Everybody needs help sometimes.
Here is some information about financial support you can get for different situations.
Income support available to you
There are different payments available for people in different situations. These could help you with the cost of:
- raising a child
- moving house
- looking for work
- studying.
You can explore what income supports can help with below:
Support for students and Australian Apprentices
Studying at a university or TAFE comes with costs. But you might be able to get financial support!
Youth Allowance is financial help for full-time students aged 24 or younger.
Find out if you’re eligible and how to apply on the Services Australia website.
Services AustraliaIf you’ve turned 25, you might be able to get Austudy. This is a payment that can help with studying or doing an apprenticeship.
Turning 25 and thinking about studying? Check out the Services Australia Austudy page.
AustudyABSTUDY is available for First Nations students studying after high school. This can be at university, TAFE, or an apprenticeship. ABSTUDY can even help if you study online or part-time!
ABSTUDY payments can help with living expenses, study costs, and travel costs.
For more information, visit the ABSTUDY page.
ABSTUDYSupport for job seekers
If you’re 21 or younger, you might be able to get Youth Allowance payments while you’re looking for work.
Find out who can get it and how much you can get on the Services Australia website.
Services AustraliaIf you’re 22 or older, you might be able to get JobSeeker payments to support you while you look for work.
This payment is also for when you’re sick or injured and can’t do your normal work or study for a short time.
Find out more about JobSeeker on Services Australia.
Services AustraliaSupport for people living with disability
This payment helps people with a physical, intellectual or psychiatric condition that stops them from working.
Not everyone with a disability or medical condition can get Disability Support Pension. To find out if this is the right payment for you, read more about who can get it.
Read more about the Disability Support Pension.
Learn more about Disability Support PensionThis is an extra payment for young people with disability.
You don’t need to apply for this payment. Services Australia checks if you can get the supplement when you apply for either:
- Disability Support Pension
- Youth Allowance
- ABSTUDY.
Still curious? Learn more on Services Australia.
Learn more about Youth Disability SupplementSupport for parents and carers
Separating with your partner impacts not only your family, but your finances.
Child support means payments made between separated parents to help the costs of raising children.
It’s important to learn about the type of child support arrangement that’s right for your family.
Learn about how to calculate and apply for child support on Services Australia.
Learn more about child supportDo you care for a child who uses an approved child care service?
Child Care Subsidy helps with the cost of approved child care.
It’s paid directly to your child care service to reduce the fees you pay.
Find out if you can get the Child Care Subsidy on Services Australia.
Learn more about Child Care SubsidyAre you caring for someone:
- living with disability or a medical condition
- at the end of their life?
You might be eligible for Carer Payment. This payment can help you if you provide constant care to someone who needs care for at least 6 months.
Find out if you can get Carer PaymentThis is the main income support payment while you’re a young child’s main carer.
There are conditions to get this payment, and how much you get depends on your and your partner’s circumstances.
Find out if you’re eligible and what you could get on Services Australia.
Services AustraliaParental Leave Pay helps families with a newborn or recently adopted child. If you’re a new parent taking time off work, you may be eligible.
There’s 110 days, or 22 weeks, of Parental Leave Pay available to your family.
Sound good to you? Learn more about Parental Leave Pay on Services Australia.
Parental Leave PaySupport during extreme circumstances
The Moneysmart website has information on where to get help if you’re in a crisis or struggling to make ends meet.
This includes where to get emergency help for:
- food and bills
- housing
- emotional support.
Head to ASIC’s Moneysmart website.
MoneysmartThis is a one-off payment if you’re in financial hardship, have experienced an extreme circumstance and get a qualifying payment.
There are different types of extreme circumstance. For example, you may be forced to leave your home due to a fire, flood or family and domestic violence.
Find out if your situation is eligible for Crisis Payments.
Crisis PaymentsSupport for renters
If you already get a payment from Services Australia, you might get Rent Assistance.
You don’t apply for rent assistance. Services Australia automatically checks your eligibility for it, if you get certain payments.
Find out more about how Rent Assistance works.
