You must be:

• 16 to 21 years of age and looking for full time work or doing approved activities
• 18 to 24 years of age and studying full time
• 16 to 17 years of age and:
  • have finished year 12 or equivalent
  • need to live away from home to study, or
  • are independent for Youth Allowance, or
• 16 to 24 years of age and doing a full time Australian Apprenticeship

You may stay on Youth Allowance after you turn 25 years of age until you finish your course or apprenticeship.

We also assess eligibility on being an Australian resident when you claim and while you get this payment. We also look at:

• if you’re doing an approved course or activity
• if you’re dependent or independent, and
• income and assets

Watch our video about independence rules.

Dependent

If you’re 21 years of age or younger and aren’t independent as described below, you’re dependent. This means your parents’ income affects if you get a payment and how much you get.

Independent

If you’re 22 years of age or older, we consider you independent.

If you’re under 22 years of age, you may be independent if you:

• can show you support yourself through work
• are, or have been, married or are in a registered relationship
• live in a de facto relationship as a member of a couple for at least 12 months
• have, or have had, a dependent child
• are a job seeker and a Job Capacity Assessment determined you have partial capacity to work
• unable to live at home due to extreme circumstances
• have parents who can’t look after you
• are a refugee and your parents don’t live in Australia
• are an orphan and haven’t been legally adopted, or
• are in state care, or left because of your age

Independent through work

Full time work

You may be independent if you support yourself through full time paid work for at least 18 months within any 2 year period. You don’t need to work for 18 consecutive months, or in the same job. Full time work is 30 hours per week on average throughout the 18 months.

If you don’t consistently work 30 hours per week, you can average your hours of work over a maximum of 13 week periods.

Paid work includes:

• paid leave
• overseas work
• unpaid leave due to employer shutdown outside of your control
• full time apprentices and trainees

Use the independence through work history tool to see if you’re independent.

Part time work or earnings for rural and remote students

You may be independent if:

• your parental home is in an inner regional, outer regional, remote or very remote area
• you need to move away from the parental home to study, and
• since leaving secondary school, you have:
  • over an 18 month period, earned 75% or more of Wage Level A of the National Training Wage Schedule included in a modern award, or
  • for at least 2 years, worked at least 15 hours each week

It also depends on your parents’ income. If you claim in 2016, they must have earned less than $150,000 in the 2014-15 tax year. If their income has changed a lot, we’ll look at the current tax year.

You need to give proof that you meet these requirements.

Find out which area your family home is in using the Student Regional Area Search service.

Unable to live at home

You may be independent if you can’t live at home due to extreme circumstances. This includes family breakdown, violence, or serious risk to your safety and wellbeing. A social worker will assess this if you’re under 18.

Tests that apply to you

Your rate will be based on the test that results in the lowest payment rate. Your rate may change each fortnight.

Use our online estimators to help work out how much you might get.

You are	Tests that apply to you
independent	personal income test personal assets test
independent with a partner	personal income test partner income test personal assets test
dependent	personal income test parental means test

Personal assets test

There are different assets limits depending on your situation. When you claim, you need to tell us the current market value of:

• your assets, and
• your partner’s assets if you have a partner

Read more about assets and the assets test limits.

An income maintenance period may apply if you’ve recently got income from leave or redundancy.

If you’re in severe financial hardship but aren’t eligible because of the assets test, you can still apply under Asset Hardship provisions.

Parental means test

There are 2 parts to the parental means test:

• parental income test, and
• maintenance income test

Parental income test

If you’re a dependant, your parents or guardians need to give us their income details.

The parental income test won’t apply if your parents or guardians:

• get an Income Support Payment or equivalent payment – but not Family Tax Benefit
• get ABSTUDY Living Allowance

In 2017, we assess your parents’ or guardians’ taxable income from the 2015-16 tax year.

How your parents’ or guardians’ income for tax year 2015-16 affects your payment

Parental income	Effect on payment
$51,903 or less	No change, however it may still be affected by the maintenance income test.
More than $51,903	Reduced by 20 cents for every dollar over. This depends on the number of children in your family pool.

You can use the online rate estimator to work out how much you may get based on your family circumstances.

We look at the income of the parents or guardians you normally live with, or last lived with, even if you don’t live with either parent or guardian now. This includes step parents only if you normally live with them.

Parental income includes:

• combined parental taxable income
• tax free pensions and benefits
• fringe benefits
• income from outside Australia
• reportable superannuation contributions, and
• total net investment losses such as negative gearing losses

If your parent or guardian pays child support, we remove it from their parental income.

The family pool

The family pool refers to the dependent children in your family who may affect your payment rate.

Your parents’ or guardians’ income may affect the amount you get. Income earned by other dependent children 21 or younger, may also affect it.

When there is another dependent child in your family pool, your payment could increase. If a dependent child leaves your family pool, your payment may decrease.

We can include dependent children in your family pool if:

• they get Youth Allowance, ABSTUDY Living Allowance or income tested School Fees Allowance Group 2
• your parent or guardian gets Assistance for Isolated Children Additional Boarding Allowance, or
• they’re up to 19 years old and, if aged between 16 to 19, attend secondary school

The more children in your family, the less your parents’ or guardians’ income affects your payment. We may also assess shared care arrangements.

You can check your family’s details are up to date using your Centrelink online account. If you need to update your family details, call us.

Changes to income

Your parents or guardians must tell us if there are any changes to their income. Sometimes, changes to their income can mean your payment rate changes. Your payment may also change if your siblings’ circumstances change.

Where there’s been a change to your parents’ or guardians’ income, the parental income test can be worked out on their income for the current tax year. For example, if you study in 2017 and their income has significantly changed, we may use their income for the 2016-17 tax year.

Your parents or guardians must update their income every year. Read more about the annual parental income test reassessment.

Maintenance income test

If you’re dependant, we consider the amount of child support or voluntary maintenance your parents or guardians get for you to work out your payment.

Your parents or guardians need to tell us about any voluntary maintenance they get if we haven’t done a child support assessment. If we have, they won’t need to supply these details again. We’ll use information we already have to adjust your payment.

Maintenance income can include:

• cash, lump sum payments and non-cash amounts
• utilities charges
• school fees and other payments made on behalf, or for your benefit

You may be exempt from this test if one of your parents or guardians are permanently blind, and get:

• Age Pension
• Disability Support Pension, or
• a Department of Veterans’ Affairs service pension or income support supplement

The maintenance income free area is the amount of child support or voluntary maintenance your parents or guardians can get before the maintenance income test affects your payment.

The number of siblings you have and the payments they get can affect this amount.

Maintenance income free area per year

Your parents or guardians get maintenance for:	The maintenance income free area is
Just you	$1,587.75
You and other siblings who get Youth Allowance, ABSTUDY Living Allowance and School Fees Allowance Group 2	$1587.75 plus $529.25 for each sibling. Then divide the total by the ­number of siblings
You and other siblings are eligible for Family Tax Benefit or Assistance for Isolated Children Additional Boarding Allowance	$529.25

Balancing your Youth Allowance payments

We use your parents’ or guardians’ child support assessment or voluntary maintenance to estimate your annual maintenance income. This can change throughout the year.

