Utilities Allowance, Seniors Concession Allowance and Telephone Allowance - from 20 March 2008
- is a supplementary allowance to help certain income support recipients with utilities bills, such as electricity and gas
- is paid to income support recipients over Age Pension age
- is paid to recipients of Mature Age Allowance, Widow Allowance, Partner Allowance, Bereavement Allowance, Disability Support Pension, Carer Payment, Wife Pension and Widow B Pension regardless of age
- is $500 a year for singles or $250 a year for each eligible member of a couple
- is paid in quarterly instalments in March, June, September and December.
Seniors Concession Allowance:
- is a supplementary allowance to help certain seniors with household costs
- is paid to Commonwealth Seniors Health Card holders
- is $500 a year for each card holder
- is paid in quarterly instalments in March, June, September and December.
Telephone Allowance:
- is a supplementary allowance to help maintain a home phone
- is available to pensioners, Commonwealth Seniors Health Card holders and certain income support recipients, who are telephone subscribers
- standard rate is $88 a year for singles or $44 a year for each eligible member of a couple
- is paid in quarterly instalments in March, July, September and January.
Higher rate of Telephone Allowance (for home internet connection):
- is available to certain Telephone Allowance recipients to help maintain a home internet service
- is available to recipients of Age Pension, Disability Support Pension and Carer Payment, Commonwealth Seniors Health Card holders or Department of Veterans' Affairs pensioners, and certain income support recipients who are of age pension age, who have a home Internet connection
- higher rate is $132 a year for singles or $66 a year for each eligible member of a couple
- is paid in quarterly instalments in March, July, September and January.
To find out more about your eligibility for these payments:
- visit your nearest Centrelink Office
- telephone 13 2300, or
- visit the Centrelink website.