Costs associated with a chronic disease such as mito can soon escalate and can be compounded by a loss of income. The Australian Government offers payments to people suffering from a disabling illness, their family members and carers. Unfortunately these payment systems can be confusing and time-consuming to access.
The Mito Foundation has attempted to simplify the process by creating an index of relevant payments. The list will expand over time, as the Mito Foundation becomes aware of additional payments which members of the community are eligible for.
If you receive a payment or service that you think the mito community should know about, please let us know. For further information please contact our Helpline on 1300 977 180 or email helpline@mito.org.au
Payments for patients
Assists eligible people who have permanent and severe incontinence to meet some of the costs associated with continence and continence related products.
Eligibility basics:
- have permanent or severe incontinence
- aged 5 years or more
- not reside in a high-care Australian Government funded aged care home
Financial support for people who have a physical, intellectual or psychiatric condition that stops them from working or people who are permanently blind.
Eligibility basics:
- aged between 16 years of age and Age Pension age, and either
- permanently blind, or
- have been assessed as having a physical, intellectual, or psychiatric impairment, and
- unable to work, or to be retrained for work, for 15 hours or more per week at or above the relevant minimum wage within the next 2 years because of the impairment
- have been assessed as having a severe impairment or as having actively participated in a Program of Support
Helps with the additional cost of running essential medical equipment, medically required heating or cooling, or both.
Eligibility basics:
- are covered by a Commonwealth concession card issued by the Department of Human Services or the Department of Veterans’ Affairs
- provide proof that the heating or cooling or specified equipment is medically required
- are responsible, either wholly or partly, for meeting the energy costs associated with running the equipment
Provides subsidised access to hearing assessments, support services, and hearing equipment.
Eligibility basics:
- hold a Pension Concession Card and/or be receiving Sickness Allowance
Participants of the NDIS may also be able to access hearing services through their program if referred by their NDIA planner. Apply online at www.hearingservices.gov.au or by calling 1800 500 726.
Provides a higher Medicare rebate outside of hospital setting once you meet a prescribed threshold. You will pay the same initial cost for your appointment, but will receive a higher rebate.
If you are single with no dependent children, you are automatically registered and will start receiving higher benefits once you have reached the threshold.
If you are in a de facto relationship or if you’re married and/or have dependent children, you can register as a family. Medicare will then combine your payments so you are more likely to meet the threshold sooner.
Click here for further information about the Medicare Safety Net, including how to register as a family.
Helps you to participate in approved activities when you have a disability, illness or injury.
Eligibility basics:
16 or over
Unable to use public transport without substantial assistance due to disability, illness or injury
Travel to and from home for paid work, voluntary work, study or training, or to look for work
Find out more
Paid as part of certain regular fortnightly income support payments to help eligible people meet the costs of daily household and living expenses.
Eligibility basics:
- The supplement is paid automatically to people who are already receiving selected payments.
Helps students with the ongoing costs of full-time or part-time study in a secondary or tertiary course.
Eligibility basics:
- Studying full-time in an approved secondary or tertiary course. Part-time study is approved in some circumstances
- Already receiving a payment or pension
Financial help to people who pay rent and receive a Centrelink payment.
Eligibility basics:
- Receive a pension
- Receive an allowance or benefit
- Receive more than the base rate of the Family Tax Benefit
Helps with the costs of maintaining a telephone and a home internet service if you receive certain income support payments
Eligibility basics:
- You may be eligible for the basic rate if you have a telephone connected, such as a landline, fax or a mobile phone, in either your or your partner’s name and receive selected benefits
- In certain circumstances, you may be eligible for a higher rate
Helps you to meet the costs of regular bills such as gas, electricity and water when you are on certain Centrelink payments.
Eligibility basics:
- You may be eligible if you receive, Disability Support Pension and are aged under 21 with no dependent children, Partner Allowance or Widow Allowance
Payments for youth
Financial help for people aged 16 to 24 years who are studying full time, undertaking a full time Australian Apprenticeship, training, looking for work or sick.
