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When you can get Disability Support Pension (DSP) payment is based on your circumstances. There may be some waiting periods that affect how soon you can get your first payment.
What you need to do before you get paid
You’ll need to report your income and hours worked before we can make your first payment. Read more about employment income reporting.
When you’ll get paid
In most cases, you’ll get your first DSP payment around 2 weeks after we approve your claim. You may have to wait if any waiting periods apply. Once your payment starts, we’ll pay you fortnightly.
We calculate the waiting period that applies to you when we assess your claim. The time it takes us to assess your claim doesn’t affect your waiting period. You can expect to hear from us within 21 days of submitting your claim.
If your Centrelink online account is linked to myGov, you can check your completed claim online. Sign in now to find out:
- when we’ve accepted your claim
- when your payment will start
- if and when you need to report your income.
Why you may have to wait
In some circumstances, you may have to wait for your first payment.
You got a lump sum payment when you finished work
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.
The income maintenance period won’t apply if you’re permanently blind and getting DSP.
You recently finished seasonal work
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 the seasonal work preclusion period.
You’ve had a compensation payment
If you’ve had a lump sum compensation payment. The time you have to wait depends on how much your lump sum payment is. Use our compensation estimator or phone us on your regular payment line for information about your compensation preclusion period.
We have tips and tools for budgeting and managing your money during this time.