Australia — Help & Advice
Government services & financial support (Australia)
This page focuses on what support the government can provide (payments, concessions, and official pathways) and how to access it without getting bounced between agencies. It’s built for real life: quick eligibility filters, the best official entry points, what to prepare, and what to say.
The big idea (so you don’t miss money)
- Most support is triggered by one of four situations: partner death, caring responsibilities, dependent children, or a veteran/DVA connection.
- Some help is a lump sum, some is a temporary continuation, and some is a rate change to an existing payment.
- You’ll move faster if you collect your details first (see the documents list) and use the official “start pages” below rather than random forms.
Start here (the fastest path to support)
If you only do three things, do these.
- Use the official Services Australia starting page to identify the most relevant payments for your situation (partner / children / carer): Services Australia — What help is available when a loved one dies.
- If the person was your partner and you were receiving Centrelink income support or a pension, check for a bereavement payment (often calculated over a period): Services Australia — What help there is when an adult dies.
- Check if there’s a superannuation death benefit and understand the tax rules before you accept a payment type (lump sum vs income stream): ATO — Superannuation death benefits.
Important
Quick eligibility filters (so you don’t waste time)
Answer these in 60 seconds. They determine almost everything.
1) Were they your partner?
If yes: bereavement payments may apply (especially if you were both on Centrelink income support or a pension). Start here: Services Australia — partner/adult death support.
2) Are there dependent children?
If yes: your eligibility and rates for family payments can change, and you may need to update circumstances quickly. Use the myGov guide that brings payments + “money after death” together: myGov — Payments & managing your money when a loved one dies.
3) Were you a carer?
If you were receiving Carer Payment or Carer Allowance, there may be a short continuation period and specific rules. The myGov page above is the cleanest official entry point to navigate this.
4) Any veteran / DVA link?
If the person was a veteran or receiving DVA payments, bereavement and funeral-related benefits may apply through DVA: DVA — Bereavement payments.
If you’re unsure where to start
Services Australia (Centrelink): what help exists
Think of this as the government’s “payments hub” for most families.
Services Australia provides a set of bereavement-related payments and services — but which ones apply depends on your relationship to the person and what payments (if any) you and they were already receiving. The official overview is here:
Services Australia — Death of a loved one (hub)
How to use these pages efficiently
If the person was your partner (bereavement payments)
This is often the highest-impact government support category.
If your partner died, you may be eligible for a lump sum bereavement payment (conditions apply, including what payments you and your partner were receiving). Services Australia explains this pathway here:
Special case: Pension Bonus Bereavement Payment
If your partner was registered in the Pension Bonus Scheme and died before successfully claiming the bonus, a specific bereavement payment may apply:
Services Australia — How to claim (Pension Bonus Bereavement Payment)
Common reality
If you were a carer (Carer Payment / Carer Allowance)
This can determine temporary continuation and what you can transition to.
If you were receiving a carer payment and the person you cared for dies, there may be a short continuation period and/or a pathway to transition your payment based on your new circumstances. The myGov guide is the most direct official entry point:
Practical approach
If there are children (payments & childcare support)
Children change eligibility, rates, and what Services Australia needs from you.
If you’re responsible for children after a death, you may need to update your family circumstances and check eligibility for payments and services that support children and carers. Start with the official overview:
myGov — Payments & managing your money when a loved one dies
Why this matters
Veterans / DVA support (if applicable)
Separate system: if the person had DVA involvement, check this early.
If the person who died was a veteran or receiving DVA support, there may be DVA bereavement payments, funeral benefits, and other assistance. Start here:
Practical
Superannuation & tax: ATO official pathways
Not a “payment” from government, but often the largest financial piece — and government rules matter.
Super death benefits can be paid to dependants/beneficiaries, and the tax treatment depends on your relationship and how the benefit is paid. Use the ATO’s official guides:
ATO — Accessing a deceased person’s tax and super information
Do this before you accept a payment type
Documents & info to prepare (the real-world list)
This is what makes calls and claims go from 6 weeks to 6 days.
- Death certificate (and a scan). If you don’t have it yet, ask what can start without it.
- Your ID details + the deceased’s key identifiers (e.g., DOB, address, reference numbers if known).
- Bank account (BSB/Account) for any payments to you.
- Proof of relationship / dependency (partner status, children details, carer relationship where relevant).
- Any existing Centrelink / DVA / super fund reference numbers (letters are gold).
- Super fund name(s), employer fund details, and last employer info if you’re searching for super.
- A simple “call log”: date, who you spoke to, what they said, and any reference number.
Tiny habit, huge payoff
What to say (copy-paste scripts)
Short, direct prompts that reliably get you the right answers.
Services Australia (partner / general)
“I’m checking what bereavement support applies in my situation. Can you confirm whether I’m eligible for any bereavement payments or temporary continuation, and tell me exactly what I need to submit? Please give me a reference number and the expected timeframe.”
Carer scenario
“I was receiving Carer Payment/Allowance. The person I cared for has died. What continues temporarily, what stops, and what should I claim next to avoid a gap in support?”
DVA
“Can you check if any bereavement payments or funeral benefits apply based on the veteran’s circumstances? What payments stop, what continues, and what can I claim as a partner/dependant? Please send the document list.”
Super fund
“I’m calling about a superannuation death benefit. What benefit options are available, what documents do you need, and how long does assessment usually take? Are there tax considerations I should understand before choosing a payment type?”
Common mistakes that cost money
These are the traps that delay payments or lead to missed entitlements.
- Assuming “they already know” means you don’t need to claim. In practice, many supports require an action (claim / update circumstances) to trigger the right outcome.
- Focusing only on one system (e.g., Centrelink) and missing another (DVA, super fund, employer-linked benefits).
- Not keeping reference numbers or a call log — which turns every follow-up into a restart.
- Accepting a super payment without checking what options exist and how tax rules apply (use the ATO pages).
If you’re overwhelmed
Next steps
Use the right page for the right job.
- For the full admin checklist (notifications, documents, practical steps): What to do after a death (Australia).
- For legal/estate topics (probate, wills, executor duties): Legal & estates (Australia).
- For emotional support and grief resources: Grief & bereavement support (Australia).
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