No bonus payments, whether $392–$1,562, from Centrelink are scheduled for October 1, 2025. This type of misinformation has been dismissed by the government, as well as reputable media. Here, we present official communications, advice on dodgy claims, and truths on payments Centrelink customers can expect this month.
Unreliable sites and social media have claimed, during the past couple of months, that there would be a Centrelink bonus of $392–$1,562 on October 1, 2025. Rumors have included different classes of customers, from pensioners and jobseekers to families, with the expectation that there would be significant one-off payments on the cost of living. This has been confirmed false by Services Australia and major news outlets, with strong advice to the public to ignore these claims as they are designed to obtain personal information and cause misinformation and confusion.
Services Australia position is clear and passive. When it communicates to the public the particulars of new payments and increases or changes to payments, it does so exclusively via its official channels—its .gov.au website and its authenticated social media pages. There will not be any announcements of bonus payments of any value in the $392–$1,562 range for October 2025. Any sites or social media posts promising large payments or bonus payments to Centrelink customers, or any other payments for that matter, are active phishing scams or disinformation campaigns designed to exploit and prey on the vulnerable.
Kinds of Payments that Centrelink Actually Makes
Despite the preposterous age pension and jobseeker bonus musk and payments not being in existence, Centrelink has made some legitimate payments increases, and has made scheduled regular payments in October 2025 in respect of Australian citizens living with the disability and aged 65 and over, as well as some of the jobseeker payments. Payments scheduled for October include the regular indexed increase with some adjustments for cost of livibg. Centrelink has also made some payments to Australian citizens with disabilities.
How Scams Operate Scammers exploit people’s desperation for cash by publishing fake news articles and targeted social media advertisements or by sending direct emails and texts that instruct people to “claim” their Centrelink bonus. Some of these texts and emails cons people into revealing banking details, MyGov credentials, or other sensitive data. Remember, any Centrelink payment that is not listed on www.servicesaustralia.gov.au, you should not trust. Unsolicited calls and emails asking for personal data are a scam.
What should recipients do? Australians inquiring about their payments should use the myGov or Express Plus Centrelink app to check the official government services. Scheduled payment increases, cost-of-living boosts, and regular fortnightly payments are all recorded for eligible users. If you suspect a scam, we recommend that you report it to Scamwatch and avoid giving any details to the scammer.
Frequently asked questions
Q1. Is Centrelink paying a cash bonus of $392–$1,562 on October 1, 2025?
No. There is no legitimate claim or official government statement about that payment. Any information regarding that payment should be disregarded and is probably a scam.
Q2. Centrelink payments for this month – what can Australians expect?
Most recipients can expect the normal scheduled increases for payments over the month or the scheduled cost-of-living adjustments, which tend to be less significant and are subject to standard eligibility criteria.
Q3. How to protect yourself from Centrelink scams?
Use only government websites that end in .gov.au and never give personal information to anyone who claims to represent Centrelink through unofficial means.
