Centrelink has many benefits and subsidies which you may be eligible to apply for depending on your circumstances.

There are three health concession cards available- the Health Care card, Pensioner Concession card and Commonwealth Seniors Health Card (CSHC) which provide medicines at a reduced cost under the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS). The Health Care card and Pensioner Concession card also provide some subsidies for health and transport costs but these vary from state to state.. For more information log onto www.australia.gov.au/Health_&_Safety or www.centrelink.gov.au or phone 13 10 21.

Health Care Cards

1. Health Care card for low income earners to help with the cost of medicines and a limited number of concessions.
2. Pensioner Concession card is for low income earners receiving certain Centrelink benefits to help with medicine costs and a some concessions.
3. Seniors Health card is for people who are of pension age but don’t qualify for the pension.

If you are ill, injured or have a disability other benefits may apply to you and your family including:

• Carer Payment - income support for people who can’t work because they are caring for a person with a profound disability with high daily care needs.
• Carer Allowance - not means tested and is a supplementary payment for people who provide daily care and attention for children or adults with a disability, a severe medical condition or who are at home, elderly and frail. This is in addition to a Carer’s Payment.
• Disability Support Pension - a payment for people who are blind or whose physical, intellectual or psychiatric impairment stops them from working.
• Sickness Allowance - a short term payment for employed people who are temporarily unable to work because of an illness or medical condition.
• Mobility Allowance - for those who cannot use public transport without substantial assistance and who are working, studying or completing independent living training.
• Pensioner Education Supplement - helps with the cost of studying for people enrolled in an approved course.
• Newstart Allowance - a benefit paid while you are looking for work or while you take part in activities which help you look for employment such as a job seeking course, computer training etc.
• Youth Allowance - for people aged between 16-24 studying an apprenticeship or traineeship and for people between 16-20 years who are undertaking work related training. It helps people who are ill or temporarily incapacitated, those only able to work part time or who are the main carer of a dependent child.
• Urgent payments - providing early delivery of part of a current customer's accrued entitlement, paid prior to the usual payday (i.e. not an extra payment) due to unforeseen financial hardship circumstance including medical emergencies and medication (excluding non life threatening, ongoing medication and treatment).
• Special Benefits payment - a discretionary payment decided by the Department of family and Community Services helps if you are in severe financial because of circumstances outside your control. This may include medical emergencies and medication.

Telephone Centrelink www.centrelink.gov.au on 13 2850.