Foster care current payment rate

Current Payment Rates

About the Carer Payment

All carers receive a Standard Age Carer Payment. This is a contribution towards the reimbursement of direct costs associated with looking after children and young people placed in care.  All carers, whether a foster or a family or kinship carer related to the child, receive the same Standard Age Carer Payment.

The Standard Age Carer Payment is not considered a source of income for the purposes of annual tax returns, testing eligibility for Australian Government allowances, or when applying for loans from financial institutions. The payment is paid on a fortnightly basis by electronic funds transfer direct to the carer's bank account. Every year, the NT Government reviews the allowance rates, and adjusts them according to the Consumer Price Index (CPI).

Expenses covered by the Standard Age Carer Payment

The Standard Age Carer Payment in calculated to cover a range of everyday care expenses that arise when caring for children and young people. In general terms, expenses to be covered by the Standard Age Carer Payment include:

• food and accommodation
• household provisions
• general clothing and footwear
• school books, stationery and excursions
• toys and incidental gifts
• pocket money
• leisure, hobby activities
• outings and entertainment
• daily travel expenses
• haircuts
• incidental child minding costs
• general expenses relating to personal hygiene items including nappies
• basic medical, dental and pharmaceutical expenses (where these expenses are not related to an ongoing or chronic condition).

2024-25 Carer Allowance rates

From 1 July 2024, the Northern Territory Carer Allowance rates will increase by 10%. This increase includes the annual Northern Territory Consumer Price Indexation.

Carer Allowances per week

Emergency respite (up to 4 nights)

Payments for caring for children with complex needs

The department provides a higher rate of reimbursement for children assessed as having more complex needs. The care needs of each child are regularly assessed to ensure that the necessary services are provided, and an appropriate level of payment is paid. Higher allowances are called Level 2, Level 3 and Level 4.

Remote area loading

The department pays a remote area loading to carers living in remote or very remote locations. Areas that are eligible for the remote area loading include Alice Springs, Katherine, Nhulunbuy and Tennant Creek.

Establishment payment

The department pays an establishment payment of $200 to every new placement (not including respite placements), to help with immediate purchases to ensure the child enters the placement with sufficient personal items. The department also ensures the adequate provisions are made for each placement when these costs are over and beyond the $200 establishment payment. The Case Manager will discuss with the carer what items the carer can purchase with the establishment payment, and whether there are any other additional start-up items which are essential for a new placement.

Additional child-related expenses

Occasionally children in care may require other items above their day-to-day expenses. The department may cover many of these expenses, but it is always important to check first, as these payments need to be pre-approved before carers can be reimbursed. It is also important that such expenses are discussed with the child's Case Manager, as the item or activity needs to be considered in terms of their entire care plan and may need approval from the birth family. Examples of extra expenses that the departments may cover include the specialist medical treatment, advanced educational or sporting equipment and activities, or furniture required to meet special needs of the child.

Respite daily payment rates

The department will pay for respite care for children on a case-by-case basis to ensure that carers are able to take short breaks from caring, where necessary. Emergency respite care can be arranged for up to four nights using the table below. For further ongoing respite exceeding four nights, payments are to be calculated using the carer allowances weekly rate. Respite payment rates are based on the age and needs of the child in respite care. Ongoing fortnightly payment arrangements are not affected when a child is in respite care.

Payment Inquiry Line

Email: TF.Finance@nt.gov.au
P: 08 8999 1006