Commonwealth Rent Assistance in Australia: who qualifies and how to get it
What is Commonwealth Rent Assistance?
Commonwealth Rent Assistance (CRA) is a supplementary payment from the federal government for people who receive a Centrelink payment and rent privately. It is not a standalone payment — you must already be receiving a qualifying Centrelink base payment to be eligible.
Who qualifies?
To receive CRA you must meet all of the following:
1. Receiving a qualifying Centrelink base payment: JobSeeker, Youth Allowance, Parenting Payment, Age Pension, Disability Support Pension, Carer Payment, Family Tax Benefit Part A (in some circumstances), Austudy, ABSTUDY and several other payments.
2. Paying rent in the private market:
- Private rental — directly to a landlord or real estate agent.
- Some private boarding houses and community housing — but not state/territory-managed public housing.
3. Rent exceeds the minimum threshold: CRA only applies once rent exceeds a minimum fortnightly threshold (indexed annually). For example, in 2025–26 the threshold for a single person with no children is approximately $149/fortnight.
CRA rates 2025–26 (approximate)
Maximum CRA (2025–26 — verify current rates at servicesaustralia.gov.au):
- Single, no children: approximately $212/fortnight.
- Couple, no children: approximately $200/fortnight combined.
- Families with children: higher — varies by family type.
CRA scales up as actual rent increases, until reaching the maximum. If you pay high rent, you will generally receive the maximum CRA amount.
No separate application required
CRA is automatically assessed when you:
- Advise Centrelink of your private rental address and the amount of rent you pay.
- Centrelink checks eligibility and adds CRA to your existing payments.
If you move, or your rent changes, you must update Centrelink immediately — incorrect rent details can result in overpayment and a resulting debt.
Public housing residents are not eligible
People living in public housing (owned and managed by state or territory governments) do not receive CRA — public housing already has rent set at an income-based rate, providing an equivalent subsidy through a different mechanism.
Public housing waitlists
If you are experiencing housing difficulty and need longer-term affordable accommodation, you can register on a public housing waitlist through your state or territory housing authority:
- NSW: homes.nsw.gov.au
- VIC: housing.vic.gov.au
- QLD: hpw.qld.gov.au
Waitlists in major cities are very long — often several years. CRA helps bridge the gap while waiting.