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Centrelink information

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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).

  • This content was created by Reach Out Australia.
  • Last updated 06 Sep 10

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4 Comments

Rosie

about 1 month ago

Reply Report

Hi SachRK,


There are a few ways you can get youth allowance, you can either claim it because your parents do not earn much money, you can become legally separated from your parents so that they are not responsible for you financially anymore, or you can become independent by working and earning enough money, or living with a spouse for a certain amount of time. All of the info can be found here, be sure to read through it carefully to see if you are eligible for any of the payments. Unfortunately, there may not be a payment that you are eligible for, and if this is the case there are usually bursary offices within your university that can help you out with money. If you go to your institutions website and search for student financial support, you should find some information about this.

I hope this helps! Remember that there may be other ways of dealing with your dad, if you don't feel like you can live with him anyway. Try reading some of the factsheets over in the family and relationships section, which you can find here.

You can also pop onto the reachout forums (have a look at the top yellow bar on this page for the forum link) if you'd like to talk more about how you're feeling.

Take care :)

SachRK

about 1 month ago

Reply Report

hello! i am 18 already and i am a permanent resident in Australia. I just want to get youth allowance so that i can move out from my family! I attempted to apply for it but they keep on rejecting saying my dad's income is higher, but i want to be independent and i don't want to stay with him anymore, Why am i still considered to be under his guardianship when i am 18 already, is there a different kind of allowance i am entitled to? some sort of loan that i can take that i can repay as soon as i finish university and start working? Is there any such facility? Because the amount will be quite a bit, i need to get hold of money for student accommodation and university fees...? I will be getting citizenship in about 7 months time, so i can have access to HECS help for university fees then but i would need help getting money for accommodation. 

Rosie

5 months ago

Reply Report

Hey Grimewell,

Centrelink complications are *never* fun, it really sucks that you are having to deal with this. I'm not entirely sure what your situation is, but it seems like they are reclaiming money that they have found/decided you owe them? If this is the case you have a right to know exactly why they are taking it back, and you can also nominate what you think is a fair amount to pay back each week based on your current income. Centrelink have a list of FAQs about all this here. If you are still unclear about something, give them a call! (And if you get onto someone that isn't helpful, a sneaky trick I've learned is to hang up and call back - you'll probably get onto someone different, and hopefully more helpful!)

Be sure to pop over to the managing money section if you need some more info.

grimwell

5 months ago

Reply Report

Centrelink is the reason I came here they are stealing over $2000, From me from their screw up that they blamed me for. Also I get $582 per Fortnight providing that Centrelink don't screw that up like they did today. And per fortnight I have over $600 worth of bills. I am trying to start a business can't afford bills and food and when I went to Centrelink for help they told me to figure it out for myself. I have many other issues with them also they really need to be sort out for the good of all Australian People. 

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