Subject to legislation passing, we’ll:
- pay a temporary fortnightly $550 Coronavirus Supplement from 27 April 2020 if you’re getting an eligible payment
- extend eligibility for the first $750 Economic Support Payment to pay it from 31 March 2020 if you’re getting an eligible payment on any day from 12 March to 13 April 2020
- expand eligibility for some payments and make them easier to claim
- make Crisis Payment available if you need to self-isolate, are in severe financial hardship and you can get an income support payment
- pay a second $750 Economic Support Payment from 13 July 2020 if you’re getting an eligible payment or have an eligible concession card on 10 July 2020.
Coronavirus Supplement
The temporary Coronavirus Supplement will be a fortnightly payment if you’re getting an income support payment.
You’ll automatically get the supplement if you’re getting one of these payments:
- JobSeeker Payment
- Youth Allowance for job seekers
- Parenting Payment
- Farm Household Allowance
- Special Benefit.
The supplement will be an extra $550 a fortnight on top of your normal payment rate.
If you’re already getting one of these payments
You don’t need to do anything. We’ll pay you automatically from 27 April 2020. We’ll continue to pay you the supplement each fortnight if you’re eligible for up to 6 months.
If you’re not already getting a payment and need to claim
If you claim one of the eligible payments and we approve your claim, you’ll also get the supplement. You can claim online through myGov using a Centrelink online account, or phone us.
More access to payments
We’ll temporarily expand eligibility for JobSeeker Payment and Youth Allowance for job seekers.
We’ll give you access if you’re:
- a permanent employee who has been stood down or lost your job
- a sole trader, self-employed, a casual or contract worker whose income has reduced
- caring for someone who’s affected by coronavirus.
We’ll waive asset testing from 27 April for 6 months, except for Farm Household Allowance and Special Benefit.
Income testing will still apply.
On 12 March 2020 we started a 3 month waiving of the Ordinary Waiting Period. This will continue while these temporary arrangements are in place.
If you’re eligible to get the Coronavirus Supplement we’ll also waive the liquid asset test waiting period, newly arrived residents waiting period, and seasonal work preclusion period.
Income maintenance and compensation preclusion periods will continue to apply.
You can’t access employer entitlements, such as annual leave or sick leave, or income protection insurance at the same time as getting JobSeeker Payment or Youth Allowance for job seekers.
Crisis Payment
If you can’t work because you’re isolated at home due to coronavirus and don’t have any leave entitlements you may get Crisis Payment. We may pay you Crisis Payment if you’re in severe financial hardship and you get an income support payment like JobSeeker Payment or Youth Allowance for job seekers.
Crisis Payment is a one off payment equal to a week’s pay of your existing income support payment rate.
Second Economic Support Payment
If you’re not eligible for the Coronavirus Supplement you may get a second $750 Economic Support Payment. We’ll pay this from 13 July 2020.
You may get it if you were eligible on 10 July 2020 for any payments or concession cards that were eligible for the first Economic Support Payment.
You won’t get this payment if you’re getting the Coronavirus Supplement.
Beware of scams
We won’t contact you to ask for your bank account or contact details. Find out how to tell the difference between scams and genuine contacts from us.
Next steps
Learn more about this announcement.
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