At the end of the financial year, we’ll balance your payments based on the actual maintenance income they got for you.

We’ll let you know if we have paid you too much or not enough.

What may be different

Newly arrived residents may have a 104 week waiting period.

If you’re a non-protected Special Category visa holder, and have lived in Australia for at least 10 years without a break since 27 February 2001, you may be able to get Youth Allowance for up to 6 months. This can only happen once.

If you qualify this way, the newly arrived residents waiting period won’t apply.

Payments this applies to

You must do this to get:

• Austudy
• Youth Allowance as a student, or
• Pensioner Education Supplement (PES)

Approved courses

Approved courses must meet certain rules. You may be studying an approved course if it’s one of the following categories:

• secondary school course
• special school course
• school based apprenticeship
• traineeship
• pre-vocational or vocational education course
• a course preparing you for tertiary study
• a TAFE or university course
• English as a Second Language course

Approved institutions

Approved institutions also meet certain rules. Your place of study may be an approved place if it’s a:

• secondary school
• TAFE or a registered training organisation
• special school
• higher education institution, like a university

What may be different

You can’t get Austudy if you’ve already done a doctorate.

You can’t get Pensioner Education Supplement if you’ve already done a:

• masters, or
• doctorate

Check if your course and institution are approved

We’ll tell you if your course is approved when you submit your claim.

You can connect with us on social media or call the students line to check if you’re studying an approved course.

Read more about approved courses and institutions on the Department of Social Services website.

Payment rates

These rates are a guide only. If you’re a dependent student younger than 18 years of age, your parent or guardian will usually get the payment.

Your circumstances	Your maximum fortnightly payment
Single, no children, younger than 18 years, and live at your parent’s home	$239.50
Single, no children, younger than 18 years, and need to live away from your parent’s home to study, train or look for work	$437.50
Single, no children, 18 years or older and live at parent’s home	$288.10
Single, no children, 18 years or older and need to live away from parent’s home	$437.50
Single, with children	$573.30
Member of a couple, with no children	$437.50
Member of a couple, with children	$480.50
Single, job seeker, principal carer and exempt from Mutual Obligation Requirements because either you: are a registered and active foster carer home school your children teach your children by distance education care for a large family, where you’re the main carer of 4 or more dependent children younger than 16 years, or 16 to 19 years and in secondary school, or care for a related child you’re not the parent of, as directed by a Parenting Order through Family Court	$752.60

Long term income support

Special rates may apply if you’re 22 years of age or older and:

• start studying a full time course which will last at least 12 months, or
• start an Australian Apprenticeship, and
• you have received income support for at least 6 months out of the past 9 months, not including your student payment or apprentice payment

Special rates may also apply if:

• you’re at least 22 years of age, and
• English is not your first language, and
• you’re studying a course in English

Your circumstances	Your maximum fortnightly payment
Single and live at parent’s home	$353.50
Single and need to live away from parent’s home	$531.60
Member of a couple, with no children	$480.50

Payment reviews

Sometimes we review your payment.

The amount you get may change if you or a family member’s circumstances change. Read more about change of circumstances while getting Youth Allowance.

If you’re a dependant, we’ll ask for details of your parents’ taxable income in September or October each year. Read more about the annual parental income test reassessment.

If you’re a student, we’ll ask for details about your future study intentions. We’ll ask you 4 weeks before your course finishes. You can tell us using your Centrelink online account through myGov or the Express Plus mobile app.

You may need to wait longer depending on:

• how much money you have
• why you don’t have a job

Ordinary waiting period

You may need to wait for 1 week for your payments to start. We call this an ordinary waiting period.

Read more about the ordinary waiting period.

Longer waiting periods

Liquid assets waiting period

Your waiting period may be longer if you and your partner have enough money to live on for a while. This includes money you have in bank accounts, financial investments and term deposits.

Depending on how much money you have, the waiting period can be from 1 to 13 weeks. We call this a liquid assets waiting period.

Read more about the liquid assets waiting period.

Income maintenance period

We can’t pay you when you have received some other form of payment from your former employer when that job ended. This could be a payment for sick leave, annual leave, termination of employment or redundancy.

Read more about the income maintenance period.

Seasonal work preclusion period

Your waiting time may be longer if you or your partner finished seasonal, contract or intermittent work 6 months or less before you claimed a payment from us.

Read more about the seasonal work preclusion period.

Unemployment non-payment period

Your waiting time may be longer if:

• you chose to leave your job
• misconduct was the reason why you lost your job

Read more about the unemployment non-payment period.

Moving to an area of lower employment prospects non-payment period

If you move to an area where you’re less likely to find a job, you may need to wait for 26 weeks until we can pay you.

Read more about the moving to an area of lower employment prospects waiting period.

Waiting time if you’re a new resident

After you start living in Australia as a resident you normally need to wait for 104 weeks before you can get most kinds of payments from us.

Family assistance payments have different rules.

Read more about the newly arrived residents waiting period.

If you think we got your waiting periods wrong

You have the right to appeal any decision we make.

Read about reviews and appeals.

Tertiary students

If you’re a dependant, you may be eligible if:

• it takes longer than 90 minutes, by public transport, to travel from your parents' home to your place of study
• it’s compulsory to live at your education institution while you study, or
• you’re doing part of your Australian approved course at an overseas institution

If you’re independent, you’ll get the higher rate if you live away from your parents' home.

Secondary students

You may be eligible if:

• it takes longer than 90 minutes, by public transport, to travel from your parents' home to your place of study
• your parents' home is in an isolated area. For example, at least 56 km from an appropriate government school, or you can’t get to school because of blocked roads for 20 school days a year
• your parents' home isn’t a suitable place to study, for example, due to family conflict or illness
• you have disability and your parents' home is away from facilities you need
• you’re in Year 11 or 12 and your parents move out of the area, or
• an equivalent course isn’t available nearby

If there’s an appropriate government school in your area and you choose to go to school outside your area, you won’t get a higher rate.

Australian Apprentices

You may get the higher rate if you need to live away from your parents' home to do your apprenticeship.

Job seekers

If you need to live away from home to increase your chances of getting work, you may be eligible if:

• it takes longer than 90 minutes, by public transport, to travel from your parents' home to your approved activity or work
• your parents' home isn’t a suitable place to live and look for work, for example, due to family conflict or illness
• you have disability and your parents' home is away from facilities you need

More help

If you pay rent, you may get Rent Assistance.

If you’re a full time student living away from home, you may get:

• Fares Allowance
• Relocation Scholarship

Full time study

You’re studying full time if you’re doing 75% or more of your course’s full time study load. We work this out by the hours you study, or the amount of credit points you’re enrolled in.

Example 1 – you’re studying a course which is based on credit points

The place you’re studying at says the total number of credit points for your course is 24 per semester. In this example, you’re studying 3 subjects worth 6 credit points each.