Eligibility basics:
- Eligibility for Youth Allowance is based on your age, the course you are studying, income and assets and residence requirements.
Additional financial support if you’re a young person with physical, intellectual or psychiatric disability and you receive certain income support payments.
Eligibility basics:
- If you receive Disability Support Pension and you’re 20 years of age or younger, you will automatically receive the Youth Disability Supplement in your Disability Support Pension payment.
- You may also be eligible for the supplement if you’re 21 years of age or younger and receiving:
- Youth Allowance as a job seeker, full time student or Australian Apprentice, or
- ABSTUDY as a full time student or Australian Apprentice
- and you have a current assessment showing you have an illness, injury or disability which prevents you from working 30 or more hours a week and is expected to last more than 2 years.
Payments for parents
Help for families with students who cannot go to a state school because of geographical isolation, disability or special health needs.
Eligibility basics:
- have a school aged child undertaking primary, secondary or tertiary study who lives in an isolated area, or
- have a school age child with disability or a special need that cannot be met at a local state school, and
- the child needs to board away from home, live in a second family home to attend a local education institution, or study from home
A payment for people aged 22 years or older, but under age pension age, who temporarily cannot work or study because of an injury or illness.
Eligibility basics:
- be 22 years or older, but under age pension age, and have a job or be getting ABSTUDY as a full time student, or
- be 25 years or older, but under age pension age, and getting Austudy as a full time student, and
- meet income and asset test requirements
- provide a medical certificate from your doctor stating you cannot work or study
- have work or study to return to when you are better
An income supplement for carers who provide additional daily care and attention for someone with a disability or medical condition, or who is frail aged.
Eligibility basics:
- provide additional daily care for a dependent child aged under 16 years, with a disability or medical condition, who lives with you, or
- provide additional daily care for 2 dependent children with disabilities or medical conditions, who do not individually qualify for Carer Allowance, but together have a substantial caring responsibility and live with you, or
- provide additional daily care for a person aged 16 years or over who has a disability, medical condition, or who is frail aged, and
- care must be provided in either your home or the home of the person you are caring for
A payment for people who personally provide constant care, in the home, to someone with a severe disability, medical condition, or who is frail aged.
Eligibility basics:
- you personally provide constant care in the home for someone with a severe disability, medical condition or who is frail aged
- you personally provide that care for a significant period, usually a minimum of 6 months
- you, and the person for whom you provide care, meet the income and assets tests
An annual lump-sum payment to assist carers with the costs of caring for a person with a disability or medical condition.
Eligibility basics:
- You will automatically receive the payment if you are already receiving one of the selected benefits
An annual payment to assist parents with the costs of caring for a child with a disability.
Eligibility basics:
- must have been paid Carer Allowance for a child under 16 years for a period that includes 1 July
Assists eligible people who have permanent and severe incontinence to meet some of the costs associated with continence and continence related products.
Eligibility basics:
- have permanent or severe incontinence
- aged 5 years or more
- not reside in a high-care Australian Government funded aged care home
Helps with the additional cost of running essential medical equipment, medically required heating or cooling, or both.
Eligibility basics:
- are covered by a Commonwealth concession card issued by the Department of Human Services or the Department of Veterans’ Affairs
- provide proof that the heating or cooling or specified equipment is medically required
- are responsible, either wholly or partly, for meeting the energy costs associated with running the equipment
Provides a higher Medicare rebate outside of hospital setting once you meet a prescribed threshold. You will pay the same initial cost for your appointment, but will receive a higher rebate.
If you are single with no dependent children, you are automatically registered and will start receiving higher benefits once you have reached the threshold.
If you are in a de facto relationship or if you’re married and/or have dependent children, you can register as a family. Medicare will then combine your payments so you are more likely to meet the threshold sooner.
