You are not getting an automatic $850 Centrelink bonus payment in 2025, and there is no official “extra” $850 cash boost confirmed by Services Australia or the Australian government. Instead, what you are seeing online is a mix of clickbait headlines, fake “bonus” offers and normal indexation increases to regular Centrelink payments, which are being twisted into viral rumours.
If you plan your budget around a mystery $850 top‑up, you risk disappointment and could even expose yourself to scams that try to steal your myGov login or bank details. This guide helps you clearly understand what is real, what is fake and how you can safely check whether any genuine extra money is coming your way.
Australians Hoped for an Extra Boost
You might have seen posts or videos saying you will get a tax‑free Centrelink bonus of around $850 this year to help with the cost of living. These posts usually use emotional language and dramatic headlines to make you click, share and hand over your details.
Similar fake stories have already appeared about $890, $1,300 or even $1,600 “bonus” payments for pensioners and concession card holders, and every time Services Australia has confirmed that these payments do not exist. When you see different amounts being promoted by non‑government blogs or social pages, that is a strong sign you are dealing with clickbait, not real policy.
$850 Centrelink Bonus Payment Key Highlights
| Detail | What you need to know |
| Is there an official $850 Centrelink bonus in 2025? | No, Services Australia has not announced any one‑off $850 bonus payment for Centrelink customers in 2025. |
| What is actually happening with payments? | Regular Centrelink rates are being increased by indexation (automatic cost‑of‑living adjustments), not by a special $850 bonus. |
| Where did the $850/$890 figure come from? | Fake websites and social posts have pushed made‑up “bonus” amounts (such as $890, $750 and $1800) to lure you into clicking scam links. |
| What does Services Australia say about these bonuses? | Services Australia has clearly warned that these supposed “one‑off bonus payments” do not exist and that they are commonly used in scams. |
| Can you apply anywhere to claim an $850 bonus? | No legitimate government form or application exists for a 2025 $850 Centrelink bonus; any site asking you to claim it is suspicious. |
| How do you check if any extra money is coming? | You should log in to your myGov account linked to Centrelink or check the official Services Australia “News for Centrelink” page. |
| Official Website | https://my.gov.au/ |
What Services Australia has actually confirmed
You can rely only on official my.gov.au channels and verified government social accounts when you want to know if a new payment is real. Services Australia and its spokespeople have already responded to rumours about one‑off cash boosts and clearly said there are no special bonus payments scheduled for 2024–2025.
What you do have in 2025 are standard indexation increases, which raise some Centrelink payment rates from January and again in March and September to keep up partly with inflation. These are not surprise bonuses but planned adjustments, and you will see them automatically in your entitlement details in myGov or your online account—there is no separate “bonus” button to press.
How scammers use fake bonus payments
When you read about a big bonus like $850 or $890, the main goal of the people behind it is often to grab your personal information, not to help you. Fake websites and social media ads copy government logos, use official‑sounding names and direct you to pages that ask you to “log in” to claim a payment, but those pages are designed to steal your myGov username and password.
Scammers also send texts or emails promising a one‑off Centrelink “cash relief” or “bonus payment”, including dollar amounts like $750, $890 or $1,800, and then ask you to click a link. If you type your details into that fake page, you could hand over full access to your real account and risk losing money or having your identity used for other fraud.
How to check if any extra money is real
If you want to know whether any new bonus or top‑up is real, you only need to follow a few simple steps.
- Go directly to myGov by typing the address into your browser or using the official app, not by clicking links in messages or posts.
- Once you are logged in, open your Centrelink account and check your payment and message sections; any real extra payment will show there with a clear description.
- Visit the “News for Centrelink” and other official news pages from Services Australia to see confirmed updates about rates, indexation and policy changes.
If a “news” story or video claims money that is not mentioned in those official places, you can safely treat it as false or unconfirmed and avoid entering any personal information.
What genuine cash boosts you may still receive
Even though the specific $850 bonus is not real, you can still benefit from genuine increases and support if you qualify. From 1 January 2025, more than one million Australians are scheduled to receive higher regular payments through indexation, including people on Youth Allowance, some student payments, Disability Support Pension under 21 and Carer Allowance.
You may also be able to request a Centrelink advance on some payments, which gives you a lump sum now and then reduces future instalments, acting like an interest‑free loan from your own entitlement. On top of that, separate cost‑of‑living support like state or federal energy rebates (for example, a $1,300 bill credit scheme in 2025) can reduce your power costs even though they are not paid through Centrelink itself.
How you can protect yourself from fake bonus offers
You can protect your money and identity by treating every unexpected payment offer with scepticism until you confirm it through official channels. Before you click, ask yourself whether the website ends in my.gov.au, whether the social media page is verified and whether the same information appears on the Services Australia news page.
If you think you have clicked a dodgy link or given details to the wrong site, you should change your myGov password immediately, enable extra security where possible and contact Services Australia to alert them. You can also report suspicious posts, emails or texts so platforms and authorities can remove them faster and protect other people.
When you hear about an $850 Centrelink bonus payment in 2025, you are really seeing a myth built from clickbait and scam tactics, not a genuine government decision. You protect yourself best by ignoring unofficial bonus claims, checking your myGov and Services Australia news pages and focusing on the real increases and supports you actually qualify for. By staying alert and informed, you keep control of your finances and avoid giving scammers the chance to turn fake “bonuses” into real losses.
FAQ’s
1. Will you get an automatic $850 Centrelink bonus in 2025?
No, there is no confirmed automatic $850 Centrelink bonus payment for 2025, and Services Australia has warned that stories about new one‑off bonus payments are false. Any changes to what you are paid come from standard indexation and policy adjustments, which appear directly in your official account, not from viral “bonus” announcements.
2. How can you tell if a Centrelink bonus offer is a scam?
If a website or post tells you to click a link, sign in or share personal details to “claim” a surprise bonus, especially when the site is not a my.gov.au page, you should treat it as a scam. Real updates are announced on Services Australia channels, and you never need to respond to random messages or third‑party blogs to unlock a genuine payment.
3. Where should you look for real updates about extra support?
You should always rely on your myGov account, the official Services Australia website and their verified social media profiles for accurate payment information and announcements. These sources provide detailed news about rate changes, indexation dates and any new support measures, without the misleading hype that appears on unofficial sites.
