How to claim

Parenting Payment is claimed through Services Australia, usually online through a Centrelink online account linked to myGov, or by phone or in person at a service centre if online claiming is not possible. You cannot claim before the birth of a child, so a claim lodged in anticipation of a birth will not be accepted as a Parenting Payment claim. The claim itself is only the start: Services Australia must verify identity, caring arrangements, residence, income and assets before payment begins, and incomplete information is the most common reason a claim takes longer than expected.

What to have ready

Have proof of identity for yourself and, where relevant, your partner, details of the child or children in your care, including their dates of birth and care arrangements, your bank account details, your tax file number, and details of your income, your partner's income, and your assets. If you are separated, have details of the separation and of any care arrangement for the children. If you rent, have your lease or rent details ready, because Rent Assistance is assessed with the claim. If you have a partner, your partner's details will be needed even if your partner is not claiming, because partner income and assets are assessed. Documents that do not match, such as a name spelled differently on two documents, should be explained at lodgement rather than left for an officer to query later.

Residence and waiting periods that can delay payment

Two residence waiting periods can delay a first payment for a newly arrived resident: the 2-year qualifying residence period and, for a first permanent visa granted on or after 1 January 2019, the 4-year newly arrived resident's waiting period, served at the same time. A person who has already served those periods, an Australian citizen, or a person with an exemption will not face them. Separately, some new claimants face an ordinary waiting period of 1 week, and leave or redundancy payments can create an income maintenance period that delays or reduces payment. Liquid assets can also create a waiting period, with the length depending on the amount of readily available funds. These periods are not penalties; they are built into the payment rules, but they mean a successful claim does not always produce an immediate first payment, and budgeting for a gap is prudent.

After you lodge

Services Australia may contact you for more information, for example about care arrangements, a partner's income, or an asset. Respond promptly and keep copies of everything you send. Before your first payment, you will need to report your income and your partner's income, because the payment cannot be calculated without it. Once the claim is granted, you will be given a reporting schedule if you need one, and your obligations, if any, will be explained. If the claim is rejected, the decision letter should explain why, and the review options are covered on the reporting page and in the FAQ. A rejection because a document was missing is different from a rejection because the caring test or a means test was not met, and the right next step depends on which reason applies.

Tips that save time

Use the same name and address details across myGov, Centrelink and your bank account, and update them together when you move. Keep a short note of every call, including the date, the officer's name if given, and what was agreed. If you use a representative, such as a family member helping with the claim, make sure the authorisation is recorded, because Services Australia cannot discuss your claim with another person without it. Finally, do not assume a claim for Family Tax Benefit or Parental Leave Pay is also a claim for Parenting Payment. Each payment has its own claim, and the comparison page explains which claims a family commonly needs.