Cost of Living Payment 101-22033004

A person was entitled to the $250 Cost of Living Payment if on the 29 March 2022, they were:

• residing in Australia, and
• received one of the following payments or held one of the following concession cards:
• ABSTUDY (Living Allowance) unless on nil rate
• Age Pension
• Austudy
• Carer Payment (CP)
• Carer Allowance (CA) (paid if not receiving a primary income support payment)
• Disability Support Pension (DSP)
• Double Orphan Pension (DOP)
• Farm Household Allowance (FHA)
• JobSeeker Payment (JSP)
• Parenting Payment (PP)
• Special Benefit (SpB)
• Youth Allowance (YA) (students, apprentices and job seekers)
• Commonwealth Seniors Health Card holders (CSHC)
• Pension Concession Card (PCC) not receiving a payment
• Department of Veterans' Affairs (DVA) eligible payments or DVA Gold card

The Resources page has a list of eligible Department of Veterans' Affairs payments.

Customers who only received one of the following payments or concession cards:

• Assistance for Isolated Children (AIC)
• Child Care Subsidy (CCS)
• Crisis Payment (CrP)
• Essential Medical Equipment Payment (EMEP)
• Ex-Carer Allowance (Child) Health Care Card
• Family Tax Benefit (FTB)
• Foster Child Health Care Card
• Health Care Card only Carer Allowance
• Jobs, Education and Training Childcare Assistance
• Low Income Health Care Card (LIC)
• Mobility Allowance (MOB)
• Dad and Partner Pay (DAP)
• Paid Parental Leave (PLP)
• Australian Government Disaster Recovery Payment (AGDRP)
• Disaster Recovery Allowance (DRA)
• Single Income Family Supplement (SIFS)

Payments were made automatically.

• The Cost of Living Payment was paid from late April 2022. Customers did not need to lodge a claim
• Paid to the person's nominated bank account
• Department of Veterans' Affairs (DVA) eligible customers were paid directly from DVA

Customers who were in an institution and on a group payment schedule received the Cost of Living Payment.

Customers receiving ABSTUDY Living Allowance had their Cost Of Living Payment paid to the applicant/parent.

Customers who held a Commonwealth Seniors Health Card (CSHC) may not have had their bank account information recorded. These customers had access to add or update their bank account information through their Centrelink Online Account or Express Plus mobile app. The opportunity was taken to obtain their bank account details if these customers contacted the agency. When customer bank details were added or updated for a CSHC holder, the system automatically checked their Cost of Living Payment eligibility and issued the payment if needed. Payments issued were not available to view immediately, but were visible on the customer's record the following day.

The Cost of Living Payment showed on the following screens:

• Payment Summary (PS)
• Payment Detail (PD)
• One Off Payments (OOP)
• One Time Payment Main Menu (OTPMM)

The system did not run a check on the customers Cost of Living Payment eligibility where the customer was not claiming or receiving an eligible payment or concession card on the eligibility test date. In these cases, the OTPMM screen did not show an option to check the Cost of Living Payment.

To be eligible to receive the Cost of Living Payment the customer must have been living in Australia during the eligibility period or overseas for an approved portability reason. The Travel Outside Australia Summary (TOAS) screen showed the customer's overseas travel and portability information.

See Tier 0 technical support - self-sufficiency if technical support is needed.

Customers who were eligible for the Cost of Living Payment received a letter to advise of the payment being made to their nominated bank account.

Eligible customers received their payment within 3 business days after the payment was issued. The Cost of Living Payments did not align with the customer's fortnightly income support payment.

The Cost of Living Payment was income managed, consistent with other lump sum payments.

The Cost of Living Payment was not a recoverable debt unless it has been determined that the payment was obtained fraudulently. An example is if the customer knowingly made a false or misleading statement, or knowingly provided false or misleading information in order to receive payment. Staff members recorded a tip off via the Report Suspected Fraud and Corruption System. See Resources for the link.

See References for a link to the Cost of Living Payment legislation.

If the customer has a debt raised for Cost of Living Payment or the customer appeals a decision about the Cost of Living Payment, follow Initial contact about a decision and the review of decision process processes.