How to claim

Steps to claim Special Benefit

1. 

    

   1. Get ready to claim

   The easiest way to claim is online. If you have a correspondence nominee they can claim for you online.

   If you or your nominee don’t have a myGov or Centrelink online account you’ll need to set them up. You’ll need your Centrelink Customer Reference Number (CRN) to link your Centrelink online account to myGov.

   If you’re a non-resident parent or guardian claiming on behalf of an Australian citizen or permanent resident child, you can’t claim online. You must use a paper form to claim.

2. 

    

   2. Get your documents ready to claim

   During your claim, we’ll ask you to give us some documents to support your claim. These depend on your situation and the questions we need to ask you.

   You can check what supporting documents we ask for to help you get these ready before you claim

3. 

    

   3. Make your claim

   If you can claim online

   1. Sign in to myGov and go to Centrelink.
   2. Select Payments and Claims from the menu, then Claims, then Make a claim.
   3. Under Other Payments, select Get started.
   4. Select Apply for Special Benefit
   5. Answer all the questions. Each screen has information to help you complete the claim. This includes how to submit your supporting documents.
   6. Submit your claim.

   When you're ready:

   Sign in to myGov

   If you can't claim online

   If you’re not using the online claim, fill in and sign the Claim for Special Benefit form. You must use this option if you’re a non-resident parent or guardian claiming on behalf of an Australian citizen or permanent resident child.

   The claim form guides you through the questions and tells you what documents we need. This includes any other forms you need to complete.

   You won’t be able to track the progress of your application if it is not submitted online.

4. 

    

   4. Track your claim

   After you submit your claim online, you’ll get a receipt. It’ll tell you:

   • your claim submission was successful
   • the ID number of your claim
   • a link you need to track its progress.

   You can track the progress of your claim online. Sign in to myGov and go to Centrelink, or use the Express Plus Centrelink mobile app.

   We’ll let you know the result of your application. We’ll send a message to your myGov Inbox.

   If you don't get electronic letters, we'll send you a letter in the mail.

   We’ll ask you for more details if we need them.

   You can ask us to review our decision if you think we’ve made a mistake.

Next: How to manage your payment

Your options and obligations for Special Benefit.