Total credit points	Course length	Full time study load	75% study load
24 per semester	3 years	4 subjects worth 6 credit points each 4 x 6 = 24	24 x 0.75 = 18 credit points per semester

In this example the 75% study load is 18 credit points per semester. Because you’re completing 18 credit points, you’re full time. If you’re doing less than this you’re part time.

Example 2 – you’re studying a course based on hours

The place you’re studying at says the total number of hours for your course is 200 and the course length is 10 weeks.

Total hours	Course length	Full time study load	75% study load
200 hours	10 weeks	20 hours a week (200 hours ÷ 10 weeks = 20 hours per week)	15 hours a week (200 hours x 0.75 = 150 hours. 150 hours ÷ 10 weeks = 15 hours per week)

In this example, if you’re doing at least 15 hours a week you’re studying full time. If you’re doing less than this you’re studying part time.

Part time study

You’re studying part time if you’re doing less than 75% of your course’s full time study load.

If you’re under 22 and you’re studying part time, you might get Youth Allowance as a job seeker. You’ll need to have a Job Plan and do some other activities as well.

Allowable time

You can only get Austudy or Youth Allowance as a student for a set amount of time. We call this allowable time.

If your study load is 75% instead of 100% you might run out of allowable time. This means you may not get your student payment for the whole time it takes to finish your course.

Read more about allowable time for Youth Allowance or allowable time for Austudy.

Reducing your study load

You might change to a lower study load because:

• you want to drop a subject
• your course changes and you don’t have a choice
• you have a disability
• you’re sick or injured

You must tell us if your study load reduces below 75%. This usually means we can’t pay you a student payment.

If you decide to drop a subject

If you decide to study less than 75% it means you’re part time. In most cases you can’t get Austudy or Youth Allowance as a student.

Austudy students

You might not have a choice about reducing your study load. For example, you might:

• have a timetable clash
• fail a subject you need to pass to get into the one you want to do

Your course provider might:

• cancel one of your subjects
• have no vacancies in one of your subjects
• reduce your study load for academic or vocational reasons

If your study load goes under 75% and you didn’t have a choice about it, you may stay on Austudy. You’ll need to:

• give us a letter from your academic registrar or similar that includes 1 of the reasons above, and
• keep a study load of at least 66%

If your study load falls because of the institution’s academic or vocational decision, we can only keep your payments going for half the academic year. After this you’ll need a study load of at least 75% to stay on Austudy.

Austudy students with disability

If you have a substantial physical, psychiatric or intellectual disability, you may not be able to study full time or finish in the allowable time.

You may still be eligible for Austudy if you do at least 25% of the full time study load.

You need to give us proof from a medical practitioner who specialises in the area of your disability. This must be in writing and show you’re unable to study full time.

Youth Allowance students

If you can’t study full time for a while because you’re sick or injured you may still be eligible for Youth Allowance.

You’ll need to give us a medical certificate that shows you can return to full time study when you’re better.

Allowable time limits

If you run out of allowable time, your student payment will stop.

We base your allowable time on the minimum time it normally takes for you to complete your course as a full time student. For example, if you’re studying a 3 year degree, we expect you to complete it in 3 years.

If you’re in year 12, you have 2 attempts to complete it.

If you’re studying honours, we allow you an extra year to finish.

Normal length of the course	Allowable time
1 year or less	up to twice the course length
more than 1 year and at least 1 subject in the current year is a year long subject	the minimum time for the course plus 1 year
more than 1 year with no year long subjects	the minimum time for the course plus 1 semester

Previous study without Youth Allowance

If you start your course before claiming Youth Allowance, any previous study you have done for this course will count in your allowable time. It doesn’t matter if you were getting a payment or not.

Studying more courses at the same level

You may be able to do a second course at the same level as part of an Activity Agreement, even if you didn’t complete your first course. We base your allowable time on your second course.

If you completed previous study, you don’t need an Activity Agreement to do more courses at the same level, as long as you complete your previous courses.

Circumstances beyond your control

If you can’t complete the course within the allowable time and it’s beyond your control, you may still be considered to be making satisfactory progress depending on your situation.

Circumstances beyond your control include if you:

• are, or have been, disabled by an illness or other medical condition
• have suffered family trauma
• have experienced a natural disaster
• had to relocate and repeat part of a course, or start again, because of education institution rules
• had to care for a family member, or
• have something else that stops you completing your study within the allowable time

If you think there’s something we need to take into account, contact us.

Distance education and eligibility

You may be a distance education student if you don't study on campus or have face to face classes.

Distance education courses are online, by correspondence, or both. You can study these courses through:

• the Open Training and Education Network (OTEN)
• Open Universities Australia (OUA)
• an Australian university
• TAFE
• a private provider, or
• a secondary school

Eligibility for student payments is the same whether you study through distance education or on campus. You must have a full time study load to get Youth Allowance, Austudy or ABSTUDY Living Allowance.

Study loads

Each institution measures study loads differently. You need to check your institution's website or handbook to find what they consider a full time study load. Study loads for distance education courses use a unit weighting measurement or the total hours for your course.

Submission of assignments

Some institutions need you to submit a certain number of assignments within a set period.

Many distance education courses are self-paced. But, to keep your student payment, you must show you’re progressing through your course in a satisfactory timeframe. We’ll check with your institution to see if you submit your assignments.

Open Training and Education Network (OTEN)

To get a student payment while studying through OTEN, you must enrol in an approved course and do an equivalent full time study load (EFTSL). OTEN will generally only enrol you in 1 or 2 units at a time and measures the units in hours.

You’re full time with OTEN if you’re doing 16 hours of course work per week.

For example, if you enrol in 1 unit that normally takes 48 hours of course work to complete, you must finish the unit within 3 weeks of starting it: 48 hours ÷ 16 hours = 3 weeks.

OTEN provides a flexible course model to encourage you to complete courses at your own pace with no penalty for not completing work. However, if you’re getting a payment from us, you should complete your study in the normal time it takes to complete the course. In the example above, you’d need to finish your unit within 3 weeks and start the next unit.

Open Universities Australia (OUA)

OUA have many different types of courses. Generally courses at OUA have a full time study load of 2 subjects per study period or session. Single units normally have a credit weighting of 0.125 equivalent full time study load (EFTSL).

Some OUA courses have 4 normal study periods of 13 weeks. If this is your course, you must do at least 2 single or 1 double open learning unit in any study period. This should be 0.250 EFTSL.

If you’re studying an OUA course which has 2 normal semesters, you must be studying at least 0.750 EFTSL. You must be studying full time to get your payment.

Tell us within 14 days

You need to tell us about any changes to your circumstances within 14 days. This includes your parents’ or guardians’ and partners’ circumstances. If your siblings’ circumstances change, get them or your parents to update their details.

Use the Express Plus Centrelink mobile app or your Centrelink online account through myGov to tell us about changes.

If you don’t tell us, it may affect your payment and you may need to pay back money we’ve paid you. If you deliberately don’t tell us the changes, we could charge you with fraud. Read more about how to avoid committing fraud.

It’s important you tell us about any changes. Some common examples are listed below.

