1. Introduction

1.1 Scope of chapter

Chapter 23 outlines the different payments that may be available to people who are ill, injured or have a disability. This chapter provides details about payments available to people who are unable to work eight or more hours per week due to sickness, injury, or symptoms associated with a disability or chronic medical condition, and whose incapacity for work is temporary. The chapter covers:

• qualification for Sickness Allowance (section 2);
• qualification for Newstart Allowance and Youth Allowance with exemption from the activity test while sick or injured (section 3); and
• when and how to claim (section 4);
• Centrelink procedures for assessing and reviewing claims (section 5); and
• Activity Agreements for people with a medical incapacity for work (section 6).

Information about Disability Support Pension (DSP) is in Chapter 25. Important information about the effect that the payment of compensation can have on Social Security payments is to be found in Chapter 42.

For information on Newstart Allowance and Youth Allowance (unemployed) for people with a “partial capacity to work” see Chapter 17.

For more information on Youth Allowance (student) and Austudy Payment for full-time students see Chapters 15 and 16.

1.2 Which payment? Sickness Allowance, Newstart Allowance, or Youth Allowance?

Sick or injured people who:

• have a job (or course of full-time study) to return to when they recover – should claim Sickness Allowance (see section 2);
• do not have a job or full-time course to return to when they recover – may claim Newstart Allowance or Youth Allowance (unemployed) (see section 3).