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Welfare to Work

The Welfare to Work package is a $3.6 billion Australian Government initiative, designed to support and assist, those people that can, move off welfare and into work.

With a balance of support through improved services, increased financial incentives and some new obligation requirements, the Welfare to Work package includes new eligibility rules for income support payments, more places in employment services, changes to participation rules and a new compliance system.


What does the package include?

The package includes changes to income support payments and an increase in employment and related services to help address the employment needs of a number of income support recipients (particularly parents, people with a disability, mature age and long term unemployed job seekers).

The changes also recognise the untapped skills of job seekers and are designed to give you more opportunities to prepare for, find and keep a job.

As education and training can be the best pathway to work for some job seekers there will be more places in vocational education and training, the Language Literacy and Numeracy Programme, and the Career Planning Programme.

There will be increased child care places, additional fee support reaching more customers through the Jobs Education and Training (JET) Child Care Fee Assistance and changes to Child Care Benefit eligible hours.

The Welfare to Work package will be implemented from 1 July 2006.

 

The Welfare to Work customer mailout

Between 27 March and 26 May 2006, Centrelink sent letters to over two million working age customers to explain how the Welfare to Work changes may affect them. Go to the Welfare to Work customer mailout page to find out more.

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The 'Helping people move into work' community information pack

A community information pack has been developed to help Centrelink staff explain the changes that will happen with the 1 July 2006 implementation of Welfare to Work. The pack includes information on who is affected, copies of the letters sent to customers as part of the targeted mailout and additional information about the new compliance system and changes to the income tests. It also contains information for multicultural and Indigenous customers.

Go to the 'Helping people move into work' - A community information pack in the Publications section of this website.

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The 'Helping people move into work' Factsheet

This factsheet has been developed to provide a brief overview of the changes being implemented for 1 July 2006. It has information for existing customers who will be affected as well as new customers claiming certain Centrelink payments.

Go to the 'Helping people move into work' Factsheet in the Publications section of this website.

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The Welfare to Work Indigenous Factsheets

The Indigenous factsheets provide tailored information to Indigenous customers to further support the mailout that was sent to all working age customers throughout March to May advising of the 1 July 2006 changes.

Go to the Indigenous Publications in the Publications section of this website.

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When do the changes commence and what is changing?

The changes will be introduced from 1 July 2006 and will focus particularly on:

  • people with disabilities - From 1 July 2006, people who are assessed as capable of working 15–29 hours per week will have to look for work to their level of capacity. Depending on their individual needs, people will have access to specialist disability services, Vocational Rehabilitation, Australian Apprenticeships, job search and placement help, and ongoing workplace support. No-one will be expected to participate or work beyond their capacity. The changes will not affect people who were on Disability Support Pension before 10 May 2005.

  • parents/principal carers - From 1 July 2006, people granted income support who are principal carers of a child or children will generally have to seek part-time work if their youngest child is aged between 6-15 years. These customers will have to register with an employment service provider and look for paid work of at least 15 hours per week. Job Network’s new Employment Preparation service will help parents prepare for work and they will have access to other support services such as subsidised child care. Some exemptions will apply to parents with special family circumstances. People who are already on Parenting Payment will have to seek part-time work from 1 July 2007 or when their youngest child turns seven, whichever is later.

  • people who have been unemployed for a long time - From 1 July 2006, long-term unemployed job seekers will have access to more help to find employment. They will face increased obligations if they fail to participate in activities and services that are designed to help them find a job. New and expanded services will better meet their needs, including (depending on their circumstances) Job Capacity Assessments, Wage Assist, Full-time Work for the Dole and access to other employment support services.

  • mature age job seekers - From 1 July 2006, people aged 50 to 64 will have the same obligation to look for work as other job seekers. However, job seekers aged 55 and over will be able to meet their obligations by undertaking part-time work or volunteering for 30 hours or more per fortnight. New support services including Job Network’s new Employment Preparation service will improve opportunities for all these groups of older job seekers.

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More information?

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