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If you receive a Disability Support Pension and you are under 21, you will automatically receive the Youth Disability Supplement in your Disability Support Pension payment.

You may also be eligible for Youth Disability Supplement if you are under 22 and receiving:

  • Youth Allowance as a job seeker, full-time student or Australian apprentice, or
  • ABSTUDY as a full-time student or Australian apprentice.

If you are receiving Youth Allowance or ABSTUDY to receive Youth Disability Supplement you must:

  • have an illness, injury or disability which prevents you from working 30 or more hours a week and is expected to last for more than two years, and
  • have an Employment Services Assessment

Employment Services Assessment

An Employment Services Assessment looks at your ability to work. For people with a disability, the assessment identifies your current and future work capacity. We will arrange an Employment Services Assessment if you need one.

You need to know

Payment rates for Youth Disability Supplement

The maximum rate of Youth Disability Supplement per fortnight is $114.00. It is paid with your main payment each fortnight.

Read more about Payment rates of Youth Disability Supplement

Payment adjustments and reviews for Youth Disability Supplement

Youth Disability Supplement is usually adjusted on 1 January each year in line with the Consumer Price Index—that is, in line with increases in the costs of living.

If you receive Youth Allowance or ABSTUDY, your eligibility for Youth Disability Supplement may be reviewed from time to time.

Until you turn 21, you keep getting Youth Disability Supplement for as long as you stay on Disability Support Pension.

First steps

Claiming Youth Disability Supplement

When you claim a Centrelink payment, your eligibility for Youth Disability Supplement is assessed at the same time.

Note: you need to tell us if you do not want to receive Youth Disability Supplement.

Outcome of claims

We will send you a letter letting you know if you are eligible for Youth Disability Supplement, when your payment starts and how much you will get.

If you disagree with a decision we make

You always have the right to appeal any decision we make. Read more about:

Existing customers

Change of circumstances while receiving Youth Disability Supplement

You need to tell us if your circumstances change while you are receiving Youth Disability Supplement. For example, you need to tell us if your income changes, if you start working, you change address or go overseas.

You need to let us know about any changes within 14 days in case they affect your payments. If you don't tell us about the changes, you may be overpaid and you will probably have to pay the money back.

  • If you deliberately don’t tell us about changes, you could be charged with fraud
  • You may have to pay a recovery fee if you give us incorrect information about your employment income.