Seniors, pensioners and carers eligible for $250 Centrelink payment

There are just two weeks left until millions of Australians get their $250 support payment from the Government. Here’s how it works.

The deadline is looming for millions of Australians to get a $250 Centrelink payment that will land be in pockets by March.

To receive the payment, you must be in Australia and meet eligibility requirements by the cut-off date of February 26, 2021.

Those eligible for the payments include aged and disability pensioners, veterans and carers.

Seniors who hold a Commonwealth Seniors Health Card (CSHC) are also eligible to receive the payments.

Holders of the relevant cards do not need to do anything to apply as the money will be paid automatically into their bank accounts. However, those who aren’t sure of their eligibility are strongly advised to check before the February 26 deadline.

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The payments aim to support seniors, pensioners and carers. Picture: iStock

WHAT IS THE PAYMENT FOR?

The Economic Support Payments were unveiled in the 2020-21 Budget as part of the Government’s coronavirus stimulus package.

The stimulus is a $500 handout split into two $250 payments. The first lot of $250 payments was made in December – but it’s not too late to access the second payment.

Eligible Australians will receive $250 straight into their bank account from March 2021 as a payment that will only be issued once.

National Seniors chief advocate Ian Henschke previously said in a statement that self-funded retirees “are among the hardest hit” by COVID-19 and “could really do with some extra cash in their pockets”.

The payments will support more than 2.5 million pensioners and about 400,000 self-funded retirees who hold a seniors health card.

The handouts will also help support more than a million people with disabilities and their carers as well as 760,000 low-income families.

DO YOU QUALIFY FOR A CSHC?

National Seniors Australia has advised self-funded retirees to check their eligibility for the CSHC to see if they can claim the one-off benefit.

The country’s peak consumer group for older Australians said tens of thousands of self-funded retirees may be under the impression they don’t qualify for the CSHC when in fact they do.

“I urge all self-funded retirees who are not CSHC holders to at least check the eligibility criteria,” National Seniors chief advocate Ian Henschke previously said in a statement.

To qualify, an individual must have reached the pension age and meet an income test. They also need to not be receiving any payments from Veterans Affairs and must be Australian resident living in Australia.

There is more information on the Services Australia website.

Originally published as Seniors, pensioners and carers eligible for $250 Centrelink payment