How can we help?

We work to improve the health, wellbeing, resilience and financial security of carers, and to ensure that caring is a shared responsibility of family, community and government.

Carer Wellbeing Survey

National Carer Strategy

Young Carers Network

Carer-Inclusive Workplace Initiative

National Carers Week

  • Who we are

    Carers Australia is the national peak body representing Australia’s unpaid carers, advocating on their behalf to influence policies and services at a national level.

    Carers Australia recognises and values employees who have an unpaid caring responsibility and the contribution they make to the health and wellbeing of the people they care for.

    We are a Care-Inclusive Workplace!

    What we do

    Carers Australia advocates and lobbies on a wide range of issues that affect carers. We also manage the delivery of national programs, support and services for carers across Australia.

    We work in collaboration with carers, Carers Associations, government and peak bodies to develop policy, advocacy, programs and events to improve the lives of Australia’s 3 million carers.

  • Who is a carer?

    Carers are people who provide unpaid care and support to family members and friends who have a disability, mental illness, chronic condition, terminal illness, an alcohol or other drug issue or who are frail aged.

    What does a carer do?

    Commonly, carers are responsible for the management of medications. Carers provide emotional, social or financial support. Caring may also involve helping the person they are caring for to be organised, reminding them to attend appointments and dealing with emergencies.

    Carers provide 2.2 billion hours of unpaid care per year in Australia

    There are currently 3 million unpaid carers in Australia

    The replacement value of the unpaid care provided is $77.9 billion per year in Australia

    287,000 primary carers provide 40 hours or more of unpaid care per week

  • Article
    Hoyts Carer Concession

    19 February 2026

    Hoyts Cinemas has again renewed its agreement with Carers Australia for 2026 to offer discounts to carers who attend movie sessions with the person they care for.
    Carers National News
    Carers National News – 5 September 2025

    5 September 2025

    Article
    Survey: Support-at-Home program changes

    26 August 2025

    A Support-at-Home program begins 1 November and will retain many features of the Home Care Packages program. But there will be changes. It's estimated nearly 90,000 people approved for the Home Care Packages are on the waiting list, and many others are waiting to transition to the new package. If you’re in this situation, and if this means you, we’d like to add your voice to the conversation.
  • Submission
    Carers Australia Submission to the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing on NDIS Rules: New Framework Planning

    13 April 2026 – 568.04 KB

    Carers Australia supports the intent of the NDIS New Framework Planning Rules and highlights the essential role of unpaid family and friend carers in achieving accurate, fair, and sustainable plans. The submission calls for carers to be explicitly included in support needs assessments, planning, and review processes to improve outcomes for participants, reduce errors, and strengthen NDIS integrity in line with the NDIS Act.
    Media Release
    Carers Australia appoints new CEO

    8 April 2026 – 110.98 KB

    The Board of Carers Australia is very pleased to announce that Joanna (Jo) Cave has been appointed as the next CEO of Carers Australia. Jo brings a wealth of relevant experience to the CEO role as a leader of member-based organisations in a range of sectors, a passionate and successful advocate, a highly strategic thinker, partnership builder and deliverer of outcomes.
    Submission
    NES submission

    20 March 2026 – 710.02 KB

    The National Carer Network recommends amendments to the National Employment Standards to better support workers with caring responsibilities. Drawing on carers’ lived experiences, the Network proposes clearer definitions of ‘carer’ and ‘caring’, improved personal/carer’s and unpaid carer leave provisions, and fairer evidence requirements. These changes would help carers stay in work while also improving employee retention and productivity for businesses.