Financial help for a child with disability in Australia

By The Jay Way team

Published 24 October 2026 · Checked against official sources 24 October 2026

If you care for a child with disability in Australia, the main payment from Services Australia is Carer Allowance, which was $162.60 a fortnight as at 24 October 2026. When you get it for a child under 16, the child also gets a Health Care Card, and you may get a yearly Child Disability Assistance Payment of up to $1,000. Services Australia decides who qualifies, and the NDIS is a separate scheme run by a different agency.

The short version: start with Carer Allowance, because it unlocks the Health Care Card and the yearly payment. Carer Payment is a different payment for people whose caring stops them working full time, and it has an income and assets test. The NDIS is a separate scheme from Centrelink payments, and for children under 9 the usual first step is an early childhood partner. State and territory programs such as the Companion Card vary depending on where you live. You can ask about all of these, and the agency involved makes the decision.

What financial help is there at a glance?

Here is how the main supports differ. Each has its own rules, and each agency decides for itself.

Support	What it is	Who decides
Carer Allowance	Fortnightly payment, $162.60 as at 24 October 2026	Services Australia
Health Care Card	Concession card for a child under 16 in your care	Services Australia
Child Disability Assistance Payment	Yearly payment of up to $1,000 per child, paid automatically	Services Australia
Carer Payment	Income support for constant care, with an income and assets test	Services Australia
NDIS	NDIS supports for your child, a separate scheme from Centrelink payments	NDIA
Companion Card	Lets a support person attend events without a second ticket	Your state or territory

What is Carer Allowance for a child?

Carer Allowance is a fortnightly payment for people who give daily care and support to someone with disability or a medical condition. It is $162.60 each fortnight as at 24 October 2026, and the Department of Social Services adjusts the rate on 1 January each year.

Some points from Services Australia:

There is no assets test, but there is an income test. Your and your partner’s combined adjusted taxable income must be under $250,000 per financial year, before tax.
There is no income test for the person you care for.
The person you care for needs care for at least 12 months, or has a terminal medical condition, and is assessed as needing care by a medical professional.
Carer Allowance isn’t part of your taxable income.
You can get it for more than one child.

Does my child get a Health Care Card?

If you care for a child younger than 16 and Services Australia grants Carer Allowance, they send you a Health Care Card for the child. Services Australia describes it as helping with the costs of their medicine and health care. The card is for the child in your care only.

If your child’s care needs are lower, you may not be able to get Carer Allowance, but you may still be able to get a Health Care Card for them. It is worth asking.

What is the Child Disability Assistance Payment?

The Child Disability Assistance Payment is an automatic yearly payment of up to $1,000. You don’t claim it. You need to be getting Carer Allowance for a child younger than 16 for a period that includes 1 July. You can get up to $1,000 each year for each child who qualifies you for Carer Allowance.

You can’t get it if you only have a Carer Allowance Health Care Card.

Can I get Carer Payment for a child?

Carer Payment is a different payment from Carer Allowance. It is for people who provide constant care to someone who needs care for at least 6 months, or who are caring for someone at the end of their life.

Services Australia explains constant care as a large amount of time daily, roughly equal to a normal working day, that stops you from working full time. Both you and the person you care for need to meet an income and assets test.

For children, the page says:

Care needs are assessed differently for children under 16 than for adults.
The treating doctor of the child completes a medical form, and you also tell Services Australia about the care you provide.
You may still be eligible if you care for a child younger than 16 who needs a lot of care for a short term condition, or care on an episodic basis for 3 to 6 months.

You may be able to get both Carer Payment and Carer Allowance, and you can submit a combined claim. Services Australia usually only pays Carer Payment from the date you lodge your claim, so it is worth claiming once you think it may apply.

How does the NDIS fit in?

The NDIS is separate from Services Australia payments. For children, the entry point depends on age:

Younger than 9: the early childhood approach is for children with delays in their development or disability. You work with an early childhood partner, a local organisation the NDIA funds.
Younger than 6: children don’t need a diagnosis for the early childhood approach.
9 or older: you work with an NDIS partner, also known as a local area coordinator.

Early connections are part of the early childhood approach, and your child doesn’t need to be eligible for the NDIS to get them. They can include connections with community and mainstream supports, practical information about development, other families, and help to apply to the NDIS.

If you apply to the NDIS, you give evidence from your child’s treating health professional, and the NDIA decides whether your child is eligible. The NDIS website says it is being updated for new legislation, so some pages may change. Call the NDIS on 1800 800 110 to confirm the current steps.

What other help is there?

Companion Card. The Companion Card brings together state and territory programs for people with disability who need an attendant care companion. It lets eligible people bring a support person to events and activities without paying for a second ticket. States and territories issue the cards, so eligibility and how to apply vary by state. Check your own state or territory’s Companion Card page, linked from the Australian Government page below.

Essential Medical Equipment Payment. This is a yearly payment to help with energy costs to run essential medical equipment, or heating or cooling used for medical needs. Services Australia lists it at $203.00 per year for each eligible item. One of the requirements is a Commonwealth Concession Card, and dependent children can’t claim the payment themselves. Read the eligibility list on the page before you plan around it.

Where should I start?

Check the Carer Allowance rules for your family, including the income test.
Ask your child’s treating doctor how long the medical form takes, so you aren’t waiting at the last step.
Claim online through a myGov account linked to Centrelink, or by phone if you can’t claim online.
If your child is under 9, ask your GP, child health nurse or early childhood educator about an early childhood partner.
Look up your state or territory’s Companion Card page.

Questions to ask your child’s doctor: what the medical report needs to say about your child’s care needs, how long it will take, and whether any reports your child already has could help.

Free tools to help

Funding Finder: a free overview of Carer Allowance, the Health Care Card, the Child Disability Assistance Payment, Carer Payment and the NDIS.
Carer Allowance checker: a quick look at whether the main Carer Allowance rules for a child may fit your situation.
NDIS access request checklist: what to gather before you apply.

Official sources

This article is general information. It isn’t medical, legal, financial or NDIS eligibility advice. Every child’s circumstances are different, and government programs and requirements can change. Check the official sources above before you apply.