Study

Tell us if you:

• change your course
• study at a different institution
• reduce your study or training workload
• stop studying
• stop being a full time Australian Apprentice
• don’t start your course within 3 weeks of it starting

Employment

Tell us if you:

• change your work hours, start or stop work
• change your income or assets
• get income from outside Australia
• change jobs
• get compensation, leave or redundancy payments
• start or stop getting other financial help to complete your course or apprenticeship

If you’re reporting income to us for the first time, contact us and we’ll set up self service options for you.

Personal

Tell us if:

• you change your address or contact details
• you move back to your parents' or guardians’ home
• you marry or start living with your partner
• you separate from your partner
• you’re sick or injured and can’t continue your study
• your dependent child or immediate family member dies
• you have a child or take care of a child who is 16 years of age or younger
• you move into or out of long term care, like a nursing home or hostel
• you’re in lawful custody
• you start or stop getting a pension, benefit or allowance
• your dependent child who is 16 years of age or younger leaves home, or gets a pension, benefit or allowance
• your dependent child is in custody on remand, in a psychiatric institution or in prison
• you get Rent Assistance and you:
  • stop paying rent, or the amount of rent you pay changes
  • start paying rent to a state, territory or Commonwealth Housing Authority
  • move in with your parent or guardian

Partner

Tell us if your partner:

• starts or stops working
• has income or assets change
• gets ABSTUDY, a pension, benefit or allowance
• dies

Parents or guardians

Tell us if your parents or guardians:

• change their address
• marry or start living with their partner
• separate from their partner
• income changes
• dependent child leaves their care or comes into their care
• are, or are no longer, in custody, in a psychiatric institution, nursing home or similar
• stop getting Family Tax Benefit for your sibling

Siblings

If your sibling is 16 to 19 years of age and in full time secondary study, or gets:

• a dependent rate of Youth Allowance
• ABSTUDY Living Allowance
• means tested School Fees Allowance Group 2, or
• Assistance for Isolated Children additional boarding allowance

They need to tell us if they:

• become independent
• move back to or away from your parents’ or guardians’ home
• get a pension, benefit or allowance
• stop full time study
• start work or earn more income
• change their work hours
• leave Australia permanently
• get an education allowance from an Australian Government department

The parental means test for Youth Allowance and the parental means test for ABSTUDY look at:

• parental income for the last financial year, and
• any maintenance income your parents currently get

To pay you the right amount, we reassess your payment based on your parents’ or guardians’ income each year.

You’ll get a letter from us in September or early October if we need your parents or guardians to complete this reassessment. Give them the letter straight away so they can give us the information we need.

If your parents or guardians need to complete the reassessment and don't do this by the due date on your letter, we’ll stop your:

• Youth Allowance
• ABSTUDY Living Allowance, or
• ABSTUDY School Fees Allowance Group 2

You may also miss out on extra services or payments.

How to complete the annual reassessment

Your parents or guardians can complete the reassessment online.

Instructions for parents and guardians

If your child got a letter asking for your income details, you need to follow the instructions below.

You won’t need to update your details if you:

• get your Notice of Assessment from the Australian Tax Office by 31 October, and
• got Family Tax Benefit in the 2016-17 year

If you won’t get your Notice of Assessment by 31 October, you’ll need to give us your income details.

You can do this using:

• your Centrelink online account through myGov, or
• the Advise Parental Income online service and the One Time Access Code (OTAC) in the letter we sent your child

You’ll need your:

• income details
• child’s Customer Reference Number (CRN), and
• child’s name and date of birth

Your income includes:

• combined taxable income
• tax free pensions and benefits
• fringe benefits
• income from outside Australia
• reportable superannuation contributions
• net investment losses, including negative gearing for property and shares, and
• any maintenance you’ve paid during the last financial year

To do the reassessment using the OTAC:

1. go to the Advise Parental Income online service
2. select Provide details for a reassessment of your dependent child's Youth Allowance or ABSTUDY payment
3. select Next
4. select Yes if you have a One Time Access Code. Then select Start now. If you don't have a One Time Access Code, select No and skip to step 7
5. enter your dependent child's CRN
6. enter your One Time Access Code, then select Continue
7. complete the questions

To do the reassessment using myGov:

1. log on to your Centrelink online account through myGov
2. select Income and Assets from the menu, then select Advise Parental Income
3. select Provide details for a reassessment of your dependent child's Youth Allowance or ABSTUDY payment
4. complete the questions

If you haven't lodged your tax return 

If you haven't lodged your 2016-17 tax return by the date in your child’s letter, you still need to do the reassessment online and provide an estimate of your income. Once you lodge your tax return and get your Notice of Assessment, you need to tell us within 21 days from the date the Notice of Assessment was issued. Your child will need to submit this document online.

If your income goes up

If your income goes up:

• more than 25% in a year, your child’s payment may be reduced from
  1 October of that year
• 25% or less, your child’s payment may be reduced from 1 January the next year

Who can apply

You can apply for an advance after at least 3 months getting:

• Age Pension
• Carer Payment
• Disability Support Pension
• Farm Household Allowance
• Newstart Allowance
• Parenting Payment
• Widow Allowance
• Widow B Pension
• Wife Pension
• Youth Allowance for job seekers

You can apply for an advance at any time if you're getting:

• ABSTUDY
• Austudy
• Youth Allowance for students
• Family Tax Benefit Part A
• Mobility Allowance

When you aren't eligible

You aren't eligible for an advance if you:

• have had one in the past 12 months while getting:
  • ABSTUDY
  • Austudy
  • Farm Household Allowance
  • Mobility Allowance
  • Newstart Allowance
  • Parenting Payment
  • Widow Allowance
  • Youth Allowance
• are repaying one you got more than 12 months ago
• owe a debt to the Australian Government
• can't afford to repay within 6 months
• are outside Australia

What may be different

You get Mobility Allowance

You can't get an advance if you:

• plan to leave Australia for more than 6 weeks in the next 6 months
• plan to stop your current work or training for at least the next 6 months, or
• get money from the National Disability Insurance Scheme - this doesn’t include My Way in Western Australia

You get Parenting Payment single

If you became single in the past 28 days, you may get an advance even if you’ve already had one in the last 12 months.

What you can get

There’s a limit on how much money we can advance you. The amount depends on what kind of payment you get.

Family Tax Benefit Part A

You can only get 1 regular advance at a time.

You can ask for a one off advance at any time.

But your advances can’t go over a total of $1,110.69.

The lowest advance you can get is 3.75% of the standard rate for 1 child under 13 years.

The highest advance you can get is:

• for a one off advance - 7.5% of your annual rate, including add ons but not Family Tax Benefit Part A Supplement
• for a regular advance - 3.75% of the standard rate for 1 child under 13 years

We pay a regular advance to you every 26 weeks - we do this as long as you’re still eligible or until you ask us to stop.

What may be different

You're a blended family

The highest and lowest amounts you can get depend on your blended family percentage.

You’re still paying back another advance

The most you can get is the most you would be eligible for minus the Family Tax Benefit advances you haven’t fully repaid.

