Support Living Payment (SLP) is a weekly payment for people who are severely restricted in their ability to work due to a health condition. This requires a medical certificate from your GP to confirm you cannot regularly work more than 15 hours per week for the next 2 years.

Jobseeker Support is a temporary benefit available when a health condition is affecting your ability to work fulltime.

Jobseeker Support with Medical Deferral is available when a health practitioner has confirmed you cannot work fulltime due to a health condition.

Disability Allowance can cover regular ongoing costs related to a medical or health need up to $75 per week. It is income tested. This allowance is also available for the Non-Beneficiary if all eligibility criteria are met.

Here are some of the things that you may be able to get your GP to confirm that you need covered by the Disability Allowance:

• Doctor's fees.

• Prescription fees.

• Travel to your doctor, specialist, hospital or counsellor.

• Heating.

• Medical alarm rental and monitoring.

• Hearing aid batteries.

• Lawn mowing.

• Gardening.

• Special clothing requirements e.g. compression stockings.

• Exterior window cleaning.

• Special foods e.g. gluten free foods.

• Other treatments, such as:

  • Chiropractor

  • Podiatry

  • Physiotherapy/Gym fees.

  • Herbal supplements (e.g.pro-biotics).

  • Unfunded prescription medications.

Accommodation Supplement provides weekly assistance towards your rent, board or mortgage payments. It is income and asset tested. This is also available for the Non-Beneficiary if all eligibility criteria are met.

Temporary Additional Support (TAS) is a weekly payment to help with essential daily living costs when you don’t have enough money for these. It can be paid for up to 13 weeks and would need to be re-applied for after that. It is available for Non-Beneficiaries if they meet the income and asset tests, and the other criteria.

Special Needs Grant may cover one-off essential costs when you don’t have the funds. You do not need to pay this back. It is asset and income tested, and can be used for costs such as food, some dental treatment, health travel costs, medical equipment.

Recoverable Assistance Grant may cover essential costs not covered by the Special Needs Grant. This is generally paid direct to the supplier on your behalf. Repayments are automatically deducted from your weekly payments, at a rate agreed on with the case manager processing the payment. Costs that may be covered include clothing, car repairs, glasses, hearing aids.

Supported Living Payment for Carers is a weekly payment if you are caring fulltime for a person would otherwise need to receive hospital or residential-level care.

Child Care Subsidy assists towards pre-school childcare costs and may be useful to consider accessing if you care for children while living with chronic illness, to ensure that you have opportunities to rest.