Supporting statements for young people applying for Jobseeker Support

From 2 November 2026, young people aged 18 or 19 (and some 16 and 17-year-olds) will need to meet the usual eligibility criteria and the new requirement of a Parental Assistance Test to receive Jobseeker Support or the equivalent Emergency Benefit.

As part of this test, the young person would need to provide information to support that:

• they cannot reasonably be expected to rely on their parents for financial support, for example due to a family breakdown, a parent being in long-term hospital care or in prison (known as a parental support gap), and/or

• their parents’ combined total income (before tax) is at or below the $67,225 income limit (known as a parental income test).

What this means

As a registered health professional, a young person may approach you to provide a supporting statement confirming a parental support gap.

Further information, including the new Parental Assistance Test, will be available on the Work and Income website from 2 November 2026.