Newstart allowance - On 20 March 2020, Newstart Allowance was replaced by JobSeeker Payment. Prior to 20 March 2020, Newstart Allowance was the major payment for unemployed people who are 22 and over, but under the qualifying age for the Age Pension. Recipients were required to satisfy the activity test by seeking work or participating in an activity designed to improve their employment prospects. Data included recipients who are determined to be current (i.e. entitled to be paid) on the Centrelink payment system and are not in receipt of CDEP Participation Supplement or a zero rate of payment.
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Parenting payment - Parenting Payment provides income support for parents or guardians to help with the cost of raising children. Parenting Payment Partnered is an income support payment for partnered parents with a youngest child under six years of age. Parenting Payment Single is an income support payment for single parents with a child under eight years of age. Data includes recipients who are determined to be current (i.e. entitled to be paid) on the Centrelink payment system.
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Disability support pension - DSP is an income support payment for people who are unable to work for 15 hours or more per week at or above the relevant minimum wage, independent of a Program of Support due to permanent physical, intellectual or psychiatric impairment. A DSP claimant must be aged 16 years or over and under Age Pension age at date of claim, however once in receipt of DSP, a person can continue to receive DSP beyond Age Pension age. Data includes recipients who are determined to be current (i.e. entitled to be paid) or suspended on the Centrelink payment system.
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Youth allowance - Youth Allowance (other) is the primary income support payment for young people aged 16‒21 years who are seeking or preparing for paid employment. Some 15 year olds may also receive assistance. To qualify for Youth Allowance (other) a person must be unemployed, aged under 22, looking for work or combining part‐time study with job search, or undertaking any other approved activity, or temporarily incapacitated for work or study. Data includes recipients who are determined to be current (i.e. entitled to be paid) on the Centrelink payment system. Youth Allowance (student) is a means‐tested payment for full‐time students. Data includes recipients who are determined to be current (i.e. entitled to be paid) on the Centrelink payment system. Youth Allowance (apprentice) is a means‐tested payment for Australian apprentices. Data includes recipients who are determined to be current (i.e. entitled to be paid) on the Centrelink payment system.
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Age pension - Age Pension is a support payment for people who have reached the qualifying age. From 1 July 2013 to 30 June 2017, the qualifying age for both men and women was 65 years. Since 1 July 2017, the Age Pension qualifying age for both men and women has further increased. For people born on or after 1 July 1952 the pension age will progressively increase by 6 months every 2 years until it reaches 67 on 1 July 2023. To qualify for the Age Pension, a person must have been an Australian permanent resident for a total of 10 years with at least five of those years being continuous, or have a qualifying residence exemption, or satisfy the residence requirements under an international social security agreement. In some instances, Age Pension recipients have the choice of having their Age Pension paid by either Services Australia or the Department of Veterans' Affairs (DVA), Services Australia pays the vast majority of Age Pension recipients. Data.gov.au only includes data for the recipients paid by Services Australia. Data includes recipients who are determined to be current (i.e. entitled to be paid) or suspended on the Centrelink payment system. Data for Age Pension has had a change in the extraction method to align with the other Income Support payments. Use caution when comparing Age Pension data between December 2020 quarter and March 2021 quarter due to an update in the data extraction methodology.
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Austudy / Abstudy - Austudy is a means-tested payment made to full-time students and Australian apprentices who are aged 25 years and older. Data includes recipients who are determined to be current (i.e. entitled to be paid) on the Centrelink payment system.
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Sickness allowance
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Carer allowance - A supplementary payment for carers who provide daily care and attention at home for a person with a disability, severe medical condition or who is frail and aged. Carer Allowance (CA) may be paid in addition to income support payments. If a person does not qualify for Carer Allowance (Child) based on the level of care required, the child they are caring for may still qualify for a Health Care Card (HCC) if at least 14 hours a week of additional care and attention is provided. Data includes recipients who are determined to be current (i.e. entitled to be paid) or suspended on the Centrelink payment system. Notes: - Unless otherwise specified CA excludes HCC Only recipients and/or child care receivers. - Due to changes in data source a break-in-series exists for Carer Allowance data from 1 July 2013 and again from 1 October 2013. Care should be taken when comparing time series data.
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Carer payment - Carer Payment provides income support for carers who, because of the demands of their caring role, are unable to support themselves through substantial paid employment. Data includes recipients who are determined to be current (i.e. entitled to be paid) or suspended on the Centrelink payment system. Notes: - Carer Payment totals include overseas recipients. - Due to changes in data source a break-in-series exists for Carer Payment data from 1 July 2013 and again from 1 October 2013. Care should be taken when comparing time series data. - Data for Carer Payment has had a change in the extraction method to align with the other Income Support payments, this may have an effect on some variables such as Duration. Use caution when comparing Carer Payment data between December 2020 quarter and March 2021 quarter due to an update in the data extraction methodology.