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Centrelink Advance Payment Calculator — How Much and What You Repay

An advance is part of your Centrelink payment paid early as a lump sum. You repay it automatically: the advance divided by 13 comes out of each of your next 13 payments. On JobSeeker, Parenting Payment, Youth Allowance or Austudy it is $250 to $500; on a pension, up to $1,764.15 single.

Official ATO ratesUpdated FY2026-27Free foreverNo signup required

Advance Repayment Calculator

$

Between $250.00 and $500.00.

$

Before the advance repayment. The starting figure is only an example — enter your own.

Repayment each fortnight
$38.46
for 13 fortnights on a $500.00 advance
Advance paid to you$500.00
Repayment (÷ 13)-$38.46
Your usual payment$824.90
Paid to you each fortnight while repaying$786.44
Repaid over 13 fortnights (about 6 months)$499.98

We round each repayment to the cent, so 13 of them can differ from the advance by a few cents. You can ask to repay faster, or repay early.

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How Much Advance Can You Get?

PaymentLowestHighestRepayment on highest
JobSeeker, Parenting Payment, Youth Allowance, Austudy or ABSTUDY$250.00$500.00$38.46
Age Pension, Carer Payment or DSP — single$588.05$1,764.15$135.70
Age Pension, Carer Payment or DSP — member of a couple$443.30$1,329.90$102.30
Special Employment Advance$50.00$500.00$38.46
Family Tax Benefit Part A (all advances combined)—$1,430.46$110.04

Pension amounts change with pension rates each March and September; these are the figures published after the 20 September 2026 change. If you get a part-rate pension, or you are under 21 on Disability Support Pension, the advance is worked out from the pension you actually get. Farm Household Allowance: $250 to $500. FTB Part A: a regular advance is 3.75% of the standard rate for one child under 13, paid every 26 weeks; a one-off advance is up to 7.5% of your annual rate.

Who Can Get an Advance Payment?

  • After at least 3 months on: Age Pension, Carer Payment, Disability Support Pension, Farm Household Allowance, JobSeeker Payment, Parenting Payment or Youth Allowance (job seeker).
  • At any time on: ABSTUDY Living Allowance, Austudy, Youth Allowance (students), Family Tax Benefit Part A or Mobility Allowance.
  • Once in 12 months on ABSTUDY, Austudy, Farm Household Allowance, Mobility Allowance, JobSeeker, Parenting Payment (unless you became single in the past 28 days) and Youth Allowance.
  • Pensions: in any 6 months or 13 fortnights, one advance at the highest amount, up to two smaller advances, or three at the lowest amount. You can take it all at once or in 2 instalments.

You can't get one if you're still repaying an advance from more than 12 months ago, owe a debt to the Australian Government, can't afford to repay it within 6 months, have less than the lowest advance available, or are outside Australia. When you apply you'll be asked how much you have left each fortnight after regular expenses.

Special Employment Advance

A separate advance of $50 to $500 for people who have been on Austudy, Carer Payment, Disability Support Pension, JobSeeker, Parenting Payment Single or Youth Allowance for at least 3 months and get a job of at least 6 weeks that will cut their payment by at least 50% — to buy things needed to start, such as work boots, tools or hi-vis — or whose employer hasn't paid them yet and won't for another 2 days. It is claimed with a form rather than online. Starting work will reduce your payment through the income test: see the JobSeeker payment calculator.

How to Apply

  1. Sign in to myGov, go to Centrelink, then Payments and claims → Manage payments → Manage advance payments (or Apply for Advance). You'll see whether you're eligible now or when you will be.
  2. Enter how much you have left each fortnight after rent, food, bills, travel and other regular costs.
  3. Choose an amount within the range shown, and one payment or two instalments (FTB advances are one instalment).
  4. Review the fortnightly repayment, agree to the declaration and submit. You get a receipt straight away saying whether it was successful.

You can also apply in the Express Plus Centrelink app, by phone self service, by calling your payment line or at a service centre. If you have a nominee, you can't apply through your own online account.

Related Calculators and Guides

How this calculator works▼
  • Repayment = advance ÷ 13, to the cent, as Services Australia states. Paid to you = usual payment − repayment, floored at $0.
  • Advance limits are Services Australia's published figures, read 23 September 2026. The calculator does not check eligibility, previous advances or debts.
  • Pay Calculator Australia is not Services Australia. Your online account shows your actual range.

Frequently Asked Questions

Centrelink advance payment questions and answers

How much Centrelink advance can I get?

It depends on the payment. On JobSeeker, Parenting Payment, Youth Allowance, Austudy or ABSTUDY the advance is between $250 and $500. On Age Pension, Carer Payment or Disability Support Pension it is $588.05 to $1,764.15 if you are single, or $443.30 to $1,329.90 if you are a member of a couple. FTB Part A advances can't total more than $1,430.46.

How do I pay back a Centrelink advance?

Automatically. The advance is divided by 13 and that amount is taken out of each of your next 13 payments, starting from your next payday. A $500 advance costs $38.46 a fortnight. You can choose to repay faster, or repay early.

How often can I get an advance?

On JobSeeker, Parenting Payment, Youth Allowance, Austudy and ABSTUDY, once in 12 months. On a pension, within any 6 months you can have one advance at the highest amount, up to two smaller ones, or three at the lowest amount. You need to have been on JobSeeker, Parenting Payment, a pension or Youth Allowance (job seeker) for at least 3 months first.

Why was my advance payment rejected?

The reasons Services Australia lists: you had an advance on the same payment in the past 12 months, you are still repaying one from more than 12 months ago, you owe a debt to the Australian Government, you can't afford to repay it within 6 months, you have less than the lowest advance amount available, or you are outside Australia.

It depends on the payment. On JobSeeker, Parenting Payment, Youth Allowance, Austudy or ABSTUDY the advance is between $250 and $500. On Age Pension, Carer Payment or Disability Support Pension it is $588.05 to $1,764.15 if you are single, or $443.30 to $1,329.90 if you are a member of a couple. FTB Part A advances can't total more than $1,430.46.

Automatically. The advance is divided by 13 and that amount is taken out of each of your next 13 payments, starting from your next payday. A $500 advance costs $38.46 a fortnight. You can choose to repay faster, or repay early.

On JobSeeker, Parenting Payment, Youth Allowance, Austudy and ABSTUDY, once in 12 months. On a pension, within any 6 months you can have one advance at the highest amount, up to two smaller ones, or three at the lowest amount. You need to have been on JobSeeker, Parenting Payment, a pension or Youth Allowance (job seeker) for at least 3 months first.

The reasons Services Australia lists: you had an advance on the same payment in the past 12 months, you are still repaying one from more than 12 months ago, you owe a debt to the Australian Government, you can't afford to repay it within 6 months, you have less than the lowest advance amount available, or you are outside Australia.

Sources & References

  1. 1
    Advance payment— Services Australia
  2. 2

Last verified: 23 September 2026. Our content is based on the latest information from official Australian government sources.

What to check next

People reading this page usually work these out too.