Income and assets test

Your rate of Carer Payment depends on what you get paid in income and own in assets. The person you provide care for also has to have income and assets under certain limits.

If you already get an income support payment from us like JobSeeker or Parenting Payment, this payment will stop once your Carer Payment claim is granted.

Income test for carers

You can earn some income and still get Carer Payment. The amount of Carer Payment you get depends on how much income you and your partner get paid.

Read more about the income test for Carer Payment.

Assets test for carers

You can have some assets and still get Carer Payment. The amount of Carer Payment you’ll get depends on how much your and your partner’s assets are worth.

Read more about the assets test for Carer Payment.

Income and assets limits for the person you provide care for

The person you care for must meet income and assets test limits. If they don’t get an income support payment from us or the Department of Veterans’ Affairs, their:

  • income must be less than $143,752 a year before tax
  • assets must be worth less than $886,750.

This amount may change on 1 January each year due to indexation.

This income and assets test also includes the income and assets of their partner and dependent children. The care receiver assets test:

  • doesn’t include their principal home and first 2 hectares surrounding it
  • may allow you to get Carer Payment if the person getting care has assets over $886,750.
Page last updated: 16 January 2026.
QC 30466