Michelle Wilson cares full time for two young sons who both have a disability and a husband who suffered a brain stem stroke in 2003.

She also works part time as a bookkeeper, but is struggling to hold on to her job with just 4.5 hours of respite care a week.

Mrs Wilson, 40, fronted the media in Canberra on Friday to call on the federal government to adopt all 50 recommendations of a recent parliamentary inquiry into the role of the nation's 2.6 million carers.

In particular, she wants to see a boost in respite services and the axing of a 25-hour work-and-study limit for people receiving carer payments.

"What we need is a fair go, we need what other Australians take for granted," she told reporters.

"I don't want a handout, I want a leg-up. I don't want a fish I want a fishing rod."

The "Who Cares?" report, handed down in May, recommended a suite of changes to the financial and social support services for carers.

The government has agreed to implement most of them, but won't budge on the 25-hour working rule, saying it doesn't consider it as a "significant barrier to carers".

It also rejected calls to expand respite care through the Employed Carers Respite Initiative, saying it was "funded as a two-year pilot" only.

Mrs Wilson says she has gone for periods, as long as eight months, without respite. She can't work during school holidays, leaving the family with no income.

She says her family's care expenses amount to $30,000 per year, which includes, amongst other things, nappies, medication and equipment.

And she is struggling to meet the rising costs of utilities, especially water, because her severely disabled son requires five showers a day.

Carers Australia says it's "very disappointed and concerned" with the government's response, which was released last week.

The government had missed an opportunity to make a real difference for carers who are struggling to get by, CEO Joan Hughes said.

"Carers have to have the right to flexible work arrangements no matter who they care for, they need to be able to balance work and care," she told reporters.