If you’re an Australian and trying to find out as well as access the government benefits you’re eligible for, you may want to take a look at Centrelink – the Centrelink payment finder, in particular.

Centrelink is directly managed by the Australian government and offers a variety of services and payments to unemployed families, retirees, people with disabilities, single parents, and caretakers. Moreover, apprentices, students, indigenous Australians, and people who come from other linguistic and cultural backgrounds could be able to access Centrelink services. However, most people are accessing Centrelink because of social security payments. This is the main reason why we want to share a quick overview of the Centrelink Payment Finder with you.

What is the Centrelink payment finder?

The Centrelink Payment Finder is an online tool that allows you to see which services and payments you’re eligible to receive. In addition, it can help you get information about all the Centrelink payments from a centralised location including allowances and pensions as well as locate child care fee assistance and family tax benefits.

Examples for Centrelink payments

Now that you understand what the Centrelink Payment Finder is, let’s take a look at a couple of Centrelink payments you could get. All the other payments offered to you by Centrelink are quite the same. Sign up for a Centrelink account and you will be able to find the information on the payments you could receive from Centrelink.

Youth allowance

Youth Allowance is a payment support program for people aged between 16 to 24 years old. If you belong to this age category and are studying full time, engaged with training, or taking on an apprenticeship in Australia, you could be eligible to receive Youth Allowance. Youth Allowance is also available for those in this age category who are not well and are looking for work.

There are numerous factors that determine the eligibility for Centrelink Youth Allowance but the most important is age. The Youth Allowance program will also consider whether you are an independent or dependent person. In addition, your residence requirements, income, and assets will be analysed before determining your eligibility for Youth Allowance.

Disability support pension

The Disability Support Pension program provides financial support for people who have an intellectual, physical, and mental health condition that keeps them away from work.

To receive benefits as part of the Disability Support Pension program, you’ll need to be at least 16 years of age and have a mental, intellectual, or physical health condition — certification from a doctor to show proof of this is important.

The Disability Support Pension program is designed to deliver assistance to all individuals who are not in a position to work for at least 15 hours a week. In addition, people who are not capable of receiving the minimum wage within the next couple of years because of a disability could also receive this. Those who are assessed with having a severe disability will be eligible for Centrelink.

You will be able to find more information about this after logging into the Centrelink account. If you are eligible, you can apply for it and you will be able to manage all the Centrelink payments via the account.

Additional benefits offered by Centrelink

Apart from the above-mentioned examples, there are many additional benefits you could receive from Centrelink. For example, people who are eligible to receive Youth Allowance will be able to gain access to a Health Care Card as well. This card will be able to help people to make purchases for prescription medicine at a discounted price. In some of the instances, it is possible for them to get free or discounted doctor visits as well.

People who pay electricity or water bills could receive a concessional discount as well. On the other hand, it is providing assistance for people to buy concession tickets which can be used at the cinema, public transport, or any other eligible event.

Steps for claiming Centrelink payments or benefits

After creating a Centrelink account, it’ll become a lot easier to claim your Centrelink benefits. In some instances, you might be asked to book an appointment and meet an official from Centrelink in-person where you will be asked to showcase your proof of identification. You can simply schedule the appointment with the Centrelink account and then meet the official to get all the support you need to prove your identity.

The Centrelink payment summary

The payment summary section in your Centrelink account will provide an overview of all your Centrelink payments. In other words, you will be able to see your taxable and non-taxable payments. You will be able to use these details and lodge the tax returns accordingly.

Final word…

Now that you have an understanding of the Centrelink payment and service finder, you will be able to use the Centrelink account for managing and accessing your benefits. Just take a look at the Centrelink Payment Finder and you will be able to use it without any technical skills or special knowledge.