The Centrelink Rent Assistance Hack for Students

Free Money Left on the Table

If you have successfully fought through the bureaucracy to receive Centrelink Youth Allowance or Austudy, there is a secondary payment you must claim: Commonwealth Rent Assistance (CRA).

It is a non-taxable income supplement added automatically to your fortnightly payment if you pay rent in the private market.

How Much Do You Get?

The amount scales based on how much rent you pay, up to a maximum cap.

If you are a single student with no children sharing a house, the maximum you can receive is roughly $125 to $130 a fortnight.

This equates to an extra $3,200 a year in free government money. That covers a month of groceries.

The Lease Agreement Trap

Centrelink does not just take your word for it. You must prove you are paying rent.

If you are officially on the lease agreement with the real estate agent, this is easy. You upload the lease to MyGov, and the money starts flowing.

The Problem: Many students sublet a room informally. They pay cash to a head-tenant and their name is not on any official paperwork. If you do this, Centrelink will require a formal "Rent Certificate" signed by the person you are paying rent to. If the head-tenant refuses to sign it (often because they are illegally subletting to you without the landlord's permission), you will be denied Rent Assistance.

On-Campus Accommodation

If you live in a university-owned residential college or student village, you are usually eligible for Rent Assistance. Ensure you get an official occupancy statement from the university housing office to submit to Centrelink.

Always ensure your housing arrangements are legal and documented. An informal cash-in-hand room might save you $20 a week, but it will cost you $60 a week in lost government assistance.