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.

return to top

Application Criteria

Companion Card applicants must meet criteria developed by the Victorian Department of Human Services, based on the Disability Services Act 1991 (Vic).

In summary, you can apply for a card if:

1. You live in Victoria; and
2. You have a significant, permanent disability, which may include issues related to ageing and psychiatric illness; and
3. Due to the impact of your disability you would be unable to participate at most community venues or activities without attendant care support; and
4. Your need for this level of support will be life-long.

Facilities, organisations or potential companions are not eligible to apply for a Companion Card. Cards will only be issued to, and will remain the property of, the person who has a disability. This enables the cardholder to choose whom they prefer to take as a companion to each venue/activity.

return to top