multiple disabilities, who have not previously met the very stringent criteria for the means-tested Carer Payment
Extract from an article by Andrew Probyn and Phillip CooreyMay 10, 2008, published by the Sydney Morning Herald, Saturday 10th May, 2008:

Sources say that from July 1 about 20,000 extra families will receive relief of
between $560 and $900 a fortnight after the Rudd Government agreed to relax the eligibility criteria for the controversial Carer Payment (Child).

The new criteria are understood to be based on how much care the child requires, rather than the existing set of medical assessments used to classify a child as profoundly disabled.

One source said the existing criteria were so ridiculous that if a child were deaf, blind, and unable to use his legs or hands, he would still not be classified as profoundly disabled because his condition does not meet three of the required medical conditions on the medical report.

As of June last year, only 3750 parents - 3 per cent of all carer payment recipients - were receiving the benefit, which was designed to provide income support to those who had little or no opportunity to work because of the demands of caring.

The Herald understands extending the benefit will cost the budget tens of millions of dollars extra but will be popularly received because parents of the disabled have been crying for help for years. Those newly eligible will also receive the Carer Allowance (Child), a supplementary fortnightly payment of
$98.50.

The budget could also extend the Carer Payment (Child) to those who provide short-term care of between three and six months. This follows a review of the payment instituted in March last year by the Howard government. Headed by the former senior public servant Tony Blunn, the review was inundated with more than 4000 carers and their representative groups, begging for reform of a system they said failed to meet their needs.

The article can be read in full here - the first part is about changes to the Medicare surcharge threshold.