It applies if you have funds equal to or more than either:
- $5,500 if you’re single with no dependants
- $11,000 if have a partner or you’re single with dependants.
Liquid assets are any funds readily available to you or your partner. This includes money your employer owes you.
The liquid assets waiting period may apply if you're making a new claim for 1 of the following payments:
We determine your liquid assets waiting period based on your personal situation and the amount of funds you have. The table below shows the number of weeks you need to wait based on your liquid assets.
| Number of weeks you’ll need to wait under the Liquid Assets Waiting Period | If you have a partner or you’re single – with dependants and your liquid assets are | If you’re single with no dependants and your liquid assets are |
|---|---|---|
| NIL | $0 to $10,999 | $0 to $5,499 |
| 1 | $11,000 to $11,999 | $5,500 to $5,999 |
| 2 | $12,000 to $12,999 | $6,000 to $6,499 |
| 3 | $13,000 to $13,999 | $6,500 to $6,999 |
| 4 | $14,000 to $14,999 | $7,000 to $7,499 |
| 5 | $15,000 to $15,999 | $7,500 to $7,999 |
| 6 | $16,000 to $16,999 | $8,000 to $8,499 |
| 7 | $17,000 to $17,999 | $8,500 to $8,999 |
| 8 | $18,000 to $18,999 | $9,000 to $9,499 |
| 9 | $19,000 to $19,999 | $9,500 to $9,999 |
| 10 | $20,000 to $20,999 | $10,000 to $10,499 |
| 11 | $21,000 to $21,999 | $10,500 to $10,999 |
| 12 | $22,000 to $22,999 | $11,000 to $11,499 |
| 13 | $23,000 or more | $11,500 or more |
We’ll tell you how long you have to wait when your claim is assessed.
Exemptions or waivers
We may waive the liquid assets waiting period if you’re experiencing severe financial hardship because of unavoidable or reasonable expenses.
You may be exempt if any of these apply:
- you or your partner have been subject to a liquid assets waiting period that started within the last 12 months
- you transfer from one payment to another within a 14 day period
- you have self-served this waiting period before claiming
- you qualified for JobSeeker Payment after getting another payment
- you're in a rehabilitation program with a Disability Management Service Provider
- you're doing an activity equivalent to a rehabilitation program.
If your partner has recently died
This waiting period may not apply if you’re recently widowed and both of these apply:
- you’re claiming either JobSeeker Payment or Youth Allowance with a bereavement period ending on or after 20 March 2020
- you submitted your claim 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 the pregnancy.