Eligible carers in Melbourne and throughout Australia that receive the $600 Carer Supplement, in October 2025, are receiving a warning about the likely delay in payment and fears of occasional interruptions to timely direct deposits. It is an automatic payment that happens annually in July or August, the supplement is meant to give much-needed financial reward and assistance to carers.
What Is the $600 Carer Supplement?
– The Carer Supplement is a lump sum of up to 600 a year to each recipient of the care.
– Automatically paid to the recipients of either Carer Permit, Carer Payment, or other Veterans Affairs carer payments as long as they are qualified as of July 1.
– No application is available to the recipients; the payment is made by Centrelink and deposited directly to bank accounts.
Recent: October 2025 Payment Delays in Melbourne
– Numerous recipients in Melbourne have been complaining that their Carer Supplement payments have been late outside the normal payment period (which is generally July/August).
– These delays can be mostly associated with some modern Centrelink system upgrades and backlog, which creates anxiety among carers who depend on the additional cash money on living and care costs.
-Waits of as long as several weeks later than indicated payment period have been reported by some carers.
What Should Carers Do?
– Check eligibility: You have to have been a recipient of a qualifying carer payment at some point including July 1, 2025.
– Check accounts: Check your myGov accounts or bank accounts to see if there are outstanding payments.
– Contact Centrelink: reach out to Centrelink, or on a visit to your local Centrelink office to check the status and offer assistance, in case you have not been receiving your supplement way beyond the due date.
Important Reminders
– The $600 Carer Supplement is not related to regular fortnightly carer payments and Carer Allowance.
– When you have more than one individual that you are taking care of, you will be paid multiple times, each time, one place of the qualified individual.
– Carer Supplement is untaxed and it does not affect other government benefits.
$600 Carer Supplement Overview (2025)
| Payment | Amount | Payment Time | Eligibility | Action Needed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carer Supplement | $600 | July–October | Receiving Carer Allowance/Payment on July 1 | None (Automatic) |
FAQs
Q1. Who is entitled to receive the Carer Supplement of $600?
Any person who will be receiving Carer Allowance, Carer Payment or other appropriate payment, as a carer under the Veteran benefits system, as of July 1, 2025.
Q2. What shall I do in case my payment is delayed?
Monitor your payment status through myGov and call Centrelink when you have not received any update within the normal period.
Q3. Carer Supplement taxable?
No, the supplement is not included in taxable income.
