Getting help through Carer Gateway
Each region in Australia has a Carer Gateway service provider. This means that the person you talk to knows what support and services are available in the area.
Call Carer Gateway for support and services 1800 422 737 Monday to Friday, 8am to 5pm local time
In an emergency or if someone is in danger Triple Zero 000
If you are in crisis, anxious or depressed and want to talk with someone Lifeline 13 11 14 for anyone
Kids Helpline 1800 55 1800 for people aged 5 to 25
Call Carer Gateway if you need emergency respite 1800 422 737 24 hours a day, 7 days a week
Caring can be costly. You may be able to get payments and other financial support to help with your costs.
The Australian Government provides payments to directly support carers. You may also be able to get help to arrange and pay for some services. Find out what payments and other financial help you can get by exploring these pages.
In April 2020, the Australian Government introduced the JobKeeper payment in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Payments such as the Carer Payment and the Disability Support Pension may be affected. Read this summary to find out more information. Easy read versions are also available – Carer Payments and Disability Support Pension.
You may also want to visit other sites to find out about services that might help you. For example, the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) supports people with disability, and My Aged Care supports elderly people.
Each region in Australia has a Carer Gateway service provider. This means that the person you talk to knows what support and services are available in the area.
Emergencies can happen anytime. If you are a carer, planning for emergencies will help you to cope even when things go wrong.
If you are aged 25 or under and care for someone, you may be a young carer. Young carers may get general payments available for carers.
‘Respite’ or ‘respite care’ is when someone else takes care of the person you care for, so that you can have a break. A break can give you time to do everyday activities, deal with stress and look after yourself. When you are a carer, it’s important to regularly take time for yourself to rest and recharge.
As a carer, you help the person you care for with many activities in and around the home. Understanding what you need to do and what help you can get can make your life easier.
If you are a carer you may be able to get financial help from the Australian Government, depending on how much care you provide.