Centrelink Payments in Australia: What You May Be Entitled To (2026 Guide)

Payments for Australians of working age who are unemployed, studying, or on reduced income:

• JobSeeker Payment: For Australians aged 22 to Age Pension age who are looking for work or temporarily unable to work. The base rate in 2025-26 is approximately $776/fortnight for singles (higher with supplements). Income and assets tests apply. Mutual obligation requirements (job search activities) apply to most recipients.
• Youth Allowance (job seekers): For Australians aged 16–21 looking for work. Lower rate than JobSeeker - approximately $677/fortnight for singles aged 18+ living away from home. Mutual obligation requirements apply.
• Austudy: For full-time students aged 25 and over. Approximately $701/fortnight for singles in 2025-26. Income and assets test applies based on the student's own income and assets (not parental).
• ABSTUDY: For Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students and Australian Apprentices. Covers similar support to Youth Allowance and Austudy with additional components.
• JobSeeker supplements: Recipients may be eligible for additional supplements - Pharmaceutical Allowance, Telephone Allowance, Rent Assistance, and Energy Supplement. Each supplement has separate eligibility criteria and many recipients do not claim all they are entitled to.

Payments to support families with children:

• Family Tax Benefit Part A: A recurring payment for families with dependent children under 19 (or under 22 for full-time students). The maximum rate in 2025-26 is approximately $219/fortnight per child aged under 13 and $284/fortnight per child aged 13–19. An income test applies - the payment reduces as family income increases above $57,826.
• Family Tax Benefit Part B: For single-income families or families where the secondary earner earns under $100,900. Maximum approximately $183/fortnight for children under 5, $127/fortnight for children 5–18. Not means-tested on the primary earner's income.
• Child Care Subsidy (CCS): Subsidises approved childcare costs for families earning under $530,500 combined. The subsidy rate is 90% for families earning under $80,000, reducing as income increases. Many eligible families do not claim the full subsidy because they are not enrolled in approved care.
• Parental Leave Pay: 18 weeks of government Parental Leave Pay at the national minimum wage (approximately $915/week in 2025-26) for primary carers of a newborn or newly adopted child. Dad and Partner Pay is an additional 2 weeks. Income tests apply.
• Double Orphan Pension: For children who have lost both parents or whose parents are unable to care for them for prescribed reasons. Not widely known but provides meaningful support for eligible families.

Payments for older Australians and those with disability or caring responsibilities:

• Age Pension: For Australians aged 67 and over who meet the income and assets tests. The maximum rate in 2025-26 is approximately $1,116/fortnight for singles and $1,682/fortnight combined for couples. The pension reduces as income and assets increase. Many retirees with modest assets and income are eligible for a part pension - eligibility should be checked even for those with superannuation.
• Disability Support Pension (DSP): For Australians aged 16 to Age Pension age with a permanent physical, intellectual, or psychiatric condition that prevents full-time work. Maximum approximately $1,116/fortnight for singles. Medical evidence requirements are substantial - working with a GP and treating specialists to document the condition is important for a successful claim.
• Carer Payment: For people who provide constant care for a person with a severe disability, serious illness, or frailty. Maximum rate equivalent to JobSeeker or Age Pension depending on age. Requires assessment of the care receiver's condition.
• Carer Allowance: A supplementary payment in addition to other payments, for people providing daily care for someone with a disability or serious illness. Approximately $153/fortnight in 2025-26. Income test applies to the carer. Carer Allowance can be paid in addition to Carer Payment or alongside other payments.
• Commonwealth Seniors Health Card: For Age Pension age Australians who do not receive the Age Pension but have a taxable income below the threshold ($99,025 single, $158,360 couple in 2025-26). Provides access to cheaper prescription medications (PBS) and other concessions.

Additional payments often missed by eligible recipients:

• Rent Assistance: Available to Centrelink payment recipients who pay rent for private accommodation. Maximum approximately $211/fortnight for singles in 2025-26. One of the most commonly unclaimed supplements - many recipients of base payments do not realise they are also eligible for Rent Assistance.
• Energy Supplement: A small quarterly payment to help with energy costs. Paid to most Centrelink payment recipients automatically.
• Remote Area Allowance: Additional payment for recipients living in remote areas of Australia.
• Bereavement Allowance: Short-term payment for recently bereaved partners. Payable for up to 14 weeks.
• Crisis Payment: One-off payment for people in severe financial crisis who meet specific criteria - released from prison, experiencing family and domestic violence, or affected by a declared disaster.

The Services Australia payment finder at servicesaustralia.gov.au allows you to answer a series of questions and receive a list of payments and supplements you may be eligible for. This is a better starting point than trying to navigate individual payment pages.

Creating a myGov account linked to Centrelink is the fastest way to manage payments, update circumstances, and claim online. Income and assets must be reported accurately and updated within 14 days of a change - failure to report changes can result in overpayments that must be repaid.

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