What happens when your child turns 16

If you’re getting a payment from us and your child turns 16 there are some things you and your child need to know and do.

Your child can do all the following:

• apply for a tax file number (TFN) without your help
• access their immunisation history statement themselves
• open their own bank account
• get their own Medicare card
• register as an organ donor.

Depending on the circumstances, your child can also be eligible for their own payment. It’s important to understand how your payment can change.

How your payment could change

If your child claims their own payment, your payment could change depending on your circumstances.

Family Tax Benefit (FTB)

If you get FTB and your child claims a payment, your FTB for that child will be cancelled.

If your child’s claim is rejected, you need to call us. Your FTB for this child may be restored if they still meet the study and other eligibility requirements.

FTB and study requirements

When your child turns 16, you may continue to get FTB for them if your child does any of the following:

• full time secondary study or equivalent
• has an acceptable adjusted study load
• is exempt from their study requirements.

If their study load changes, you need to update this information, it may impact your FTB payments. Read more about changes to FTB if your child is 16 to 19.

If your child repeats Year 12 or an equivalent qualification, you need to contact the Centrelink families line.

Employment for teenagers and FTB

If your child starts work while you’re getting FTB for them, you don’t need to let us know. Your child’s income won’t impact your FTB payments.

If your child is 16 or older and starts work, they’ll need to meet the study and other eligibility requirements. If they continue to meet study and other eligibility requirements, you don’t need to do anything.

JobSeeker Payment

If you get JobSeeker Payment, when your child turns 16, it may result in changes to your:

• payment rate
• income threshold
• mutual obligation requirements.

Read more about change of circumstances when you get JobSeeker Payment.

If you want to discuss your situation, you can also call the Centrelink employment services line.

Carer Payment and Carer Allowance

If you get Carer Payment or Carer Allowance for a child in your care who is about to turn 16, we’ll ask if you want to transfer your Carer Payment or Carer Allowance from a child payment to an adult payment.

If you don’t complete the transfer to adult payment, your Carer Payment and/or Carer Allowance will stop.

Read more about transferring Carer Payment and Carer Allowance from child to adult.

What payment your child could get

Your child may be eligible for a payment once they turn 16 or 18. This depends on their circumstances.

Youth Allowance

They may be able to get Youth Allowance if they’re any of the following:

• looking for full time work
• an Australian Apprentice
• independent.

They may also be able to get Youth Allowance if one of the following applies:

• they need to live away from home to study
• they’ve finished Year 12 and will continue their studies, for example at TAFE or university.

Read more about Youth Allowance.

ABSTUDY

They may be eligible for ABSTUDY if they’re an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australian, 16 or older and are either:

• studying full time
• doing an Australian Apprenticeship full time.

Your income will continue to impact your child’s eligibility for payments until they’re 22.

Read more about dependent or independent for Youth Allowance or ABSTUDY.

Disability Support Pension

Your child may be eligible for Disability Support Pension (DSP). This applies if you have a child with disability or a medical condition that stops them from working. It must be a permanent physical, intellectual or psychiatric condition.

Your child must also meet the non-medical rules to get DSP.

If they’re eligible, they can get paid DSP when they turn 16. They can start a claim early, from 13 weeks before they turn 16.

Read more about Disability Support Pension.

Carer Payment or Allowance

If your child is a carer, your child may be able to get Carer Payment if they either:

• provide constant care to someone who needs care for at least 6 months
• are caring for someone at the end of their life.

Read more about Carer Payment.

Your child may be able to get Carer Allowance if they provide daily care to a person who needs ongoing care for at least 12 months or has a terminal medical condition.

Read more about Carer Allowance.

Other payments

To help find, estimate and compare payments your child may be eligible for, you can use the Payment Finder.

Getting Medicare benefits

Your child must update their bank details to get Medicare benefits. They need to do this whether they have their own Medicare card or choose to stay on your card.

Other payments and services

Find out more about applying for a TFN on the Australian Taxation Office website.

Your child may also be eligible for Child Dental Benefits Schedule.

If you have a child with disability, you may continue to qualify for Child Care Subsidy until they’re 18. Read more about Child Care Subsidy.

Australian Organ Donor Register

Once your child turns 16, they’re old enough to be on the Australian Organ Donor Register. This is the national register for decisions about donating organs and tissue for transplant.

If your child’s Medicare online account is linked to myGov, they can sign in now to register.

Sign in to myGov

They can also register:

• using the myGov app
• through the online form on the DonateLife website
• by filling in a printed form.

Find out more about the Australian Organ Donor Register.