The person being cared for must need:
- continuous supervision and frequent help throughout the day with their normal personal needs, such as walking and getting about, eating or drinking, washing, bathing, dressing and so on,
or
- continuous supervision to avoid danger to themselves.
Note
The person being cared for may attend a nonresidential course of rehabilitation training or a day care centre approved by the Ministers for Health and Children.
You, the carer, may:
- attend an educational or training course to take up voluntary or community work for up to 15 hours a week,
or
- take up limited employment outside your home, approved by the Department, for up to 15 hours a week,
or
- engage in limited self-employment in your home.
Your earnings from limited employment or self-employment cannot exceed a weekly limit set by the Department. Please contact Carer’s Benefit Section for details of this limit.
During your absence, you must arrange adequate care for the person needing full-time care and attention.
The Department will be flexible in assessing the need to provide full-time care and attention and will consider the needs of the carer and the person needing care. We do not expect, nor want others to expect, that a carer would provide care 24 hours a day.