Benefits & Payments

Information on benefits and payments managed by the Department can be read in the following areas of this website:

The following are a range of benefits and payments that can apply to a wide range of people at different points in their lives.

General benefits and payments available

  • Crisis payment

    Crisis Payment helps if you are in severe financial hardship because you have been forced to leave your home and find a new home because of an extreme event like domestic violence or your house burning down

  • Special benefit

    Special Benefit helps if you are in severe financial need due to circumstances outside your control. Special Benefit is a discretionary payment, only paid in special circumstances, decided by the Secretary of the Department

  • Bereavement payment

    Bereavement payment helps make it easier for you to adjust to changed financial circumstances after the death of someone you know, or cared for, if you are in receipt of an eligible pension, benefit or allowance

  • Pensioner Education Supplement

    The Pensioner Education Supplement (PES) helps pensioners undertake full-time or part-time study

Concessions, Allowances and Supplements

  • Concession and health cards

    The Australian Government’s main purpose in issuing concession cards is to provide access to Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme prescription items, and certain Medicare services, at a cheaper rate

  • Utilities Allowance

    Utilities Allowance is a supplementary allowance to help certain income support recipients with utilities bills, such as electricity and gas

  • Pharmaceutical allowance

    Pharmaceutical Allowance helps pensioners buy prescription medicines available through the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme

  • Telephone Allowance

    Telephone allowance is to assist with the cost of maintaining a home telephone service.

  • Bereavement Allowance

    Information on the bereavement allowance which provides short term financial assistance for recently widowed persons

  • Remote area allowance

    Information on remote area allowance, available to social security customers who live in remote areas

  • Energy Supplement

    The Energy Supplement provides assistance with household expenses, including energy costs to pensioners and income support recipients, Family Tax Benefit recipients, and Commonwealth Seniors Health Card holders.

  • Low Income Supplement

    The Low Income Supplement is an annual $300 payment that provides assistance with household expenses, including energy costs, for low income households.

  • Low Income Family Supplement

    The Low Income Family Supplement is the administrative name for the Low Income Supplement, as it applies to Family Tax Benefit recipients. It is an annual $300 payment that provides assistance with household expenses, including energy costs, for low income households.

  • Single Income Family Supplement

    The Single Income Family Supplement is an annual payment of up to $300 that provides assistance with household expenses, including energy costs.

  • Essential Medical Equipment Payment

    The Essential Medical Equipment Payment of $147 per year is available to assist eligible people who have additional costs in home energy as a result of the need to operate essential medical equipment in their home, or medically required heating/cooling, to manage their disability or medical condition.

Financial help

  • Financial Information Service

    Independent, free and confidential education and information service available to everyone in the community. Available by phone, appointment and through seminars.

Centrepay

What is Centrepay?

Centrepay is a voluntary bill-paying service which is free for Centrelink customers. Through Centrepay, a customer can authorise the department to deduct regular amounts from their welfare payments to pay their bills to an approved Centrepay business.

Do Centrelink customers have to use Centrepay?

No. Centrelink customers can choose if they wish to use Centrepay to pay their bills and ongoing expenses like rent, gas, electricity, water and phone, as well as other household costs, as it is voluntary.

Does it cost anything to use Centrepay?

Centrepay is free to Centrelink customers. Businesses pay a transaction fee (including GST) to the department for each successful deduction paid to them. This fee must not be passed on to the customer.

What are the objectives of Centrepay?

The objective of Centrepay is to assist Customers in managing expenses, which are consistent with the purposes of their welfare payments, and reducing financial risk, by providing a facility to have regular Deductions made from their welfare payments.

For further information on Centrepay refer to the Centrelink website.

Related information

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