Registered home educators are exempt from the Welfare to Work laws which apply to parents with children over the age of six.
Registered homeschooling is one of the exemption categories along with large families (four or more children aged between 6 and 16), parents caring for foster children and children with significant disabilities.
For more information contact Centrelink on 131764
Victorians: You will need to be registered with the VRQA or the Distance Education Centre. You then give Centrelink a copy of your Registration letter to Centrelink and request that they list you as exempt from the Welfare to Work laws under the ‘registered homeschooler catgegory’.
We have known Centrelink to be reluctant to admit that this exemption category exists. We advise home educators who are having any difficulties to print the press release below and to take it, together with their registration letter from the VRQA (if Victorian or equivalent evidence if from another state) to their Centrelink office and firmly state that they are exempt under the homeschooling category. If you then experience any difficulties, contact the VRQA (or your state registration body) for support.
Quote from a government press release dated 8 November 2005:
Hon Kevin Andrews MP
Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations
Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for the Public Service
Hon Peter Dutton
Minister for Workforce Participation
08 November, 2005
Joint Media Release
Parents with exemptions to receive special income supplement
The Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations Kevin Andrews and the Minister for Workforce Participation, Peter Dutton announced today automatic participation exemptions for principal carers who are registered and active foster carers and those providing home schooling or facilitating distance education.
In granting an automatic exemption to these parents, the Howard Government is recognizing the special contribution they are making in their community.
Sole parents in these categories will also receive a higher rate of Newstart Allowance/Youth Allowance payment, that tops up their income support payment to the equivalent of the Parenting Payment Single rate. This supplement recognises that these parents are not in a position to undertake paid work.
Exemptions will be reviewable at least every 52 weeks and parents will still be required to register with an employment service. If they wish to voluntarily seek work while exempt, they will be able to access the same assistance and employment services as other parents.
“The exemptions and supplement are in recognition of the fact that these single parents are choosing to perform ongoing and significantly valued tasks over and above those normally involved in parenting and caring”, the Ministers said.
Links to relevant Centrelink pages:
Changes to Parenting payment page and this page for other languages which state:
For Parenting Payment (Single) customers - will I get less money if I go on to Newstart Allowance?
Newstart Allowance attracts a lower rate than Parenting Payment (Single), unless you have an exemption for being a registered and active foster carer, or undertaking home schooling, distance education or having a large family (four or more children aged under 16).
Looking for Work? A guide to your options and our services see pg 11 ‘Participation and Activity Test Requirements - exemptions.
