Commencing, returning to work or self-employment Parenting Payment (PP) 102-07030090

PP customers and/or their partner must notify within 14 days if they start or return to full-time, part-time or casual work to avoid incorrect payments.

The customer must be placed on variable reporting to make sure they are paid the correct rate of PP, when they or their partner start employment.

If a customer is profiled as an employment income reporter, their partner will usually also be required to report. See Reporting overview.

If the customer's partner reports using their online account or the Express Plus Centrelink mobile app:

• they must make sure their own employment income is included in their partner's report
• the partner will return to 2 weekly reporting if currently reporting less frequently

If the customer with employment income needs more details about income and reporting:

• direct them to the Services Australia website, and
• discuss the priority reporting line and the self service options

PP customers who have started or returned to work, or have ended employment can update their employment status through their Centrelink online account or Express Plus Centrelink mobile app. This will automatically place them onto, or turn off, the 2 weekly reporting requirement.

Eligible customers can also update their partner's employment status when the partner:

• does not receive an income support payment
• who receives an income support payment other than Disability Support Pension has given customer permission to enquire
• receives Age Pension (Blind) or Disability Support Pension (Blind) with Rent Assistance

Customers can accrue Working Credits during fortnights of little or no income and then use their Working Credit balance to increase the gross amount they can be paid before PP begins to reduce.

Once Working Credits are depleted, customers can be paid gross employment income up to their income free area before their payments start to reduce under the income test.

Assistance can continue during an employment income nil rate period, including Family Tax Benefit (FTB), a Health Care Card (HCC)/Pensioner Concession Card (PCC), and Telephone Allowance.

The customer can request immediate cancellation of their income support payment at any time.

Full-time Australian Apprentices may be eligible for ABSTUDY, Austudy or Youth Allowance. This may be a more helpful payment for the customer as the student income and asset tests apply.

Where a customer and/or their partner, who receives both income support and FTB/CCS payments, begins work, they must:

• declare their employment income fortnightly to make sure the income support payment is paid correctly, and
• check and update their current annual income estimates (if required)

Note: updating one does not automatically update the other. Service Officer should discuss the impact on the customer’s payments when the customer or their partner starts work.

Parents must also advise a return to work after caring for a child, to check their entitlement to FTB Part B quarantine.

Work/training/study test details may need to be updated for the CCS eligible hour limit.