Applying for Centrelink is only the first step. Even if your claim is approved quickly, you might not receive your first payment immediately due to various waiting periods. Depending on your financial situation and the payment you are claiming, you could be waiting anywhere from one week to several months.
1. The Ordinary Waiting Period (OWP)
The Ordinary Waiting Period is a standard one-week (7-day) wait that applies to most working-age payments, including JobSeeker Payment, Youth Allowance (for job seekers), and Parenting Payment.
This period starts from the date you submit your claim or the date you become eligible, whichever is later. You are not paid for these seven days.
Exemptions to the Ordinary Waiting Period
You may be exempt from the OWP if you:
- Are experiencing severe financial hardship.
- Are reclaiming a payment within 13 weeks of your previous payment cancelling.
- Have been receiving another income support payment within the last 13 weeks.
- Are escaping domestic or family violence.
2. Liquid Assets Waiting Period (LAWP)
The Liquid Assets Waiting Period applies if you have readily available funds (liquid assets) when you claim JobSeeker, Youth Allowance, or Austudy. The more money you have, the longer you wait, up to a maximum of 13 weeks.
What counts as a liquid asset?
Liquid assets include cash on hand, money in bank accounts, term deposits, shares, and loans you have made to others. It does not include your family home, superannuation (unless you have reached preservation age), or physical assets like a car.
LAWP Thresholds for 2026
You will serve a LAWP if your liquid assets exceed:
- $5,500 if you are single with no dependents.
- $11,000 if you have a partner or dependents.
For every $500 (single) or $1,000 (couple/with dependents) above these thresholds, you wait an additional week, up to the 13-week maximum.
3. Income Maintenance Period (IMP)
If you recently left a job and received a payout—such as annual leave, sick leave, long service leave, or a redundancy package—Centrelink treats this payout as income. The Income Maintenance Period calculates how many weeks that payout represents based on your previous normal wage, and you cannot receive Centrelink for that duration.
For example, if you received a redundancy payout equivalent to 10 weeks of your normal salary, your IMP will be 10 weeks.
4. Newly Arrived Resident's Waiting Period (NARWP)
If you are a new permanent resident to Australia, you generally have to wait up to 4 years (208 weeks) before you can receive most Centrelink payments, including JobSeeker, Youth Allowance, and Austudy. Family Tax Benefit Part A has a 1-year waiting period.
Refugees and humanitarian entrants are generally exempt from the NARWP.
How to Survive the Waiting Period
If you are serving a waiting period and have run out of money, you can contact Centrelink to claim Severe Financial Hardship. If approved, your waiting period (specifically the LAWP or OWP) may be waived or reduced. You will need to provide bank statements proving you have spent your funds on unavoidable or reasonable expenses (like rent, food, or medical bills) and have less than the fortnightly payment rate left.