on this page
We’ll send you a letter in the mail about your Youth Allowance claim outcome. If it’s approved, you’ll need to do a few things before you can get your first payment.
What you need to do
To get your payment you’ll need to report your employment income and complete a Job Plan. You may also need to complete a Career Profile. If you need to do this, we’ll let you know.
If there’s any changes in your circumstances, you must tell us.
Report your employment income and hours worked
To get your first payment, you’ll need to report your employment income. Every 2 weeks, you need to tell us what you and your partner earned in that period. If you worked but your employer hasn’t paid you yet, report your hours. You won’t get your payment until you do this.
The easiest way to report is online. You can also find out what day you need to report.
To do this, you need a Centrelink online account linked to myGov. If you don’t have a myGov account or a Centrelink online account you’ll need to create them.
You can also report using:
You need to continue to report every fortnight, even when your and your partner’s income is zero.
If you want to report your partner’s income online, you’ll need permission to enquire or have a nominee arrangement.
Agree to a Job Plan and meet your requirements
Your Job Plan is an agreement you make to meet your mutual obligation requirements.
If we approve your claim, you'll need to complete your Job Plan. There’re different ways to do this, depending on your circumstances.
If you’re with an employment services provider, you’ll complete your Job Plan at your first appointment with them.
If you’re with Workforce Australia Online, you’ll need to agree to your Job Plan online. You can access this in your Centrelink online account.
If you’re fully meeting your mutual obligation requirements by doing an approved activity agreed with us, you’ll need to complete a Job Plan with us.
If your Centrelink online account is linked to myGov, sign in now to agree to your Job Plan. If you don’t have a myGov account or a Centrelink online account you’ll need to create them.
If you have any questions about your Job Plan, you can either:
- call us on your Centrelink payment line
- call your employment services provider.
If you’re with Workforce Australia Online, call the Digital Services Contact Centre on the Workforce Australia website.
To keep getting your payment you need to complete activities to help you get a job. We’ll let you know if you’re exempt from these.
Read more about Job Plans on the Workforce Australia website.
Complete a career profile
The profile is a summary of your skills, training and work history that helps match you with job vacancies.
If you’re referred to Workforce Australia Online, it’s compulsory for you to complete a profile. You won’t be able to agree to a Job Plan until you do.
It will show as a task on the homepage of your Workforce Australia online account.
You don’t need to complete a profile if you’re in the Workforce Australia program Transition to Work.
You also don’t need to complete a profile if you’re in either:
- Disability Employment Services
- Community Development Program.
Read about creating a profile or watch the video on the Workforce Australia website.
Tell us about any changes
You need to let us know if there’s a change in your circumstances. You should also regularly check the information in your online account is correct. This is so we can make sure we pay you the right amount. If we pay you too much you’ll get a debt you need to pay back.
Changes may include:
- a change in your relationship status
- a change in your income
- a change to your or your partner’s income or financial assets of more than $2,000
- you or your partner open or close a bank account
- moving house or changing living arrangements
- buying or selling a car, house or other assets.
If your Centrelink online account is linked to myGov you can sign in now to tell us about changes to your circumstances.
You can also tell us using:
How much you’ll get paid
The amount you’ll get depends on your personal situation including:
- if you have a partner
- if you have children
- the gross amount your or your partner’s employer paid you or your partner in the past 14 days.
Read more about how much you can get.
How to contact us
The best way to do most of your Centrelink business is online. To do this you need a Centrelink online account linked to myGov.
You can also use the Express Plus Centrelink mobile app.
If you can’t do your business online, you can call us on the Centrelink Employment Services Line.
Who to contact about your mutual obligation requirements
If you want to discuss your mutual obligation requirements, who you talk to depends on your situation. This is if you want to discuss things including the following:
- job search requirements
- your Job Plan
- appointments
- the Job Seeker Snapshot.
If you’re in Workforce Australia Online
You can call the Digital Services Contact Centre on the Workforce Australia website.
If you have an employment services provider
You should talk to your employment services provider directly. You can also call the National Customer Service Line on the Workforce Australia website.