Ordinary waiting period

When you have to wait

The one week ordinary waiting period applies if you claim:

Other waiting periods may also apply. We calculate which waiting periods apply to you when we assess your claim. We’ll let you know how long you have to wait.

When you don’t have to wait

Depending on your situation, you may not have to wait the one week waiting period.

If you reclaim a payment

If you reclaim a payment within 13 weeks of your last payment, you may not have to wait. This may apply if your last payment was one of these:

an income support payment from us
a Department of Veterans’ Affairs Service Pension
a Veteran Payment
an Income Support Supplement.

If your partner has recently died

This waiting period may not apply if you’re recently widowed and you submitted your claim for JobSeeker Payment or Youth Allowance for job seekers within 14 weeks of your partner’s death.

If you were pregnant at the time of your partner’s death, you must have submitted the claim before either:

the birth of your child
end of your pregnancy.

If you’re a job seeker who needs more support

If we’ve assessed you as needing more support from an employment services provider, you may also not have to wait.

If you get a severe financial hardship waiver

If you’re in severe financial hardship, we may waive the waiting period. Your hardship must be due to a personal financial crisis that has happened in the past 4 weeks. We may ask you for evidence.

A personal financial crisis includes any of the following:

unavoidable or reasonable expenses
domestic or family violence
being in prison or psychiatric confinement
entering Australia on a qualifying humanitarian visa
losing your home, or damages to your home, due to extreme circumstances.

How to tell us if you’re in severe financial hardship

You can tell us as part of your phone appointment with us. You can also call us on your regular payment line. You can do this anytime during your waiting period.

Page last updated: 17 June 2021