Access support payments

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A financial counsellor offers free, confidential, and independent advice to help you manage your finances. They often have experience and training in supporting clients facing family and domestic violence, so they provide appropriate and safe support.

How can a financial counsellor help? These professionals can assist you in understanding your financial situation, managing debts, accessing government payments, and planning for the future.
How to access: You can find a financial counsellor through the National Debt Helpline by calling 1800 007 007. The service is free and available to anyone in Australia.

Centrelink offers a variety of payments designed to support individuals and families during times of financial hardship. These payments provide essential financial assistance to help cover living expenses, medical costs, housing, and more. Here’s a comprehensive overview of the different types of Centrelink payments available:

JobSeeker: For individuals who are unemployed and actively seeking work. It provides financial support while you search for employment. Additional assistance, such as Rent Assistance, may be available if you rent privately.
Youth Allowance: For people aged 16 to 24 who are studying full-time, undertaking an apprenticeship, training, or looking for work. The payment amount depends on whether you are dependent or independent and is subject to income and asset tests.
Austudy: Financial assistance to full-time students and Australian apprentices aged 25 or older. It helps cover the costs of education and living expenses while you study.
Crisis Payment: A one-off payment for those who have experienced severe financial hardship due to extreme circumstances, including family and domestic violence. You must apply or register your intent to claim within 7 days of the event that led to your claim (e.g., deciding to leave your home). A social worker may be required to provide short-term counselling and referrals to other services.
Special Benefit: This payment is for individuals who are in financial hardship and not eligible for other Centrelink payments, such as JobSeeker or Youth Allowance. It is often available to non-Australian citizens who are permanent residents or hold an approved visa. You can also claim this payment for a child if you have custody and cannot access other income or family support payments because you are not a permanent resident, but your child is an Australian citizen or permanent resident.

Other Centrelink support services:

Low-Income Health Care Card: This card provides access to cheaper prescription medicines under the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) and other concessions, such as discounted healthcare and utilities. It is available to individuals and families with low incomes.
Rent assistance: An additional payment is available to individuals receiving certain Centrelink payments for renting in the private rental market or community housing. It helps to reduce the financial burden of rent.
Social work services: Support and counselling during difficult times, such as after a traumatic event or when facing severe financial hardship. Social workers can help with accessing emergency payments, crisis intervention, and referrals to other support services.
Job search services: Help individuals receiving Centrelink payments, like JobSeeker Payment, find employment. These services include access to job search facilities, resume writing assistance, job training programs, and connections with potential employers.

A complete list of all the Centrelink payments and services can be found on the Centrelink website.

Centrelink offers several payments and services designed to support parents and caregivers in raising children. These payments help with the costs of childcare, provide financial assistance to single parents, and support families with newborns or young children. Below is an overview of the key child-caring support payments available through Centrelink:

Family Tax Benefit: Available to families with dependent children under a certain age. Eligibility is based on income tests; the payment is adjusted according to your family's income.
- Part A: Provides financial assistance for families with dependent children. The amount you receive depends on your family’s income and the number of children you have.
- Part B: This payment provides additional support to help with the cost of raising children to single-income families or single parents.
Parenting Payment: Income support for primary carers of young children, available to single or partnered parents, subject to income and asset tests.
Newborn Upfront Payment and Newborn Supplement: A one-off payment for families following the birth or adoption of a child, added to Family Tax Benefit Part A.
Child Care Subsidy (CCS): Helps with the cost of approved child care, paid directly to providers, based on family income and hours of recognized activities. If you are eligible for the CCS, you may also qualify for an Additional Child Care Subsidy, including support for children exposed to domestic violence under the child wellbeing category.
Child Support: Ongoing payments made by one parent to another for the benefit of a child after a relationship ends; may include a parenting plan and cease if parents reconcile for six months or more. If seeking support puts you at risk, contact Centrelink’s Families Line at 136 150 to speak with a social worker.

Please note: Support payments for children are available if you are a legal parent, which includes being a birth parent, adoptive parent, married to the birth parent when the child was born, or a parent recognized under the Family Law Act 1975 (in cases of surrogacy). Non-parent carers of a child—those who care for the child at least 128 nights a year and are not in a relationship with either parent—are also eligible.

