The Australian government offers various Centrelink payments, such as Family Tax benefits, Jobseeker payments, Age pension, Youth allowance, and many others, to support eligible Australians and help them manage their expenses with the rising cost of living and their financial hardships.
Recently, there’s been news that the government will initiate a Centrelink one-off payment for eligible Centrelink recipients. According to the news, the recipients can receive a one-time payment between $250 to $1300, depending on the benefit they qualify for.
With the rumors of the one-time Centrelink payments, the Aussies are wondering if this payout is real or not. The Australian government has not made any official statement on such one-time payments, so Aussies have to wait till the official announcement is released.
| Rumor | Centrelink One-time payment |
| Payout | Up to $1300 |
| Real or False | False news |
| Don’ts | Never click the link or form given with such rumors |
| Report Scam at | https://www.centrelink.gov.au/wps/portal/clk_common/TORS#stay |
| Official Website | https://www.servicesaustralia.gov.au/ |
What’s rumored about?
Currently, many third-party websites and social media posts say the Australian government is going to process the Centrelink one-time payment this April 2025. According to the rumors, the government is initiating such payments to support the vulnerable group of people with the rising cost of living.
The rumors say the government designed this payment to provide financial relief to the people and survive the increasing cost of essential items and services. Many rumors suggest the government will process a one-time payment between $250 to $750 to the pensioners who receive the Centrelink Age Pension.
Some rumors suggest that the government is giving a $1144 cost-of-living payment under the Centrelink benefits. The Aussies who are wondering about the credibility of such payments should know that the Australian government has not made any official statement of one one-time payment. So, unless there is an official statement, this news is just rumors that you should never believe in.
Possibility of Payout in 2025
As mentioned earlier, the Australian government has not made any official statement about the Centrelink one-off payment to the eligible recipients, so the possibility of such a payment is low. The Australian government has occasionally offered a one-time payment in the past.
The government introduces such payments in critical situations or special circumstances, for instance, during COVID-19. In the past, the government has also introduced $250 cost-of-living payments in 2022 for Australians, like low-income earners, pensioners, carers, and other vulnerable people.
The government has to look into several factors before announcing such payments, like the economic condition of the nation, the effect of one-time payments on the treasury, and other aspects.
Precautionary measures
With such a rumor in circulation, there is a chance that scammers are targeting vulnerable people. They lure vulnerable people with boosted government support or an upcoming new payment they qualify for to get their personal information or to access their financial account and steal their hard-earned money.
The government warns the citizens from such type of activities and instructs them to take the following precautionary measures:
- You should never click the link or fill out the form given with these rumors and share your personal or financial information.
- You should never believe in the social media posts, messages, or emails from third-party apps acting as government officials, and always check the official website for validation of the news.
- You should know the government will never contact you through social media platforms or other sources to apply for a particular benefit. Generally, the one-time payment is made automatically based on the data the officials already have, so the recipients do not have to apply for such additional payments.
- If you come across any such suspicious activity or posts spreading fake rumors, you should immediately report it to the officials.
Where to report?
The Centrelink recipients who come across any one-time payment rumor or have received any message or email regarding this should immediately report it to the authorities without clicking any link or replying to the scammer.
You can report the potential scam to the Report Suspected Fraud to Centrelink service online at https://www.centrelink.gov.au/wps/portal/clk_common/TORS#stay. You can report against the individual or business organization you suspect of fraudulent activity through this service and protect your privacy. The online service uses secure communication to protect your privacy, so be sure and report any potential scams.
The Centrelink one-time payment is false news, so the Aussies should be aware of such rumors and never share their information, as it can be a scheme from potential scammers.