For a 22-year-old in Australia, Centrelink payments often shift from Youth Allowance (for students/apprentices) to JobSeeker Payment, especially if looking for work, as you're generally between 22 and Age Pension age. Eligibility and payment amounts depend on your situation (study, work, living at home) and passing income/asset tests, with your parents' income typically no longer affecting you once you're independent (often at 22). You can use the Services Australia Payment Finder to estimate your potential payment.
Youth Allowance (student) – For students under 25 years old, whether “independent” or “dependent”. Abstudy – For Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander students.
If you spend equal time living with each parent, we'll assess the income of the parent you ask us to. If you don't live with either parent now, we'll assess the income of the parent you last lived with. If you last lived with both parents, we'll assess the income of the parent you ask us to.
The $4,000 Centrelink payment isn't a direct cash payment but a one-time boost to the Work Bonus income bank for eligible pensioners (Age Pension, Disability Support Pension, Carer Payment) over Age Pension age, starting January 1, 2024, with an increased maximum balance of $11,800, allowing them to earn more without reducing their pension. You get this $4,000 starting credit automatically if you're a new claimant or haven't received a previous $4,000 boost, effectively giving you a $4,000 buffer to earn income before Centrelink reduces your pension.
For Youth Allowance in 2025 in Australia, you generally need to be 16-24 and studying full-time, doing a full-time Australian Apprenticeship, or looking for full-time work (ages 16-21), meeting income/assets tests, residence rules, and potentially independence criteria, with different rules for students, apprentices, and job seekers, often involving parent income assessments unless you're independent. Eligibility depends heavily on your specific situation (studying, training, or job seeking) and if you're considered independent from your parents.
You may get Rent Assistance if you live with your parents or guardians, you're younger than 22, and you're independent for one of these reasons: you have or had a dependent child. you are or were married or in a registered relationship.
If you're 22 or older we'll treat you as permanently independent. We may also do this in certain circumstances. You may be permanently independent if you're 22 or older.
So how much allowance should you give? Levine recommends 50 cents to a dollar for every year of age, on a weekly basis. For example, a 10 year old would receive $5 to $10 per week. As your child grows, so should his responsibility for his own discretionary spending.
Unemployed and you're looking for work
If you're unemployed, or you're not in full time work, you may get Youth Allowance as a job seeker.
If you're 21 or younger, you're dependent unless you meet 1 of the conditions that make you independent. This means your parents' or guardians' income may affect if you get a payment and how much you get.
Centrelink Youth Allowance claims typically take 2 to 6 weeks to process, with some sources suggesting 21 days for initial contact and 4-6 weeks for full assessment, but it heavily depends on having all documents ready and avoiding waiting periods like the ordinary waiting period (1 week) or liquid assets waiting period (1-13 weeks). You can claim up to 13 weeks before your circumstances change, and if you submit everything correctly and early, your payment can start from your course start date, with backdating possible.
You can claim Youth Allowance up to 13 weeks before you start full time study or an Australian Apprenticeship. If you want to claim as independent because you're turning 22, you can submit your claim up to 13 weeks before your birthday. If you claim early, you can be considered independent as soon as you turn 22.
What is the minimum wage in Australia? The National Minimum Wage is the minimum hourly rate you can be paid for the work you do, regardless of your job or industry. As of 1 July 2025, the minimum wage is $24.95 per hour ($948 per week).
Median Full-Time Australian Salary by Age. Full-time workers' median salary in Australia by age: 15-19: $800 per week ($41,600 annually) 20-24 years old: $1,190.30 per week ($61,895.60 annually)
To meet the qualifying child test, your child must be younger than you or your spouse if filing jointly and either younger than 19 years old or be a "student" younger than 24 years old as of the end of the calendar year.
If a child doesn't want to live with a parent, it might be a safety issue. If your child is old enough, ask what is happening there that makes him or her not want to go. For small children, ask them to draw a picture of life at Daddy's house. A professional counselor and lawyers might need to be involved.
If your parents or guardians earn too much, you won't be able to get a payment. Use our Payment Finder to find out how much you could get. It will be an estimate only and depends on you entering accurate information. You'll need to enter your partner's or your parents' or guardians' income along with other details.
Centrelink's Rent Assistance (RA) provides up to $215.40 per fortnight for a single person and $203.00 per fortnight for a couple, paid at 75 cents for every dollar of rent above a minimum threshold, varying by family situation and number of children, with rates updated twice yearly in March and September. The exact amount depends on your specific circumstances (e.g., single, partnered, sharing) and how much you pay in rent, with higher rent leading to higher assistance up to the maximum.
When talking to a landlord, avoid complaining about past landlords, lying about your history (like frequent moving or pets), asking for major changes upfront, or making unrealistic promises about rent/repairs; instead, focus on reliability, financial stability, and being a responsible tenant to build trust and show you'll protect their investment.
With a $1,000 weekly income, you can generally afford $250 to $300 in weekly rent, based on the common 30% rule (30% of $1,000), but some sources suggest a lower amount (25%) for more savings, making $250 a comfortable target, while prioritizing your overall budget is key. Aim for around $1,080 to $1,300 monthly, but this depends heavily on your other expenses like food, utilities, and debt.
To be eligible for the allowance, your child must: be living away from your usual NSW home address. have a primary carer who is a permanent resident of NSW. be enrolled at a government secondary school (Years 7 to 12) or non-government secondary school of preferred religion.
There are no extra payments for Centrelink customers. If you're not sure if Centrelink information you've seen online is real, search our genuine websites. See the link in the comments for more info 👇 The Guringai Festival had a story about a $750 one off payment for pensioners in December, 2025.
identification documents. parents' or guardians' or your partner's income and assets. evidence of why you need to live away from home. evidence that you're independent from your parents or guardians if you're under 22.