Age Pension, Disability Support Pension, Carer Payment, Widow B Pension or Wife Pension

In any 6 months (13 fortnights) you can only get:

• 1 advance at the highest amount
• 1 or 2 advances of smaller amounts, or
• 3 advances at the lowest amount

The lowest and highest amounts change along with pension amounts each March and September. These are the current numbers.

Amount	If you're single	If you're part of a couple
Lowest	$422.30	$318.35
Highest	$1,266.90	$955.05

What may be different

You’re getting a part rate

The most you can get depends on how much pension you get.

You’re under 21 and get Disability Support Pension

The most you can get depends on how much pension you get.

ABSTUDY, Austudy, Newstart Allowance, Parenting Payment Partnered, Widow Allowance or Youth Allowance

The lowest advance you can get is $250.

The highest advance you can get is $500.

We can pay this either:

• all at once
• in 2 installments

Farm Household Allowance

The lowest advance you can get is $250.

The highest advance you can get is $500.

We can only pay the advance all at once.

Special Employment Advance

The lowest advance you can get is $50.

The highest advance you can get is $500.

You may get a Special Employment Advance if you get:

• Austudy
• Carer Payment
• Disability Support Pension
• Newstart Allowance
• Parenting Payment single
• Widow B Pension
• Widow Allowance
• Wife Pension
• Youth Allowance

You can apply for this advance if:

• you get a job that will last for at least 6 weeks and is likely to reduce your income support payment by at least 50%
• you get a job and don't have enough money to pay for something you need to start it, or
• you or your partner did work that reduced your income support by at least 50% and your employer hasn’t paid you for it

Mobility Allowance Advance

You can only get one advance in 12 months.

The amount of the advance payment is equal to 13 fortnightly payments of Mobility Allowance.

Your normal Mobility Allowance stops until the end of the time the advance covers. This can be up to 6 months. We may restart your normal payments earlier if you start being eligible for a higher rate.

You can’t increase or decrease your repayment amounts.

How to apply

It's best to apply online or with the Express Plus mobile app.

When you apply you must tell us your income and expenses. We need these to check if you can repay us.

What may be different

If you want an advance and get Farm Household Allowance you need to:

• submit an Application for Advance Payment form at a service centre, or
• call us on the Farmer Assistance Hotline.

If you want to get a Special Employment Advance you need to submit a Claim for Special Employment Advance form at a service centre.

Online

Applying online is secure and easy.

Once you log on to your account:

• choose Advance Payment
• follow the steps to apply 

You can also use your online account to:

• check when you can next apply for an advance
• check how much you owe
• check how much your repayments are
• manage your regular Family Tax Benefit Part A advance

Express Plus mobile app

You can apply using your Express Plus mobile app on your mobile phone.

You can also use your Express plu mobile app to:

• check when you can next apply for an advance
• check how much you owe
• check how much your repayments are

If you can't apply online or with Express Plus

If you can't apply online or with your Express Plus app, you can apply:

By form

Print out and fill in the:

• Application for Advance Payment form, or
• Mobility Allowance – claim for advance payment form

Send it to us online or through the post, or take it to a service centre.

If you don’t have access to a printer, go to a service centre or call us on your regular payment number and ask us to send the form to you. 

At a service centre

Visit a service centre and say you want to apply for an advance.

By phone

Use Centrelink phone self service or call us on your regular payment number and say you want to apply for an advance.

Documents we need

We’ll tell you if we need any extra documents or forms from you.

The sooner we get them, the sooner we can assess your advance.

If we say no

If we say no to your application, we’ll tell you why.

If you disagree

You have the right to appeal any decision we make.

Read more about reviews and appeals.

How to pay the money back 

Every fortnight you pay back part of your advance. This starts on the next date we pay you after you get the advance.

We take the repayments out of the amount we would normally pay you. You don’t need to do anything to set this up.

Repayment amount

The amount you repay each fortnight will be the advance amount divided by 13 as you will repay the advance over 13 fortnights.

If you're already repaying an advance

If you get another advance, we take out more each fortnight.

If you stop getting a payment from us

You still need to repay the money you owe. We’ll tell you how to do this.

If you can't pay

If you're having trouble repaying an advance, call us on your regular payment number and ask what help you can get.

If you leave Australia

If you leave Australia to live in another country, your payment stops when you depart.

If your travel is short term, it must be for an approved reason. If not, your payment stops when you depart.

If you only get Youth Allowance because of a residence exemption available to some New Zealand citizens and your payment stops while you're overseas, you won't get the exemption again when you return.

You should always tell us if you're leaving Australia. The easiest way to tell us your travel plans is to use your Centrelink online account through myGov.

Read more about payments while outside Australia.

Approved reasons for travel

To get Youth Allowance as a student or apprentice while overseas, you must:

• submit your claim before you leave
• be travelling to continue studying or working

If you're a student and will be studying outside Australia, you need to give us a statement from your Australian education institution. It must be on their letterhead and include:

• your name, date of birth and student ID number
• the course name and code you're enrolled in at your Australian institution
• that you'll stay enrolled with your Australian institution
• your study load at your Australian institution while you're overseas
• the name of the overseas education institution
• the start and end dates for your overseas study - don't include overseas vacation periods after you complete your study, and
• that your overseas study counts towards your Australian course

If you're an apprentice and will be working or training outside Australia, we need a statement from your employer or State Training Authority. It must be on their letterhead and confirm:

• you're working or studying outside Australia, and
• your overseas work or study counts towards your apprenticeship

If you don't give us a written statement, your payment will stop when you leave Australia.

If you're not eligible for Youth Allowance before you leave Australia, you may be eligible when you return. You may need to submit a new claim when you return.

Other reasons

You may get Youth Allowance for up to 6 weeks:

• to attend an acute family crisis, for example, to visit a family member who's critically ill
• to get eligible medical treatment not available in Australia, or
• if you're a job seeker travelling for humanitarian reasons, for example, to adopt a child

If you're attending a training camp with the Australian Defence Force Reserves, you can get your payment while you're training.

Penalties and failures

You must meet your mutual obligation requirements.

If you don’t, your payment may stop and you may get a failure and lose some or all of your payment. The type of failure depends on the type of non-compliance.

We’ll always speak with you before applying a failure.

Non-attendance failure

If you don't go to appointments with your employment services provider, your payment may stop. You may also get a non-attendance failure.

If there’s a good reason you can’t go to your appointment, you must contact your provider beforehand to explain why.

Your payment will restart when you attend a new appointment with your provider, where needed. If you get a non-attendance failure, you may not be fully back paid.

Connection failure

You may get a connection failure if you don’t:

• enter into or change a job plan when asked
• attend compulsory appointments with us or an organisation other than your provider or let your provider know before your appointment if you can’t attend - you must have a good reason for not attending
• meet your job search requirements

Connection failures don’t have a financial penalty. We’ll give you a reconnection requirement. If you don’t meet this, you may get a penalty.

Reconnection failure

If you miss your appointment for any reason, a new appointment can be booked for you. If you miss the new appointment, your payment will stop.

You may get a reconnection failure if you don’t let your provider know beforehand that you can’t make your appointment. You must have a good reason for not attending.

