Lost Your Partner? Every Centrelink Payment and Support Available

We're sorry for your loss. This is an incredibly difficult time, and dealing with government agencies is probably the last thing you want to think about. But notifying Centrelink promptly protects your payments and can unlock additional support you're entitled to.

You can notify Centrelink of your partner's death by calling the Bereavement line on 132 300 (select the bereavement option). You can also visit a Services Australia office in person if you'd prefer face-to-face support — staff are trained to handle these conversations with care, and you can bring a support person with you.

You'll need your partner's full name, date of birth, date of death, Centrelink Reference Number (if known), and a death certificate or funeral director's letter. If you don't have the death certificate yet, that's okay — a funeral director's letter or notification from the hospital is sufficient initially. The death certificate can be provided later.

Centrelink will update your record from 'partnered' to 'single', which triggers changes to your payment rate and means test thresholds. These changes are generally in your favour — single rates are higher than the individual partnered rate.

If your partner was receiving an Age Pension, Disability Support Pension, or Carer Payment at the time of their death, you may be entitled to a Bereavement Payment. This is designed to help you adjust financially during the transition from couple to single rates.

The Bereavement Payment works like this: for the 14-week bereavement period following your partner's death, you'll continue to be paid at a rate that ensures you're not worse off than you were as a couple. In practice, this means you'll receive the combined couple rate for that 14-week period, rather than immediately switching to the single rate.

Since the single rate ($1,116.30 per fortnight for Age Pension) is higher than the individual share of the couple rate ($841.40 each), you effectively receive a lump sum top-up that covers the difference between the combined couple rate and your new single rate over those 14 weeks. This can amount to several hundred dollars.

If your partner was NOT receiving a Centrelink payment but you were, your own payment rate will be reassessed as a single person from the date of death. You won't receive a bereavement payment in this case, but your single rate will almost certainly be higher than your previous partnered rate.

If neither of you was receiving a Centrelink payment, your partner's death may now make you eligible for one — the assets and income that were previously assessed as a couple are now assessed against the more generous single thresholds.

Here's something that surprises many people: your Centrelink payment will usually increase after your partner passes away. That's because single rates are higher than the per-person couple rate across almost every payment type.

For the Age Pension, the single rate is $1,116.30 per fortnight compared to $841.40 per person for couples — that's $274.90 more per fortnight ($7,147 more per year). For JobSeeker, the single rate is $762.70 compared to $698.30 per person for couples. For the Disability Support Pension, it's $1,116.30 single vs $841.40 partnered.

Your income test free area also changes. For the Age Pension, the single income free area is $204 per fortnight, compared to $360 combined for couples. The assets test thresholds change too — as a single homeowner, you can have up to $301,750 in assets for the full pension (compared to $451,500 as a couple). While the couple threshold is higher in absolute terms, you may now have fewer total assets as a single person.

If your partner's assets were jointly held, you'll need to work through how those are now assessed. Jointly held assets like bank accounts and property that pass to you will be counted as your assets. Superannuation death benefits that are paid to you will also be counted. Centrelink will reassess your situation — make sure to provide updated asset details.

The assets test thresholds shift when you move from couple to single status, and understanding this is important for ensuring you receive the correct payment.

As a single homeowner, the full pension assets threshold is $301,750 (compared to $451,500 for a couple). As a single non-homeowner, it's $543,750 (compared to $693,500 for a couple). The cut-off points where you lose the pension entirely are $674,000 for single homeowners and $916,000 for single non-homeowners.

Your partner's superannuation death benefit is the big one to watch. If your partner had $300,000 in super and it's paid to you as a lump sum, that money becomes your assessable asset. Depending on your other assets, this could push you over a threshold. However, if the death benefit is paid as a reversionary pension (an income stream that continues to you), the assessment may be different — the account balance is assessed as your asset, and the income is subject to deeming rules.

Life insurance payouts are also counted as assets once received. If you're expecting a significant payout, it's worth getting advice on how to manage it to minimise the impact on your pension. You have 12 months from your partner's death to reorganise your financial affairs under a provision called the 'bereavement exemption' — during this period, Centrelink gives you some leeway on reassessment of assets.

Beyond the bereavement payment and rate increase, there are several other forms of support available to you.

If you're under Age Pension age and not currently receiving a payment, you may now qualify for JobSeeker Payment, Parenting Payment Single (if you have children under 14), or the Disability Support Pension. Being newly single often changes your eligibility because the means tests are now assessed on your income and assets alone.

The Pension Supplement is automatically included in your Age Pension or DSP and increases when you move to the single rate. The Energy Supplement also increases from $10.60 per fortnight (couple rate each) to $14.10 (single rate).

If you were your partner's carer and receiving Carer Payment or Carer Allowance, those payments will stop 14 weeks after your partner's death. During that 14-week period, you continue to receive them. After that, you'll need to claim a different payment such as Age Pension or JobSeeker.

Centrelink can also refer you to social workers who provide free, confidential counselling and support. You don't need to be receiving a payment to access this — any Australian can request to see a Centrelink social worker by calling 132 850.

Dealing with paperwork and finances while you're grieving is exhausting. Please don't try to do this all at once — you have time. Centrelink won't penalise you for taking a few weeks to get everything sorted, as long as you've made initial contact.

Beyond Centrelink, these free services can help. GriefLine provides free telephone and online grief counselling — call 1300 845 745 (Monday to Friday, 6am to midnight AEST). Beyond Blue offers support for depression and anxiety that often accompanies bereavement — call 1300 22 4636 (24/7). Lifeline provides 24/7 crisis support on 13 11 14.

If your partner was a veteran, the Department of Veterans' Affairs offers bereavement support and you may be entitled to a DVA war widow/widower pension, which can be paid in addition to the Age Pension. Contact DVA on 1800 555 254.

Many community organisations also offer practical help — meals, transport to appointments, and companionship. Your local council can direct you to services in your area. Services Australia social workers can also connect you with community support services appropriate to your situation.

Take it one step at a time. Call the bereavement line, let them know what's happened, and they'll guide you through what needs to happen next. You don't need to have all the paperwork ready for that first call.