Ordinary waiting period

When you have to wait

The 1 week ordinary waiting period applies if you claim:

• Newstart Allowance
• Parenting Payment
• Sickness Allowance
• Youth Allowance for job seekers.

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 for 1 week.

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 1 of these:

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

If you’re a job seeker who needs more support

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

If you get a severe financial hardship waiver

We may waive the waiting period if you’re in severe financial hardship. 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:

• 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.