You may also get a reconnection failure if you don’t enter into or change a job plan if asked to.

If you get a reconnection failure, you may lose some or all of your payment until you meet your requirements.

If you get a reconnection failure for not returning a satisfactory Job Seeker Diary you may need to complete Employer Contact Certificates.

No Show, No Pay failure

A No Show, No Pay failure may mean you lose a day’s payment for each day you fail to meet your requirements.

You may get a No Show, No Pay failure if you don’t:

• take part in compulsory activities or programs in your job plan, such as training or Work for the Dole
• tell your provider if you can’t make it to activities before they start
• have a good reason for not going to a job interview, or
• behave appropriately at a job interview

Comprehensive compliance assessments

A comprehensive compliance assessment is how we find out why you’re not meeting your requirements.

We or your provider will refer you for this assessment if you continue to miss activities and appointments. We may also refer you if we’re concerned about your ability to meet your requirements.

Read more about comprehensive compliance assessments.

Serious failures

If after your assessment we find you’ve been persistently non-compliant, you may get a serious failure.

You may also get a serious failure if you don’t accept a job offer or don’t start work you’ve accepted.

A serious failure means we won’t pay you for 8 weeks.

During this time, your payment may start again if you agree to do a compliance activity. If you have full time mutual obligation requirements, your compliance activity will be:

• 25 hours a week of Work for the Dole, or
• other activities arranged with your provider

You need to tell us if you want to do a compliance activity. We can make an appointment for you with your provider to talk about it.

Unemployment non-payment period

If you choose to leave your job or lose your job because of misconduct, we may not pay you for:

• 8 weeks, or
• 12 weeks if you got relocation assistance from your provider

It won’t affect family assistance payments.

We may waive the non-payment period if you meet certain conditions and are in severe financial hardship.

Avoiding failures

To avoid failures:

• agree to or change a job plan if asked
• show you’re actively looking for suitable paid work
• accept suitable job offers
• attend job interviews
• attend appointments and activities
• don’t leave a job, training course or program without a good reason

Remember your appointment time and make sure you take part in compulsory activities. You can also get SMS reminders if we have your mobile phone number.

Reviews and appeals

If you get a failure and disagree with the decision, you have the right to appeal.

Read more about reviews and appeals.

With weekly payments you get the same income support but it’s split into 2 smaller amounts. This can help you budget.

Who can get weekly payments

We can only pay you weekly if you’re:

• homeless
• at risk of being homeless, or
• have considerable difficulty with managing your finances

You need to be getting:

• ABSTUDY
• Age Pension
• Austudy
• Bereavement Allowance
• Carer Payment
• Disability Support Pension
• Newstart Allowance
• Parenting Payment
• Partner Allowance
• Sickness Allowance
• Special Benefit
• Widow Allowance
• Widow B Pension
• Wife Pension
• Youth Allowance

We can’t pay Family Tax Benefit weekly.

If you go on weekly payments you can’t get immediate or urgent payments.

How it works

You need to talk to us to get weekly payments.

If we say yes, your next income support payment and any Rent Assistance will be half what we would pay you for the fortnight. The amount depends on your income, assets and any automatic deductions. You get the other half 7 days later.

Back to normal

When things improve, you go back to fortnightly payments. You can ask to do this any time.

Apply

Call us on your regular payment line if you want to apply for weekly payments.

Review

You can’t be on weekly payments for longer than you need to.

After 6 months of weekly payments we talk to you to check if you still need them. We do this in person or by phone. We ask about:

• your budget
• your money problems, and
• where you’re living

If you stay on weekly payments, we do another review 12 months later.

Income reporting

Once you start working you can’t get weekly payments. We automatically adjust your payments back to fortnightly.

Read about income reporting.

To report your income you can:

• use your Centrelink online account through myGov
• use the Express Plus Centrelink app
• call the report income line

Types of reporting

When you start getting a payment, we’ll tell you when you need to report your and your partner’s earnings. There are 2 types of reporting.

Scheduled reporting

Most people need to report every 14 days. We call this your reporting period. We’ll tell you when your reporting period starts and ends. You must report your and your partner’s income for the most recent reporting period.

Unscheduled reporting

If we don’t give you a reporting period, you must still tell us if your or your partner’s income changes. You must tell us about any changes within 14 days. You can only tell us about your income changes by calling us on your usual payment line.

What to report

We need to know how much you and your partner earn. This is so we can pay you the right amount. If your earnings change, even by a small amount, you need to tell us.

If you get a payment with mutual obligation requirements, you must report even when your income is zero.

Income can be:

• money you earn from a job or you get from another source, for example an investment
• money you get as a gift or allowance

Read more about how we define income.

Income from self employment

Income from your or your partner’s business arrangement affects your payment differently to employment income.

If you’re self employed, contact us to find out how you should report your income.

Report the right amount

Report your and your partner’s income for the whole reporting period, including the first and last days. Report it even if your employer hasn’t paid you yet.

You need to know:

• your standard hourly pay rate
• other pay rates like overtime or penalty hours
• the total hours you worked at each pay rate

Don’t just copy the amount on your payslip. Bear in mind the dates on it may not match your reporting period dates.

Remember to note your hours each time you work. You can use our employment diary to keep track of the hours you work. Find it in your Centrelink online account through myGov.

You can also use our timesheet tool in the Express Plus Centrelink app or the earnings worksheet form.

Keep records

We may ask you to show proof of your income, such as payslips.

Your total income from your job is:

Standard pay rate

Employers will include the date, hours you worked, and your hourly rate on your payslips.

If they don’t, divide the gross pay on your payslip by the hours on your payslip. This gives you your standard hourly rate unless some hours were at another pay rate. Ask your pay office if it’s not clear.

Add up the hours you worked in the reporting period and multiply the total hours worked by your standard hourly rate. This gives you your income to report unless some hours were at another pay rate.

Find out more about payslips and what your employer should include on the Fair Work Ombudsman website.

Other pay rates

Overtime and penalty work have different hourly pay rates.

There are ways to help you keep track of when you work:

• write down your overtime or penalty hours every time you work - don’t try to remember it at the end of the reporting period
• keep a record of the roster for the fortnight you work if you can

Once you have these details there are ways to help you keep track of your pay rates during a reporting period:

• find out from your pay office what your hourly overtime or penalty pay rate is
• multiply your pay rate by the number of hours you worked at that rate - this will give you the total amount you earned
• add this amount to the total you earned at your standard pay rate

Leave payments

If you take leave from work you need to report how much of your income in the reporting period was:

• paid leave
• hours you worked, including any paid sick leave hours

If you don’t have mutual obligation requirements, you have 14 days to tell us about leave earnings at a different rate from your normal wages.

You also need to tell us if your employer pays you for leave you built up but didn’t take time off for. We count this differently from other leave.

Job income – fixed unit rates

Some people get a set amount for each item of work they finish rather than an hourly rate.

If you get a fixed unit rate, you can keep track of your total income rates during a reporting period by:

• calculating the number of items you produced
• multiplying the fixed unit rate by the number of items

Income from more than one job

You need to report your income from each job separately.

