From 1^st July 2009 same-sex de facto relationships will be recognised as relationships for Centrelink purposes. Existing and new Centrelink customers will be affected by the changes to the social security legislation and this will affect the amount of benefit they can claim. Whereas previously a person in a same-sex relationship was treated as a single person for the purposes of assessing their entitlement to social security benefits, after 1^st July 2009 the income of their partner will be taken into account in the same way that a person in a heterosexual de facto relationship would.

The recognition of same-sex relationships also means that entitlements for benefits are extended to partners so that they receive the same rate of benefit and family assistance payments as an opposite-sex couple. For example:

The law has also been modified to ensure recognition of children of same-sex couples for the purposes of social security and family assistance.