Applying for a card
Who can apply?
The Companion Card is for people with a significant permanent disability, who always need a companion to provide attendant care type support in order to participate at most available community venues and activities.
Attendant care type support includes significant assistance with mobility, communication, self-care, or learning, planning and thinking, where the use of aids, equipment or alternative strategies do not enable the person to carry out these tasks. It does not include providing only reassurance, social company or encouragement.
The requirement for attendant care to access most events does not include requiring support to deal with infrequent, unexpected or unpredictable events. The Companion Card was not developed to overcome or compensate for any particular venue's lack of accessibility; including the absence of ramps, lifts, accessible toilets, appropriate signage or captioning, etc. Responsibility for these access issues remains with venue and activity operators.
The Companion Card is not issued to every person who has a disability. The card is issued to people who can demonstrate that they would not be able to participate at most venues and activities without a companion, and that this need is life-long. Companion Cards cannot be issued if the applicant may become independent in the future as a result of treatment/management, training, recovery or developmental improvements. Companion Cards can only be issued when an ongoing need for a companion can be demonstrated.
There are no income or assets tests applied to applications for a Companion Card, and people may apply irrespective of their employment status or nationality.
Application Criteria
To be eligible to apply for a Companion Card, applicants must meet all of the following criteria:.
- Be a permanent resident of Australia.
- Have a permanent disability.
- Due to the impact of the disability, require lifelong attendant care to be able to participate at most community venues and activities.
For more information on eligibility please refer to the relevant website or contact the Companion Card Information Line in your respective State or Territory.
- Australia Capital Territory: 02 6207 1086
- New South Wales: 1800 893 044
- Northern Territory: 1800 139 656
- Queensland: 13 13 04
- South Australia: 1800 667 110
- Tasmania: 1800 009 501
- Western Australia: 1800 617 337
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