Keep track of your income from different jobs by using a different earnings worksheet form for each employer.

Severance or redundancy

You need to tell us if you leave your job and get a severance or redundancy payment. Your payment may stop for a period of time.

Read more about the income maintenance period.

Superannuation

If you make voluntary superannuation contributions, it counts as income. We include this in your assessable income when we work out how much to pay you.

Ongoing income

If your income, including work earnings, reduces your payment to zero for 6 fortnights in a row, we may cancel your payment.

If you continue to report your income, you may keep your concession card and other benefits for the 6 fortnights.

If, during the 6 fortnights, your income reduces, you may start getting a payment again without having to reclaim.

Other things we need to know

When you report your income you must also tell us any changes in your circumstances.

You may also need to tell us if you have met your mutual obligation requirements for the reporting period.

Child support

Changes in circumstances can change how much Child Support you get or pay. Use your Child Support online account through myGov or call our Child Support line to tell us about changes.

Read about changes that affect your child support.

When to report

If you have scheduled reporting

Each time you put in a report we’ll tell you what your next reporting date is. Report by 5 pm on your reporting date to make sure we can pay you on time.

You can’t report before your reporting date unless it’s on a public holiday. We’ll tell you if you need to report on a different day.

If you report late

If you report late, your payment could be late. You can report online up to 13 days after your reporting date. If you’re more than 13 days late, you need to call us or visit a service centre.

If you don’t report your income

If you have mutual obligation requirements and don’t report how much you earned, we won't pay you.

If you don’t have a regular reporting schedule

When you first get a payment we’ll tell you when you need to report. If we don’t give you a regular reporting schedule, you must tell us within 14 days if you or your partner’s income changes. The only way you can tell us about changes is by calling your usual payment line.

Debt

If you report the wrong amount of income or don’t tell us about changes of circumstances, we may pay you too much. This means you’ll have a debt to pay back.

Read about owing money.

How to report

There are 4 ways you can report your income and changes to your circumstances:

• use your Centrelink online account through myGov - it’s easy to set up an online account. The employment diary helps you record and report your income
• use the Express Plus Centrelink app - it’s quick and simple to add the app to your mobile phone. The timesheet helps you record and report your income
• call the report income line for phone self service - it’s easy to register for phone self service
• if you still get report forms by post:
  • go to a service centre and use a self service computer or ask the staff to help you
  • call our job seekers line

Please tell us if you don’t need to report regularly. The only way you can tell us about changes to your or your partner’s income is by phoning us on your usual payment line.

Employment diary and timesheet

You can record your income so it’s ready to report in the employment diary. Record it in your:

• Centrelink online account, and
• the timesheet in the Express Plus Centrelink mobile app

When you go online or use the app to report your income, you can use the details from your employment diary or timesheet.

Our reporting employment income and job plan requirements online guide can help you use your online account to report.

If you make a mistake

If you tell us the wrong amount, contact us as soon as possible to fix the mistake. Don’t wait till your next reporting day to tell us about it.

If you want someone to report for you

Someone close to you or an organisation can report for you if you tell us that’s what you want. You will need to set them up as a nominee.

Read about getting someone to deal with us on your behalf.

Reminders

We can remind you not to miss your reporting date. You can get reminders:

• sent to your myGov Inbox through your Centrelink online account
• as an email or SMS through electronic messaging - it’s easy to register for electronic messaging and set up reminders
• by letter through the post

You can get a reminder if you’re:

• on a variable reporting arrangement, or
• able to report early because of a public holiday

We don’t remind you if you miss your reporting date.

How a bank account can be overdrawn

A bank account is overdrawn if your balance goes below zero.

This can happen if:

• it looks like you have money to take out but another transaction hasn’t gone through yet
• you use direct debit to pay your bills

It is then a debt to the bank. Your bank might also charge you a fee. You have to pay the debt and fee back to them.

Sometimes your bank will take money from your account to pay off the debt and fee. They can take no more than 10% of your Centrelink payment. This is to protect your payment.

Bank means a bank, building society or credit union where you have an account.

Protected payments

Under the Code of Operation, your bank can take no more than 10% of your payment if you get:

• ABSTUDY
• Age Pension
• Australian Victim of Terrorism Overseas Payment
• Austudy
• Bereavement Allowance
• Carer Allowance
• Carer Payment
• Crisis Payment
• Disability Support Pension
• Double Orphan Pension
• Education Entry Payment
• Farm Household Allowance
• Income Support Bonus (payment no longer exists)
• Mobility Allowance
• Newstart Allowance
• Parental Leave Pay
• Parenting Payment
• Partner Allowance
• Pension Supplement
• Schoolkids Bonus
• Sickness Allowance
• Special Benefit
• Widow Allowance
• Widow B Pension
• Wife Pension
• Youth Allowance

Also, if you get one of the payments above, your bank can take no more than 10% of your:

• ABSTUDY supplements
• Assistance for Isolated Children
• Baby Bonus
• Bereavement Payment
• Carer Adjustment Payment
• Carer Supplement
• Child Care Benefit
• Child Care Rebate
• Child Disability Assistance Payment
• Dad and Partner Pay
• Energy Supplement
• Essential Medical Equipment Payment
• Family Tax Benefit
• Low Income Family Supplement
• Low Income Supplement
• Newborn Upfront Payment and Newborn Supplement
• Pension Bonus Bereavement Payment
• Pension Bonus Scheme
• Pension Bonus Top Up
• Pensioner Education Supplement
• Pension Loans Scheme
• Pharmaceutical Allowance
• Remote Area Allowance
• Rent Assistance
• Single Income Family Supplement
• Stillborn Baby Payment
• Telephone Allowance
• Utilities Allowance
• Work Bonus
• Youth Disability Supplement

And, they can take no more than 10% of these Department of Veterans' Affairs payments:

• Crisis payment
• Defence Force Income Support Allowance
• Education Entry Payment
• Income Support Supplement
• Periodic Payments of Wholly Dependent Partner's Pension
• Service Pension - age, invalidity, or partner
• War Widow(er)'s Pension

You can repay more than 10% if you wish.

This agreement does not cover all other types of income. Speak to your bank about their fees and repayment policies.

For example

If you get a payment of $200, you can keep at least $180 (90%) of your payment. The bank can take up to $20 (10%) to repay the debt and fee.

Banks that agree to the protected payment

A list of banks, building societies and credit unions that agree to the Code are on these websites:

• Australia Bankers' Association members
• Australian Finance Industry Association members
• Customer Owned Banking Association (COBA) members who have signed the COBA Code of Practice

When the Code doesn't protect your payment

The Code doesn't protect you if:

• your account is overdrawn due to a dishonest or unlawful act
• a third party gets money you owe them from your account - for example, they have a court order to do so

Help

Talk to your bank if you overdraw your account. They can help you manage your debt.

You need to respond to requests from your bank about your debt within 60 days. If you don’t they could:

• report this to a credit reporting body that could affect your credit rating, or
• take legal action to force you to repay your debt

If you can't resolve disputes with your bank, contact the:

• Financial Ombudsman Service Australia
• Credit and Investments Ombudsman Service

Help from us

If you don’t have enough money to live on, we can help. We'll check if your bank has followed the Code. Call your regular payment number if you’d like us to help.

