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We update these rates at different times each year.
If you’re single, a job seeker, principal carer or exempt from mutual obligation, we update your rates on 20 March and 20 September.
In all other circumstances, we update your rates on 1 January.
Youth Allowance for job seekers who are 16 or older is a taxable Centrelink payment. Read about paying tax on your payment.
Conditions when the payment rate increase applies
The rate of Youth Allowance for job seekers increased for some customers from 20 September 2023.
Base rate increase
Your payment rate increased by $40 if you’re eligible.
You don’t need to do anything. We’ve applied the increase automatically.
The increase is effective from 20 September 2023. This means you may get a partial increase in your first payment after this date, and the full increase after that.
You can check your payment rate in your Centrelink online account through myGov.
Conditions when the payment rate increase doesn’t apply
Depending on your situation, the $40 increase announced in the Budget may not apply to your payment.
If you’re a principal carer and have a mutual obligation exemption
This increased payment rate from 20 September 2023 doesn’t apply if you meet both of the following:
- you’re the principal carer for a dependent child
- you have a mutual obligation requirements exemption.
The mutual obligation requirements exemption may be due to any of the following reasons:
- foster caring
- non-parent relative caring due to a court order
- home schooling
- distance education
- large family.
Payment rates
This table is a guide only.
| Your circumstances | Your maximum fortnightly payment from 20 September 2023 |
|---|---|
| Single, no children, younger than 18, and live at your parent’s home |
$372.90 |
| Single, no children, younger than 18, living away from your parent’s home to study, train or look for work |
$602.80 |
| Single, no children, 18 or older and live at parent’s home |
$429.40 |
| Single, no children, 18 or older and need to live away from parent’s home |
$602.80 |
| Single, with children |
$760.40 |
| A couple, with no children |
$602.80 |
| A couple, with children |
$652.60 |
|
Single, job seeker, principal carer and exempt from mutual obligation requirements because you:
You’re a single, job seeker, exempt from mutual obligation requirements because you’re the main carer of a large family. This means 4 or more dependent children younger than 16 or 16 to 19 in secondary school. |
$970.20 |
Personal and partner income and assets tests may affect how much you can get. If you use your income protection insurance, we’ll count it as income. This may affect how much you get.
If you’re dependent, the parental income test will also apply. If you’re younger than 18 and dependent, your parent or guardian will usually get the payment. If you’re a dependant, we’ll ask for details of your parents’ taxable income in September or October each year.
The amount you get may change if you or a family member’s circumstances change.