Unable to receive financial support from parents

To receive a Youth Payment, a single young person must be in exceptional circumstances. A 16 or 17 year old is considered to have a parental support gap when their parents (or guardians) are unable to support them financially because they are:

• deceased
• in prison
• in hospital or
• overseas

You will need to find out:

• what the period of absence is and what provisions have been made for the young person's support
• if the parents are overseas, ask if it is temporary or permanent, and why the young person has not gone as well. See: Parents overseas
• if the parents are living apart, ask the young person what involvement they have with the other parent and whether they have considered living with them and
• whether the young person is living in a 'care' arrangement as opposed to an independent situation

For more information see:

• What is financial support?
• Independent
• Parents overseas
• Discharged from care
• Definition of parents