What your commitments are

There are some things you must do to keep getting your Parenting Payment.

While getting Parenting Payment you need to do all of the following:

Depending on your circumstances, you may need to meet either:

  • mutual obligation requirements
  • participation requirements.

Mutual obligation requirements

Mutual obligation requirements are tasks and activities you agree to do to keep getting Parenting Payment. You’ll have mutual obligation requirements when your youngest child turns 6.

Participation requirements

You have participation requirements if you’re a compulsory ParentsNext participant. We’ll tell you if you need to take part in ParentsNext. Read what your commitments are if you’re a ParentsNext participant.

Report employment income

If you get an income support payment from us, you must report any income you and your partner have been paid. You need to report every 2 weeks, even if it’s $0. This is so we pay you the right amount.

Before you can get your first payment, you need to report your and your partner’s income.

You can report your income in any of these ways, by:

You can check your reporting dates through your Centrelink online account.

When you report your income each fortnight, you may need to confirm you’re meeting your mutual obligation requirements.

Read about income reporting and get help using our Centrelink online account guides.

If you want to report your partner’s income online, you’ll need permission to enquire or have a nominee arrangement.

If you get Family Tax Benefit or Child Care Subsidy you may also need to update your family income estimate.

Change of circumstances

You must tell us if things change as it may affect your Parenting Payment. Read about what you need to tell us.

You can tell us using either:

Page last updated: 10 January 2023.