maternity leave benefit

[Cherished]

Hi, just wondering if anyone knows if centerlink gives you any benefit 'before' bubs is born when you finish up work for unpaid maternity leave?

[~Phoenix~]

Don't think so, we had to wait for baby bonus to kick in to start getting any payments.

[briggsy's girl]

will depend on your partners income. for 6 weeks before your EDD, you might qualify for newstart allowance

[Cherished]

Thanks girls I guess I could always call them and ask them but I shudder getting on the phone to them, it always takes ages and you get different advice from one staff member to the next and before you know it you've wasted hours I will post my outcome in this thread for anyone else in the future who is wondering the same thing.

[deletedit]

I had to go on newstart for a few weeks before and am now on parenting payment. Depends on your partner's income. If he's got one, and its decent, you probably don't qualify for anything ...

[briggsy's girl]

go on the c'link website. do a c'link rate estimator. if your partners income leaves you eligible for newstart, make the call. if his income is more than about 790 it will start impacting your entitlement. if it goes over (about) 1500, you'll get nothing at all.

that's before tax is deducted