When you'll get your first payment

When you’ll get paid

You’ll get your first Youth Allowance payment 2 weeks after we grant your payment. Then each fortnight after that.

We calculate the waiting periods that apply to you when we assess your claim. If you don’t have a waiting period, you’ll get your first payment within 2 weeks once your claim is successful.

You can expect to hear from us within 42 days of submitting your claim. We’ll give you an estimated completion date when you submit your claim online.

We often process claims before the date we estimate. However, in busy times like before semester 1, claims can take longer to process.

The time it takes us to assess your claim doesn’t affect your waiting period.

Once you’ve completed your claim check your Centrelink online account through myGov. It will tell you all of the following:

• when we’ve accepted your claim
• if your claim is in progress
• if your claim is on hold because we’ve asked you to send us more information, or we’re checking your enrolment
• when your payment will start
• when you need to report your income each fortnight
• what date your first income report is due.

Why you may have to wait

You have savings or other money

You may have to wait 1 to 13 weeks if you or your partner have liquid assets over certain limits. Liquid assets are any funds readily available to you or your partner. This includes money owed by you or your partner’s employer.

Read about liquid assets waiting periods.

You got a lump sum payment when you left your job

You may have to wait if your employer paid you a lump sum as either:

• annual leave
• a redundancy when you left.

The time you have to wait is relative to the lump sum payment. Read about income maintenance periods.

You’ve had a compensation payment

You may have to wait if you’ve had a lump sum compensation payment. The time you have to wait is relative to your lump sum payment. Use our estimator or contact us for information about your compensation preclusion period.

You recently finished seasonal work

You may have to wait if you or your partner finished seasonal, contract or intermittent work in the 6 months before claiming.

The time you need to wait depends on how much you earned and how long you were working. Read about seasonal work preclusion periods.

You’re new to Australia

If you've recently arrived in Australia as a resident, you may have to wait up to 4 years to qualify. Read about the newly arrived resident’s waiting period.

Next: How to report and manage your payment

There are things you need to do while you’re getting Youth Allowance as a student or an Australian Apprentice.