Incapacity benefits
Quick Links
Forms:
- Access to leave and release of Comcare payments [pdf] (while compensation decision is pending)
- Claim for time off work / Period of reduced earnings [pdf]
- Request to change bank account and/or personal details [pdf]
Publications:
You may be entitled to receive income support, known as incapacity benefits, while you are unable to work as a result of your accepted work-related injury or illness.
What is a fortnightly payment?
A fortnightly payment compensates you for your loss of income as a result of a work-related injury or illness. This is not a pension. It is aimed at compensating you for your loss of income until you return to work or until you recover from your work-related injury or illness.
If you sustain a work-related injury or illness, you may require a short period of compensation leave. If this is the case, compensation would be payable at a rate equal to 100% of your normal weekly earnings (NWE), less any amount you are actually earning, for periods of compensation leave up to a total of 45 weeks.
If as a result of your work-related injury or illness you require a period of compensation leave longer than a total of 45 weeks, your compensation is calculated based on the percentage of normal weekly hours you worked during the week. This is subject to statutory limits.
These percentages are:
% Normal Weekly Hours Worked | % Normal Weekly Earnings (NWE) | Compensation Payable |
| Not working | 75% | 75% NWE |
| 25% or less | 80% | 80% NWE - Actual Earnings (AE) |
| More than 25% but not more than 50% | 85% | 85% NWE - AE |
| More than 50% but not more than 75% | 90% | 90% NWE - AE |
| More than 75% but less than 100% | 95% | 95% NWE - AE |
| 100% | 100% | 100% NWE - AE |
How do I claim fortnightly payments?
1. Get a medical certificate from your medical provider.
2. Get details, including wages and hours for any employment (including self or voluntary employment) you are undertaking.
3. Complete the Claim for time off work / Period of reduced earnings form [pdf].
4. Send the form, medical certificate and wage details to Comcare.
Further information
For more information on incapacity benefits please refer to the publication:
In particular the following questions are covered:
- How are my periods of incapacity added up?
- What happens if I require short-term compensation leave?
- What happens if I require long-term compensation leave?
- What happens when I reach age 65?
- What other factors are taken into account?
- When are my fortnightly payments updated?
- How does the payment of compensation leave affect the accrual of other leave?
- What is a redemption (or lump sum) payment?