What Is Carer Gateway and How to Access It

Carer Gateway is the Australian Government’s national support service for unpaid family carers — but unlike Carer Payment or Carer Allowance, it’s not a cash payment. It’s the entry point to free, practical support: counselling, coaching, peer support, planned respite, and emergency respite care.

What Carer Gateway actually provides

  • • In-person and phone counselling for carers dealing with stress, burnout, or the emotional weight of caregiving
  • • Carer coaching — structured one-on-one sessions to help carers build coping strategies and plan ahead
  • • Peer support — connecting carers with others in similar situations
  • • Planned and emergency respite care — short breaks from caregiving, including urgent cover if a carer is suddenly unable to provide care
  • • Online resources and self-guided courses covering practical caregiving skills
  • • A tailored support package, developed after an initial phone assessment, matched to your specific situation

Who can use Carer Gateway

  • • Anyone providing unpaid care to a family member or friend with a disability, medical condition, mental illness, or who is frail due to age
  • • No income test or means test applies — this is a support service, not an income-tested payment
  • • Available regardless of whether you also receive Carer Payment or Carer Allowance

How to access it

  • • Call Carer Gateway on 1800 422 737, or register online at carergateway.gov.au
  • • Complete an initial phone assessment with a Carer Gateway service provider in your region
  • • Receive a tailored support plan based on your situation
  • • Access ongoing services (counselling, respite, coaching) through your assigned regional provider

How Carer Gateway is organised regionally

Carer Gateway is delivered through a network of regional service providers across every state and territory, so what’s immediately available (particularly respite options) can vary depending on where you live. State-specific guides are available for Victoria, NSW, Queensland and Western Australia below.

How this fits with Carer Payment and Carer Allowance

Carer Gateway is entirely separate from Centrelink’s Carer Payment and Carer Allowance — you can access Carer Gateway’s services whether or not you receive either payment, and receiving one doesn’t affect your eligibility for the other. See our guide on Carer Payment and Carer Allowance for the cash-payment side of Australian carer support.

Keeping track of your caregiving situation

Whether you’re accessing respite, counselling, or building toward a Carer Payment application, having a clear record of your caregiving hours and the support you’ve used makes every conversation with Carer Gateway or Centrelink easier. FeatherKeep organises this automatically as you go.

Check what else you may qualify for →

Related guides

General information only, not legal or financial advice. Carer Gateway services and access details vary by region and change over time — confirm current details at carergateway.gov.au or by calling 1800 422 737.