Help

We read the official government page for every listing. We note the main rules. For example: where you live, your age, a concession card, or a payment you already get.

When you answer our questions, your browser checks your answers against those rules. If all the rules fit, the listing is a possible match. If we need an answer you skipped, or a rule we can’t check (like an income test), it shows as “support to check”. If a rule clearly does not fit, we leave the listing out.

You can skip any question. We never guess a skipped answer. If you don’t have an account, your answers stay in this browser tab. They are not sent to us.

Our list is growing. It does not have every program yet, especially from local councils. The Sources page links to government search tools that cover more.

A possible match means your answers fit the main rules we noted. There may be other rules, like income limits, how long you have lived somewhere, closing dates, or limited money.

Only the government agency that runs a program can say if you can get it, and how much. unclaimd can’t approve a claim, send it in or make it faster.

Read the official page before you apply. The link is on every listing. If the official page says something different from us, the official page is right. Please tell us so we can fix it.

We ask one question at a time. We only ask a question if a listing that could fit you depends on it. Open “Why we ask” under a question to see which listings it checks.

Where you live and your age decide which programs you can get. Many discounts and vouchers depend on a card or payment you already have, like a Health Care Card or Family Tax Benefit. Some also depend on your children’s school year, your housing, or whose name is on the power bill.

Some support is only for people with a disability, for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, or for certain areas. So we may also ask about these, and for your postcode. See “Why we ask, and what we keep”.

We only ask general questions. We never ask for your tax file number, Medicare number, Centrelink number, card numbers, bank details, how much you earn, your licence number, your myGov login, ID documents, or what a health condition is.

Some support is only for people with a disability or a long-term health condition, or for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. Some is only for certain areas. So the finder may ask three things. Does anyone in your home have a disability or a long-term health condition? Is anyone in your home Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander? What is your postcode?

You can skip any of them. For the health question we only ask yes or no. We never ask what the condition is.

If you are not signed in, these answers are forgotten when you leave or reload this page. They are not saved, not sent to us and not put in the web address.

With an account, your disability and First Nations answers are saved only if you tick “Save this answer to my account”. You can see and remove them on the Account page. Deleting your account deletes them.

With an account, your postcode is saved with your other answers. You can remove it at any time on the Account page.

Every listing links to the official page of the agency that runs it. Applying there yourself is always free. We always show that link first.

unclaimd is not part of the government. We don’t send in claims for you.

Once you apply, the agency that runs the program checks your claim and decides. It tells you the answer, and when you will be paid.

How long it takes depends on the program. The official page often says. unclaimd can’t see your claim, and we can’t make it faster.

To check on a claim, or if you don’t agree with a decision, contact the agency. Its official page has its phone number and other ways to reach it. The link is on every listing.

Rules, amounts and dates change. We check each official page when we review a listing. Between reviews, our system watches the pages for changes.

If a listing looks wrong, press “Report a problem with this listing” on its page. Or choose “A listing looks wrong” in the form on Contact us. Tell us what is different. A link to the page that shows the change helps a lot.

We check the official page before we change anything. Until then, follow the official page.

You can search, answer the questions and save listings on this device without an account. An account lets you keep your answers and saved listings on any device, and get email alerts.

There is no password. Type your email on the Account page. We email you a 6-digit code. Type it on the Account page. It works once, for 10 minutes. If it doesn’t arrive, check your spam folder and ask for a new one.

On the Account page you can erase your saved answers or delete your account. Deleting your account removes your email, answers, saved listings, alert history and any messages you sent us.

Email alerts need a free account. There are two kinds. One tells you about new or changed support that fits your answers. The other reminds you before a saved listing closes. Both are off until you turn them on.

Device alerts show up as notifications on your phone or computer. They don’t need an account. Turn them on or off from your results or the Account page, or in your browser settings.

Every alert email has a link to turn alerts off. You don’t need to sign in to use it. You can also turn alerts off on the Account page at any time.

If you don’t have an account, nothing about you is sent to us. If you do, we keep your email address and the general answers you choose to save.

We never ask for your tax file number, Medicare or Centrelink number, card numbers, bank details, driver licence number, NDIS or DVA number, myGov login, ID documents or medical records. Please don’t send them to us, even in a message. Our contact form removes numbers that look like these before we save your message.

We don’t sell your information. Our privacy policy says where your data is kept, for how long, and how to see or fix it.

If someone else uses your phone or computer, or might check it, these steps can help.

Use a private window (some browsers call it incognito). When you close it, the browser forgets this visit. Your finder answers are only kept until you close the tab anyway.

Listings you save without an account stay on this device until you remove them. To clear them, open Saved and remove each one, or clear this site’s data in your browser settings.

Your browser may keep a list of the pages you visit. You can delete it in your browser settings.

