Starting your claim

You can start an early claim if you know your circumstances are going to change.

When you can submit your claim for JobSeeker Payment depends on your circumstances.

When you can start your claim

You can start your claim for JobSeeker Payment either:

• up to 13 weeks before your circumstances change
• as soon as you know your circumstances have changed.

This could be if either:

• you’ll be working less hours and you meet the Income test
• you know you’re going to lose your job.

When you start your claim, we’ll ask if any of the following circumstances apply to you now:

• you’re unemployed or on reduced hours
• you’ll soon be unemployed or on reduced hours
• you’re unable to work or study due to an illness or injury
• your partner recently died.

You’ll be asked to tell us the date you expect your circumstances to change. If you’re claiming early, answer you’ll soon be unemployed or on reduced hours.

You’ll be able to complete the following sections of the claim, your:

• personal details
• circumstances
• financial details.

If you start an early claim

When you start an early claim for JobSeeker Payment, you can save and see your claim in your Centrelink online account through myGov.

You can save your early claim but can’t submit it until 14 days before your circumstances change.

We’ll notify you 14 days before the date you told us your circumstances will change. This is so you can review your details to submit your claim.

We won’t process your claim until you’ve reviewed and submitted it. If your situation changes, you can withdraw your claim at any time. We’ll assess your claim as quickly as we can.

After you submit your claim

We’ll give you a receipt for your claim so you can track its progress. There’s no need to call us.

We’ll let you know when your claim is finalised and the outcome. You can only get the payment after you submit your claim, we assess it and your claim is granted.

If you want help while you wait for your claim outcome read while you wait for your Centrelink claim outcome.

Example of when you can start your claim early

Rebecca knows that her employment will stop on 14 August this year. This means she can start her claim as early as 15 May this year. This date is 13 weeks before her circumstances change.

Rebecca starts her claim and saves it. We send her a message on 1 August to submit her claim. This day is 14 days before her circumstances change.

If she submits her claim between 1 August and 14 August, she’ll be eligible for payment from 15 August if both apply:

• we assess her claim to see if she meets eligibility requirements
• we grant her claim.

If she submits her claim any date after 14 August, she’ll be eligible for payment from the date she submitted the claim if both apply:

• we assess her claim to see if she meets eligibility requirements
• we grant her claim.

When she’ll get her first payment will depend on any waiting periods applicable to her, based on her circumstances.

Read more about when you’ll get your first payment to get more information on what factors affect your first payment.