Individual and Household Financial Support

With the overwhelming amount of information out there regarding financial support for individuals and households, we have summarised a few key points:

• If you are already receiving government benefits you may qualify for one or two additional payments of $750 each and the new Coronavirus Supplement of $550 a fortnight. If you are already eligible you will receive these automatically.
  • The two support payments will be paid automatically from 31 March 2020 and 13 July 2020.
  • Eligible recipients of the two support payments include recipients of a wide range of existing benefits including Age Pension, Disability Support Pension, Carer Payment, Austudy, Abstudy, Newstart Allowance, jobSeeker Payment, Youth Allowance, Partner Allowance, Sickness Benefit, Special Benefit, Family Tax Benefit, Veteran Service Pension, Veteran Income Support Supplement, Veteran Compensation payments, War Widow and Widower pensions, Veteran Payment, Farm Household Allowance and holders of Pensioner Concession Cards, Commonwealth Seniors Health Card holders, Veteran Gold Card

• If you have lost your job or your income has been significantly reduced by COVID-19 you may qualify for government benefits such as Jobseeker Payment. If you are eligible for one of these benefits you will also receive the new Coronavirus Supplement of $550 a fortnight.  However; please check with your employer as you may now be eligible for the newly announced JobKeeper payment.
  • Coronavirus Supplement payments will be made from 27 April 2020 but they will be backdated.

• If you aren’t already receiving a relevant government benefit you will need to register with myGov and Centrelink – preferably online. If you can’t get through right away, remain patient.  The system is under strain and keep in my mind that all payments are backdated.

• You may also qualify for Rent Assistance

If you are already receiving any of these benefits you don’t need to do anything. You can concentrate on staying healthy and other important things and your additional payment should start automatically.

• For the period of the Coronavirus supplement, there will be expanded access to the income support payments listed above.  Expanded access: Jobseeker Payment and Youth Allowance Jobseeker criteria will provide payment access for permanent employees who are stood down or lose their employment.  The expanded eligibility applies to:
  • sole traders
  • the self‑employed
  • casual workers
  • contract workers who meet the income tests as a result of the economic downturn due to the Coronavirus. This could also include a person required to care for someone who is affected by the Coronavirus.