JobSeeker Payment is financial support for Australian residents who are unemployed or looking for work.

Payment Rates:

• Single, no children: $793.60 per fortnight
• Single, with dependent child/children: $849.90 per fortnight​
• Single, aged 55 or older, after 9 continuous months on income support: $849.90 per fortnight​
• Partnered: $726.50 per fortnight

Eligibility:

• Aged 22 or older but below Age Pension age.​
• Unemployed, or temporarily unable to work due to illness or injury​.
• Actively seeking work or participating in approved activities.​
• Australian resident and meet residency rules.
• Your income and assets must be below the limits set by Centrelink.

🌐 Income and assets tests for JobSeeker Payment – JobSeeker Payment – Services Australia

⏯️ Video: JobSeeker Payment explained

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Rent Assistanceis not a stand-alone payment—it is automatically added to your Centrelink payment if you qualify.

Payment Rates:

• Single, no children: Maximum of $215.40 per fortnight​
• Single, with children: Maximum of $286.02 per fortnight​
• Couple, no children: Maximum of $203.00 per fortnight​
• Couple, with children: Maximum of $286.02 per fortnight​

Note: Actual payment depends on the benefits received, number of children and amount of rent paid and is subject to minimum rent thresholds.

Eligibility:

• Receiving a qualifying Centrelink payment​ (e.g., JobSeeker Payment, Age Pension, Disability Support Pension, Family Tax Benefit, etc.).
• Paying rent, fees or board to a private landlord, retirement village or community housing​.
• Rent exceeds a specified minimum amount.
• Not own or co-own your home.

🌐 Rent Assistance – Services Australia

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Parenting Payment is a Centrelink benefit that provides financial support to single parents or primary carers of young children.

Payment Rates:

• Single Parent: Maximum of $998.20 per fortnight​
• Partnered Parent: Maximum of $726.50 per fortnight

Eligibility:

• Single Parent: Caring for at least one child under 14 years old​.
• Partnered Parent: Caring for at least one child under 6 years old​.
• Your income and assets must be below the limits set by Centrelink.
• Australian resident and meet residency rules.

🌐 Income and assets tests for Parenting Payment – Parenting Payment – Services Australia

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Parental Leave Pay (PLP)is a Centrelink payment for eligible working parents of newborn or newly adopted children to help them take time off work.

Payment Rates:

Up to 22 weeks of pay at the National Minimum Wage, which is $948.10 per week before tax.

Eligibility:

Be the primary carer of a newborn or recently adopted child.

Meet the work test:

• worked for at least 10 of the 13 months before the birth or adoption
• a minimum of 330 hours, around one day a week, in that 10-month period

Meet income test:

• individual adjusted taxable income of
• $180,007 less in the 2024-2025 financial Year or
• $175,788 or less in the 2023-2024 financial year

If you don’t meet the individual income test, you can use a family income test:

• Family adjusted taxable income of

– $373,094 or less in the 2024-2025 financial year

–  $364,350 or less in the 2023-2024 financial year

Be on leave or not working during the Parental Leave Pay period.

Meet residence rules (Australian citizen, permanent resident, or on an eligible visa).

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Family Tax Benefit (FTB) is a Centrelink payment that helps eligible families with the cost of raising children. It consists of:

FTB Part A – Paid per child based on family income.

FTB Part B – Provides extra support to single parents and families with one main income.

Payment Rates:

Part A:

The maximum rate per child:

$227.36 for a child 0 to 12 years

$295.82 for a child 13 to 15 years

$295.82 for a child 16 to 19 years who meets the study requirements

Annual Supplement: Up to $938.05 (subject to income and lodgment requirements)​

Part B:

For children under 5 years: Up to $193.34 per fortnight​

For children 5-18 years: Up to $134.96 per fortnight​

Annual Supplement: Up to $459.90 (subject to income and lodgment requirements)​

Eligibility:

Part A: Families with dependent children aged 0-15, or 16-19 and meets the study requirements.​

Part B: Single-parent families or couple with one main income, and a dependent child under 18 years​. The child must meet study requirements if they’re aged 16 to 18.

Meet income tests​:

Part A: 🌐Income test for Family Tax Benefit Part A – Family Tax Benefit – Services Australia

Part B: 🌐Income test for Family Tax Benefit Part B – Family Tax Benefit – Services Australia

Meet residence rules (Australian citizen, permanent resident, or on an eligible visa).