If you sign in, sign out when you finish. Sign-in codes and alerts go to your email. If someone else can read your email, use a different address, or keep alerts off.

If you are not safe at home, call 1800RESPECT on 1800 737 732, or 000 in an emergency.

Searching, answering the questions, saving listings and alerts are all free. Applying on the official government site is always free.

If you can’t pay for food or bills right now, emergency relief can help. Local charities and community centres give it out. It can be food parcels, vouchers for food, transport or medicine, or help with part of a bill.

Ask Izzy is a free website that finds food, a place to stay and money help near you.

The National Debt Helpline is free on 1800 007 007. Its financial counsellors don’t give out emergency relief, but they can tell you who does.

If you get a Centrelink payment, you may be able to get some of it early, as an advance. You pay it back from later payments. Services Australia decides who can get one.

If you are not safe, or have nowhere to sleep tonight, call 000 in an emergency, or Lifeline on 13 11 14.

• Ask Izzy: find help near you (opens in a new tab)
• Emergency help (National Debt Helpline) (opens in a new tab)
• Advance payments (Services Australia) (opens in a new tab)

We are sorry for your loss.

Services Australia has a page for when someone dies. It covers who you need to tell, how to register the death, and the funeral. It also lists payments and services that may help.

Services Australia says to tell them within 28 days if someone has died.

Some support in our finder may change for you now. You can answer the questions again at any time.

• Death of a loved one (Services Australia) (opens in a new tab)

Services Australia says you usually need to be an Australian resident, or hold a specific visa type, to get a Centrelink payment or concession card.

If you have just arrived as a resident, you may have to wait before you can get some payments or cards. This is called the newly arrived resident’s waiting period.

If you are a New Zealand citizen living in Australia, you may be able to get some Centrelink payments or cards. Services Australia has a page that shows the rules for each one.

Support from states, territories and councils can have different rules. Each listing’s official page says who can get it.

You can call Centrelink in your language on 131 202, or ask for an interpreter on 131 450.

• New Zealand citizens claiming payments in Australia (Services Australia) (opens in a new tab)
• Residence rules for each payment (Services Australia) (opens in a new tab)
• Newly arrived resident’s waiting period (Services Australia) (opens in a new tab)

You can call the Centrelink Indigenous Call Centre on 1800 136 380 to talk about Centrelink payments and services. The call is free. It is open Monday to Friday, 8 am to 5 pm. You can also ask Services Australia for an Indigenous interpreter, for free.

If things are getting hard, 13YARN is on 13 92 76, any time of day or night. It is run by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. You can yarn with a trained Crisis Supporter. You can also text 0447 13 92 76 from 4 pm to midnight, every day.

Our listings are possible matches, not decisions. The official page for each listing says who can get it. Someone you trust can help you read it, or write to us for you.

Anyone can search unclaimd and use the finder. You don’t need an account.

If you are under 18, please ask a parent, carer or another adult you trust before you make an account or save answers.

Some support has its own age rules. The official page for each listing says who can get it.

Kids Helpline is free on 1800 55 1800 for young people aged 5 to 25, any time of day or night.

National Debt Helpline: 1800 007 007. Free help with debts from financial counsellors. Weekdays, 9:30 am to 4:30 pm.

Elder abuse phone line: 1800ELDERHelp (1800 353 374). Free help if an older person is being harmed or taken advantage of. Not a crisis line; hours vary by state.

Carer Gateway: 1800 422 737. Support for people who care for someone. Monday to Friday, 8 am to 5 pm.

National Dementia Helpline: 1800 100 500. Free and confidential, 24/7.

Rural Financial Counselling Service: 1300 771 741. Free financial counselling for farmers, fishers and foresters in money trouble.

• National Debt Helpline (official site) (opens in a new tab)
• Elder abuse phone line (official site) (opens in a new tab)
• Carer Gateway (official site) (opens in a new tab)
• National Dementia Helpline (official site) (opens in a new tab)
• Rural Financial Counselling Service (official site) (opens in a new tab)

You can email us at hello@unclaimd.org instead of using the form. We reply by email.

If you are deaf, or find it hard to hear or speak, the National Relay Service can help you call any phone number, including government agencies. Go to accesshub.gov.au. You can use TTY on 133 677, Voice Relay on 1300 555 727 or SMS Relay on 0423 677 767.

If you use Auslan, Video Relay lets you sign your call, through Microsoft Teams or the NRS app.

If you need an interpreter, call TIS National on 131 450. Say the language you need and who you want to talk to. Our “Help in your language” page has Services Australia’s own words in many languages.

Our “Easy English” page has short, simple summaries of common support.

Someone you trust can write to us for you. This could be family, a friend, a carer or a support worker. Please tell us they are helping you. They should not send us your ID numbers or bank details either.

• Help in your language
• Easy English