Better benefits for Victorian carers

LOCAL carers can now get access to more flexible payment benefits, with new changes brought in by Services Victoria last week.

Carer Payment recipients can now undertake paid work up to 100 hours over a four-week period while receiving their benefit.

Before this week, the Carer Payment was limited to 25 hours of participation per week.

Travel time, education and volunteering activities will no longer count as part of the new 100-hour working conditions.

Carers Victoria chief executive officer Judith Abbott welcomed the more flexible arrangements.

“They provide greater employment flexibility for carers, and we look forward to the Australian Government taking further concrete actions to ease the financial burden unpaid carers face in their vital role,” she said.

The amount of Carer Payment depends on each individual’s personal circumstances. This includes any income they or their partner get from employment.

Sue Richards, who cares part-time for her aged mother, is embracing the changes and looks forward to returning to the workforce.

“I’m studying a Bachelor of Nursing at Swinburne University, and it’s been helpful both in lifting the quality of care I can offer mum, and in providing a path next year for me to return to work,” she said.

“These changes to the carer support payment feel like a bit of a weight lifted. It’s not just about the money; it’s about knowing I can access more resources and focus on what truly matters: giving mum the best possible quality of life.”

For more information on the Carer Payment changes, head to servicesaustralia.gov.au .