Click here for further information about the Medicare Safety Net, including how to register as a family.
Income support for parents or guardians to help with the cost of raising children.
Eligibility basics:
- single and care for a child younger than 8 years, or
- have a partner and care for a child younger than 6 years
- meet an income and assets test
Helps students with the ongoing costs of full-time or part-time study in a secondary or tertiary course.
Eligibility basics:
- Studying full-time in an approved secondary or tertiary course. Part-time study is approved in some circumstances
- Already receiving a payment or pension
Paid as part of certain regular fortnightly income support payments to help eligible people meet the costs of daily household and living expenses.
Eligibility basics:
- The supplement is paid automatically to people who are already receiving selected payments.
Financial help to people who pay rent and receive a Centrelink payment.
Eligibility basics:
- Receive a pension
- Receive an allowance or benefit
- Receive more than the base rate of the Family Tax Benefit
Payments for carers
If a partner passes away, you may be eligible to receive a bereavement allowance for up to 14 weeks to help you adjust to changed financial circumstances, settle financial affairs and arrange ongoing financial support. You can make a claim within 4 weeks from the date of your partner’s death. Alternatively, you can make a claim within 14 weeks, however you will be paid from the date of the claim.
A payment for people aged 22 years or older, but under age pension age, who temporarily cannot work or study because of an injury or illness.
Eligibility basics:
- be 22 years or older, but under age pension age, and have a job or be getting ABSTUDY as a full time student, or
- be 25 years or older, but under age pension age, and getting Austudy as a full time student, and
- meet income and asset test requirements
- provide a medical certificate from your doctor stating you cannot work or study
- have work or study to return to when you are better
An income supplement for carers who provide additional daily care and attention for someone with a disability or medical condition, or who is frail aged.
Eligibility basics:
- provide additional daily care for a dependent child aged under 16 years, with a disability or medical condition, who lives with you, or
- provide additional daily care for 2 dependent children with disabilities or medical conditions, who do not individually qualify for Carer Allowance, but together have a substantial caring responsibility and live with you, or
- provide additional daily care for a person aged 16 years or over who has a disability, medical condition, or who is frail aged, and
- care must be provided in either your home or the home of the person you are caring for
A payment for people who personally provide constant care, in the home, to someone with a severe disability, medical condition, or who is frail aged.
Eligibility basics:
- you personally provide constant care in the home for someone with a severe disability, medical condition or who is frail aged
- you personally provide that care for a significant period, usually a minimum of 6 months
- you, and the person for whom you provide care, meet the income and assets tests
An annual lump-sum payment to assist carers with the costs of caring for a person with a disability or medical condition.
Eligibility basics:
- You will automatically receive the payment if you are already receiving one of the selected benefits
Assists eligible people who have permanent and severe incontinence to meet some of the costs associated with continence and continence related products.
Eligibility basics:
- have permanent or severe incontinence
- aged 5 years or more
- not reside in a high-care Australian Government funded aged care home
Helps with the additional cost of running essential medical equipment, medically required heating or cooling, or both.
Eligibility basics:
- are covered by a Commonwealth concession card issued by the Department of Human Services or the Department of Veterans’ Affairs
- provide proof that the heating or cooling or specified equipment is medically required
- are responsible, either wholly or partly, for meeting the energy costs associated with running the equipment
Helps students with the ongoing costs of full-time or part-time study in a secondary or tertiary course.
Eligibility basics:
- Studying full-time in an approved secondary or tertiary course. Part-time study is approved in some circumstances
- Already receiving a payment or pension
Paid as part of certain regular fortnightly income support payments to help eligible people meet the costs of daily household and living expenses.
Eligibility basics:
- The supplement is paid automatically to people who are already receiving selected payments.
Financial help to people who pay rent and receive a Centrelink payment.
Eligibility basics:
- Receive a pension
- Receive an allowance or benefit
- Receive more than the base rate of the Family Tax Benefit