Centrelink information

What do they offer?

Centrelink is a government agency delivering a range of Commonwealth services to the Australian community. Centrelink is set up so people can get more of the help they need in one place.

Centrelink offers a 'one-stop shop' for a range of services delivered on behalf of the Department of Family and Community Services, the Department of Transport and Regional Services, the Department of Employment, Workplace Relations and Small Business, the Department of Veterans' Affairs, the Department of Health and Aged Care, the Department of Education, Training and Youth Affairs, the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry - Australia.

Centrelink's customers include retired people, families, sole parents, people looking for work, people with a short-term incapacity, people with a disability, carers, widows, primary producers, students, young people, indigenous people and people from diverse cultural and linguistic backgrounds.

Some of the programs that Centrelink can talk to you about are specifically for:

• Job Seekers, including the Youth Allowance and Newstart Allowance.
• Young people, including Austudy, ABSTUDY and Assistance for Isolated Children.
• People in special circumstances, including Disability pensions, Health Care Cards and Crisis Payment.
• Families, including Family Tax Benefit, Child Care Benefit, Parenting Allowance and Job Education and Training programs.

There are 450 Centrelink sites around Australia. Check in your phone book for the office nearest to you, or call the national toll-free number 131 021 (for general inquiries - your phone book can provide you with other Centrelink phone numbers for specific questions).