Care for the child at least 35% of the time.

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The Child Care Subsidy (CCS) helps families with the cost of approved childcare in Australia. The subsidy amount depends on household income, activity level, and type of care used.

Payment Rates:

A percentage of childcare fees, up to a maximum hourly rate cap, based on family income​. Subsidy ranges from 0% to 90% of fees​.

Family Income	Subsidy Percentage
$0 to $85,279	90%
$85,279 to $535,279	Subsidy percentage decreases by 1% for every $5,000 of income over $85,279. For example: – $85,279 to $90,280: 89% – $90,280 to $95,280: 88% – and so on.
$535,279 or more	0%

Note: If you have more than one child aged 5 or younger in care, you may be eligible for a higher subsidy rate for your second and subsequent children.

Child Care Subsidy Calculator:

🌐Child Care Subsidy Calculator | StartingBlocks.gov.au

Eligibility:

• Care for a child 13 or younger who’s not attending secondary school, unless an exemption applies.
• Use an approved childcare service​.
• Be responsible for paying the childcare fees​.
• Meet residency requirements ​(Australian citizen, permanent resident, or on an eligible visa).
• Meet immunization requirements for the child​.
• Do a recognized activity.

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The Youth Allowance is a Centrelink payment for young people who are:

• Studying full-time (Student Youth Allowance)
• Looking for work (Job Seeker Youth Allowance)
• Completing an apprenticeship

Payment Rates:

Single, no children, under 18, living at home: $410.30 per fortnight​

Single, no children, 18 or older, living at home: $472.50 per fortnight​

Single, no children, living away from home: $663.30 per fortnight​

Single, with children: $836.60 per fortnight​

Partnered, no children: $663.30 per fortnight​

Partnered, with children: $718.10 per fortnight​

Eligibility:

You must be one of the following:

18 to 24 and studying full time.

16 to 17, studying full time and either independent or needing to live away from home to study.

16 to 17, studying full time and have completed year 12 or equivalent.

16 to 24 and doing a full time Australian Apprenticeship.

In addition:

Meet Australian residence rules.

Satisfy income and asset tests.

🌐Income and assets tests for Youth Allowance for student and Australian Apprentices – Youth Allowance for students and Australian Apprentices – Services Australia

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The Age Pension is a payment from Centrelink to help older Australians with their living costs. It is income and asset-tested and available to eligible Australians who have reached Age Pension age.

Payment Rates:

Single: $1,178.70 per fortnight​

Couple (each): $888.50 per fortnight

Eligibility:

Age: must be 67 years or older.​

Residence rules: minimum of 10 years of Australian residency, with at least 5 years in a row.

Income and Assets Test: must meet revised income and assets thresholds

🌐Income test for Age Pension – Age Pension – Services Australia

🌐Assets test for Age Pension – Age Pension – Services Australia

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The Carer Payment is a Centrelink payment for people who provide full-time care to someone with a severe disability, medical condition, or who is elderly.

Payment Rates:

Single: $1,178.70 per fortnight​

Couple (each): $888.50 per fortnight

Eligibility:

Carer Status: provide full-time daily care for someone with a severe disability, illness, or frailty due to age.

Meet income and assets test (both the carer and the person being cared for must meet income and assets thresholds).

🌐Income and assets test for Carer Payment – Carer Payment – Services Australia

Residence rules: must be an Australian resident and physically present in Australia on the application date.

The person you care for meets the disability or medical condition requirements and need constant care in their home, your home or in hospital.

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The Disability Support Pension (DSP) provides financial assistance to Australians with a permanent physical, intellectual, or psychiatric condition that prevents them from working or participating in employment programs.

Payment Rates:

If you’re 21 or older with or without children, or younger than 21 with a child in your care:

Single: $1,178.70 per fortnight​

Couple (each): $888.50 per fortnight

Eligibility:

Age: you must be at least 15 years and 9 months old, and under the Age Pension age, when you claim.

Meet income and asset tests:

🌐Income and assets tests for Disability Support Pension – Disability Support Pension – Services Australia

Residency: must be an Australian resident and physically present in Australia on the application date.

Disability Criteria: Have a permanent physical, intellectual, or psychiatric impairment preventing work for at least 2 years.​

🌐Manifest medical rules for Disability Support Pension – Disability Support Pension – Services Australia

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