Read:

• tips and tools to manage your money
• about our social work services
• information in your language

Call our Multilingual Phone Service to speak with a skilled bilingual service officer about Centrelink payments and services, or ask for an interpreter at a service centre.

Other support services

Find a financial counsellor in your area on the Financial Counselling Australia website.

We’re committed to delivering a fair and accurate welfare system. Online reviews support this. They make sure we have the right information about your study details. If asked, you must complete the review to make sure you’re getting the right payment.

Completing the online review of study details

Throughout the year, we may send you letters asking you to complete an online review of your study details. You must complete the online review by logging into your Centrelink account through myGov or using the latest version of the Express Plus Centrelink mobile app. You need to complete the online review by the due date stated in your letter.

Penalties for not completing the review

Your payment will be suspended if you don’t complete the online review by the due date. If your payment is suspended, you can still complete the review and, if eligible, have your payment restored. However, if you don’t complete the review within 14 days of your payment being suspended, your payment will be cancelled.

Providing correct information

You must provide correct information when you complete the online review so we can properly assess your study details. If you don’t tell us when your study details change, or about other changes to your circumstances, you may be overpaid and get a debt. If you deliberately provide false or misleading information about changes to your study details, you may be committing fraud.

Read more about how to avoid committing fraud.

Keeping us up to date

Remember it’s your responsibility to regularly check your information is correct and to let us know about any changes to your circumstances, including changes to your study details.

Who it's for

Working Credit is for anyone getting:

• Youth Allowance as a job seeker
• Newstart Allowance
• Parenting Payment
• Disability Support Pension
• Sickness Allowance
• Carer Payment
• Wife Pension
• Widow Allowance
• Partner Allowance
• Bereavement Allowance

Income Bank is like Working Credit but for full time students on:

• Youth Allowance
• Austudy
• ABSTUDY

How it works

Working Credit increases how much you can earn before we start reducing your payments.

We calculate it automatically when you report your income. You don’t need to do anything extra.

How you build Working Credits

You build up Working Credit when your total income is less than $48 per fortnight. This includes paid work and investments. It doesn’t include payments from us.

You can build up a maximum of 48 Working Credits each fortnight.

You can build up a total of 1,000 Working Credits if you’re getting:

• Newstart Allowance
• Parenting Payment
• Disability Support Pension
• Sickness Allowance
• Carer Payment
• Wife Pension
• Widow Allowance
• Partner Allowance
• Bereavement Allowance

You can build up a total of 3,500 Working Credits if you’re getting Youth Allowance as a job seeker.

Check your Working Credit balance and history through your Centrelink online account.

How it helps you

Working Credit lets you earn more before we start to reduce your income support payment.

We use each Working Credit you have to offset $1 of employment income. Once your Working Credit balance reaches zero your income support payment will start to reduce.

When your payments stop

We stop paying you if your income is over the cut off point and you’ve run out of Working Credits.

You may keep your concession card and some other benefits for up to 12 weeks. This may include:

• Pensioner Concession Card or Health Care Card
• Family Tax Benefit Part A and Child Care Benefit at the non-income tested rates
• Language, Literacy and Numeracy Supplement if you're doing Skills for Education and Employment
• Telephone Allowance

jobactive is a service that helps connect you with employers and find work.

Read about jobactive on the Department of Employment website.

Eligible Students can get a VET Student Loan to access higher level VET qualifications.

This could help you, if you couldn’t otherwise afford to pay for your course upfront.

Read more about VET Student Loans on the Department of Education and Training website.

If your course has stopped because of provider closures, you may be eligible for support from the tuition assurance scheme.

Read more about Provider Closures on the Department of Education and Training website.

The Skills for Education and Employment program may help you improve your speaking, reading, writing or maths.

Read about Skills for Education and Employment.

If you live in a remote area the Community Development Programme can help you contribute to your community and gain skills and training while you look for work.

Read more about the Community Development Programme on the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet website.

Do your Centrelink, Medicare and Child Support business using self service options, including our Express Plus mobile apps, online accounts and phone self service.

Read more about using self service.

Find, estimate and compare payments and services you may be eligible for. You can also work out what a change in circumstance might mean for the payments and services you currently receive from us.

Start using Payment and Service Finder

We’ve got advice and tools to help you with budgeting, borrowing and credit, and managing debt.

Read about how to manage your money.

Read more about how Centrepay works.

About the Program

The Green Army Programme is administered by the Department of the Environment. It gives you the skills, training and experience to improve your employment prospects. The projects you participate in generate real and lasting benefits for the environment and heritage places.

You can apply if you are:

• aged 17 to 24 years
• an Australian citizen or permanent resident of Australia, and
• a school leaver, gap year student, graduate, Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander Australian, person with disability, or an unemployed job seeker

If you’re aged 25 years or older and identify as an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander Australian, you may still be able to apply. Your knowledge of Indigenous culture may help towards successful Green Army projects.

You do not have to apply for, or be receiving, any of our payments to apply for the Green Army Programme. Read more about the Green Army and how to apply for positions on the Department of the Environment website.

Tell us if you are participating

You must tell us if you receive an income support payment and will be participating in the Green Army. This is to ensure you do not incur a debt with us.

You will be advised in writing if you are accepted into the Green Army. You need to bring this letter into a service centre within 14 days of starting the Program. Failing to tell us may result in an overpayment that you will need to repay.

Green Army participation affects your payments

Your partner’s payments

The income you earn by participating in the Green Army could affect your partner’s payments. Contact us to find out more.

Income support payments

If you join the Green Army full time, your income support payment will be put on hold. You will receive an allowance from your Green Army Service Provider.

If you join the Green Army part time, you may be able to choose to either continue receiving your income support payment or get a pro-rata allowance from your Green Army Service Provider.

This may apply if you:

• are a principal carer
• have a partial capacity to work, or
• are an early school leaver and have part time requirements because you are a principal carer or have a partial capacity to work

If you continue receiving your income support payment, you will also get an Approved Program of Work Supplement of $20.80 per fortnight. If you are not sure which option is better for you, please ask us.

Concession cards

If your income support payment is put on hold because you receive the Green Army allowance, you will not be able to use your Pensioner Concession Card or Health Care Card. However, you may be eligible for a Low Income Health Care Card.

This will not affect you if you are participating part time and continue to receive your income support payment.

Mobility Allowance

You may be eligible for Mobility Allowance to help with travel if you cannot use public transport without substantial assistance due to disability, illness or injury.

Meeting your Mutual Obligation Requirements

While you are participating in the Green Army you will be meeting your Mutual Obligation Requirements. You can stay in contact with your Employment Services Provider for support if you wish. You may still need to attend appointments with us.

Restarting a payment after your placement ends

When your Green Army placement ends you should tell us if you want to get an income support payment again. Your Green Army Service Provider will give you a cessation advice, which you should bring into a service centre within 14 days of finishing your placement.