When facing financial hardship, especially after leaving an abusive relationship, there are several national and state-based assistance programs available in Australia to help you manage essential expenses. These programs provide financial support for utilities, rent, groceries, and other necessities. Browse an overview of the key hardship assistance payments available:

Crisis Payment for extreme circumstances family and domestic violence: Available up to four times in 12 months for people who have experienced family and domestic violence and already receive income support payments. This payment has several eligibility requirements, which are viewable at Services Australia.

Crisis Payment for other extreme circumstances: This payment provides additional support if you are not eligible for the Crisis Payment for FDV.

Escaping Family Violence Payment: A one-off payment of up to $5,000 to help Australian citizens and permanent residents experiencing partner violence in financial hardship due to family and domestic violence. Available to those experiencing family violence, regardless of whether they are receiving other Centrelink payments.

Red Cross Family and Domestic Violence Financial Assistance: Provides financial assistance in the form of vouchers for essentials like food, clothing, and transport to individuals who are experiencing family or domestic violence. Available to those in urgent financial need after experiencing family and domestic violence. The program is not open to Australian citizens or permanent visa holders. If you are a citizen or permanent visa holder, you may be eligible for support through the Australian Government’s Escaping Violence Payment.

No Interest Loan Scheme: Offers small loans of up to $3000 for essential goods and services, such as household appliances, medical expenses, or car repairs. Available to individuals with a Health Care Card, Pensioner Concession Card, OR an income under $70,00 a year (before tax) OR who have experienced family and domestic violence within the last 10 years.

ANZ Saver Plus: A matched savings program that helps individuals develop long-term saving habits. Participants save up to $500, which is then matched dollar for dollar (up to $500) by the program to cover education-related expenses. Available to individuals with a Health Care Card or Pensioner Concession Card who have some form of regular income.

Western Australia Hardship Utilities Grant Scheme (HUGS): Provides financial assistance to help pay electricity, water, and gas bills for Western Australia residents in financial hardship.

Western Australia Concession: Find a full list of available concessions through ConcessionsWA.

Western Australia rental assistance while in a refuge: If you rent a Department of Housing home and need to stay at Women’s Refuge, you can apply for the “absentee minimum rent”, which reduces your rent to $10 per week for up to 3 months.

Dependent child rebate—Electricity: This helps eligible concession card holders with dependent children meet electricity costs. The rebate is calculated according to the number of dependent children on the concession card.

Crisis Payment for extreme circumstances family and domestic violence - Services Australia: This is a national crisis payment available to people who have experienced family and domestic violence and meet the other eligibility criteria.

NSW Government Immediate Needs Support Package: This package is available to victims of domestic violence in NSW for rent assistance and other purchases up to a maximum of $5,000.

New South Wales Energy Accounts Payment Assistance (EAPA): Provides vouchers to help pay electricity or gas bills for NSW residents experiencing short-term financial crises or emergencies.

Brokerage and emergency crisis payment arrangements: A list of available crisis payments in QLD.

Victoria Utility Relief Grant Scheme (URGS): Offers financial assistance to low-income Victorian households who cannot pay their utility bills due to a temporary financial crisis.

South Australia Financial Counselling and Support Services: Provides advice, advocacy, and referrals to emergency financial relief programs for South Australian residents experiencing financial hardship.

Financial hardship support payments: Find information about available payments or interest-free loan options in SA.

Safe at Home Flexible Support Packages: This program aims to complement existing practical resources up to a maximum of $6,000 for essential items.

Victim financial help: Financial assistance may be available for victims, people injured by witness crime, or family members of deceased victims.

If you are having trouble paying bills, the first thing to do is contact your provider. Most companies have hardship officers who can help you with a plan to pay bills in instalments. Visit your providers website to find information about their hardship support, some useful sources are:

If you have been threatened with a disconnection notice, seek help as soon as possible. Call your provider or the National Debt Helpline on 1800 007 007. For more information on disconnections and your rights, see Economic Regulation Authority.

Moneysmart also provides helpful resources for bills and fine management.

In crisis now? DIAL 000

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