Understanding Centrelink. January 2026
The cancer experience can be extremely stressful. When this is combined with the financial burden that the inability to work causes, the experience can be unbearable. One client said that they did not know what was worse, the cancer or the financial stress that cancer caused. When one can access Super, this can help. Furthermore, income protection can also reduce this stress. However, not everyone has sufficient super or health insurance. Furthermore, if the cancer experience is stretched out over years, financial resources dwindle and other sou
rces of support are necessary. This is where Centrelink can help. However, accessing this assistance is sometimes confusing and frustrating. For this reason, in this article, we will explore how to access Centrelink and what kinds of assistance can be provided.
Centrelink offers a number of benefits to assist the carers and those with cancer. Some of these benefits include:
- The Disability Support Pension
- Carer Payment
- Carer Allowance
- Bereavement Payment
- Rent Assistance
- Pensioner Concession Care or the Health Care Card.
The Disability Support Pension assists if a person has a physical condition in which they cannot work for two years. In order to get disability support, you will need both non-medical and medical evidence. The non-medical rules include the age, residential status, income and assets. This means that you must be at least 15 years and 9 months of age and under the Age Pension age. You must be physically living in Australia and be an Australian resident. You must also be an Australian citizen, be a permanent visa holder or be a protected Special Category visa (SCV) holder from New Zealand.
The medical rules include manifest medical rules include if you are permanently blind, need nursing home level care, have a terminal illness with an average life expectancy of less than 2 years, have an intellectual disability with an IQ of less than 70, have category 4 HIV/AIDS or get a Department of Veteran’s Affairs Disability Compensation. The general medical rules include your condition is likely to persist for more than 2 years, is diagnosed, reasonably treated and stablised or has an impairment rating of 20 points or more.
The Carer Payment and Carer Allowance are other types of government support for those who care for those with cancer. If you are someone who is spending a considerable amount of time each day caring when you could be working, the Carer Payment may help you. The requirements for this payment include giving constant care for someone with a disability or a medical condition or an adult who is frail and aged. This payment can assist with support for caring for someone who needs at least 6 months of care, and can also include end-of-life care. On the other hand, Carer Allowance is a supplementary payment for those who are caring for someone with support needs on a daily basis and for at least 12 months. This includes those with a disability, with a medical condition and carers for those who are aged.
When your loved one dies, you may need support. Grieving for someone close to you can be difficult and there are payments and services that can help. Whether you get support depends upon your individual circumstances, your relationship to the deceased and notification about the person’s death. If the deceased is your partner, you may receive a lump payment to help with transition to a single income. However, both you and your partner must have been on an income support payment for at least the previous 12 months or on a pension. The amount paid is usually equal to the total that you and your partner minus your new single rate and be calculated over a 14-week period starting when your partner passed.
Whatever the situation, Bloomhill is always here to assist. We have a free financial advisor session for new Bloomhill Clients. We also have some funding to support access to services for clients in financial hardship. We always have an ear to listen to any kinds of concerns you may have. Please do not hesitate to come and see us should you need some support. Let us know your needs rather than suffering alone.
References
Cancer Council. (2024). Cancer and Your Finances: A guide for people with cancer, their families and friends. https://www.cancercouncil.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/Cancer-and-Your-Finances-2024.pdf
Services Australia. (2025). Carer Allowance. Australian Government. https://www.servicesaustralia.gov.au/carer-allowance
Services Australia. (2025). Carer Payment. Australian Government. https://www.servicesaustralia.gov.au/carer-payment
Services Australia. (2025). Disability Support Pension. https://www.servicesaustralia.gov.au/disability-support-pension
Services Australia. (2025). General medical rules. Australian Government. https://www.servicesaustralia.gov.au/general-medical-rules-for-disability-support-pension?context=22276
Services Australia. (2025). Getting support. Australian Government. https://www.servicesaustralia.gov.au/getting-support-if-youre-caring-for-someone?context=60097
Services Australia. (2025). Manifest medical rules. Australian Government. https://www.servicesaustralia.gov.au/manifest-medical-rules-for-disability-support-pension?context=22276
Services Australia. (2025). Medical evidence. https://www.servicesaustralia.gov.au/medical-evidence-for-disability-support-pension?context=22276#a2
Services Australia. (2025). Medical rules. Australian Government. https://www.servicesaustralia.gov.au/medical-rules-for-disability-support-pension?context=22276
Services Australia. (2025). Non-medical rules. Australian Government. https://www.servicesaustralia.gov.au/residence-rules-for-disability-support-pension?context=22276
Services Australia. (2025). Residence rules. Australian Government. https://www.servicesaustralia.gov.au/residence-rules-for-disability-support-pension?context=22276
Services Australia. (2025). Rules you need to meet. https://www.servicesaustralia.gov.au/who-can-get-disability-support-pension?context=22276
Services Australia. (2025). What help there is when an adult dies? Australian Government. https://www.servicesaustralia.gov.au/what-help-there-when-adult-dies?context=60101
Services Australia. (2025). Who can get it? Australian Government. Services Australia. (2025). Medical evidence. https://www.servicesaustralia.gov.au/medical-evidence-for-disability-support-pension?context=22276#a2
Please contact our Nurses on 07 5445 5794 or [email protected] if you have any questions.
All information provided by Bloomhill is mainly based on research from the Qld Cancer Council and best practice guidelines. Our model of care utilizes the Clinical Oncology Society of Australia (COSA) domains of wellness along with available clinical evidence. Always consult your care team regarding matters that affect your health. This is a guide intended for information only.
