We are often asked whether you can obtain Caravan Park Rental Assistance when travelling around Australia. Rent Assistance is a supplementary payment and is paid in addition to certain Centrelink payments, such as Age Pension, Carer Payment, Disability Support Pension or JobSeeker Allowance. It’s not a payment you can apply for, and the amount you receive depends on how much rent you pay. Centrelink assesses your eligibility for it when you claim a payment, and if you move to a new address, they’ll check if you’re still eligible to receive it or if your payment needs to be adjusted. If you are a homeowner and are travelling around Australia, you won’t be eligible for Rent Assistance for the first 12 months, as the social security system considers you to be temporarily absent from your principal home. After 12 months, your caravan or motorhome becomes your principal home, and your family home is classed as an asset and deemed. After this point, you may then be eligible for Rent Assistance for caravan park site fees. However, if you’re not a homeowner, you may be eligible for Rent Assistance if your main home is a caravan, relocatable home, or a boat and you’re paying site or mooring fees. There’s a minimum amount of rent you need to pay each fortnight in order to receive Rent Assistance - for a couple, your fortnightly rent must be at least $201.80. To get the maximum payment your fortnightly rent must be at least $377.27. The maximum fortnightly Rent Assistance payment is $131.60 per couple.
