Youth Allowance and payments for young people

Allowance types

Youth Allowance

Youth Allowance is for young people who need financial support while studying, training or looking for a job. The Services Australia website has information about eligibility for Youth Allowance and other government payments using the Payment Finder.

How it is calculated

Both your income and assets, and your parents' income and assets (unless you are considered to be independent) can affect the amount you will be paid.

Receiving an independent rate

You will be considered independent and may get a higher rate of Youth Allowance if you are 22 or over.

You may also be able to get the independent rate if you are aged between 15 and 21 and:

• you are an orphan, a refugee or in state or foster care
• your parents can’t look after you (e.g. because of disability)
• it is unreasonable for you to live at home (e.g. because it is not safe for you due to family violence)
• you have or have had a dependent child
• you have lived with a partner in a de facto relationship for longer than a year, or are (or have been) married
• you have previously supported yourself by working.

It's important to know that if you receive the independent rate, and you have a partner, your partner’s income may also affect your payments.

If you are sick and unable to study or work temporarily

If you are sick and are temporarily unable to work, study or look for work, you may still be paid Youth Allowance. You will have to get a Centrelink medical certificate to prove this.

Abstudy

Abstudy is for Australians of Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander descent who are studying or undertaking an apprenticeship.

The rate of payment you may be eligible for depends on:

• your age
• whether or not you live at home
• whether you have dependent children
• the type of study you are undertaking.

If you are eligible for Abstudy you may also qualify for additional allowances for school expenses, tertiary studies or postgraduate studies.

Youth Disability Supplement

Youth Disability Supplement is an additional financial support for young people aged under 22 years who live with a disability which affects their ability to work.

This may be a physical, intellectual or psychiatric disability.

If you are not undertaking training, study or work

If you are aged under 22 and have left school before finishing year 12, and you don’t plan on doing any further study or training, you may not be eligible for a Centrelink payment.

You may have to rely on your parents to support you unless you can find work or are enrolled in study or training.

If you can’t live at home or stay at school or find suitable study or training programs, ask to see the social worker at your local Centrelink office to talk about your options.

There are additional payments that may be available if you begin study after being on an income support payment for a long period, or if your study requires you to live away from home.

If you are under age 18 and are not considered independent, then your payment would normally be paid to your parent.

Government information

Centrelink and Services Australia have other information, payments and services to support young people.

Visit the Department of Social Services (Cth) website.

Explore our publications and resources

• Am I old enough? Common legal issues for young people
• Disagree with a Centrelink decision?
• Your day in court.

Explore our related pages

• Other support for Centrelink.

Support from other websites

• Services Australia – Youth Allowance: financial help if you’re 24 or younger and a student or Australian Apprentice, or 21 or younger and looking for work.
• Services Australia – Payments for students and trainees: find out about payments and loans you can get when undertaking further training or study at university or TAFE.