Youpla Support Program Starts Now

Australian Government National Indigenous Australians Agency NIAA


Background
The Youpla Group, also called the Aboriginal Community Benefit Fund (ACBF) sold funeral insurance
policies to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. These were called Youpla funeral funds.
When Youpla collapsed in March 2022, many community members could no longer pay for Sorry Business.
From July 2024 the Youpla Support Program will replace the existing Treasury Program.
The National Indigenous Australians Agency (NIAA) will be the lead agency for the new Youpla Support
Program with responsibility for all policy decisions. The NIAA will also assess Youpla members’ eligibility to receive a payment.
Services Australia (Centrelink) will be the service delivery agency helping eligible former Youpla members.
Services Australia (Centrelink) will:

  • confirm identity and benefit payment amounts
  • refer eligible applicants to financial counselling and support services
  • process the claims based on an applicant’s decision
  • keep in regular contact with former members until a Youpla resolution decision is made and outcome finalised.

The Youpla Support Program will run for two years until 30 June 2026.

The resolution payment
The NIAA will assess the eligibility for a resolution payment and share this information with Services Australia (Centrelink). Further information about eligibility for the Youpla Support Program will be available on the NIAA’s Youpla Support Program website.
Eligible former Youpla members won’t be required to provide Services Australia (Centrelink) with any
information. The NIAA will work out the resolution payment using the information already collected by the Youpla Group.
Once Services Australia (Centrelink) receives this eligibility information, we’ll call former Youpla members to discuss their entitlement and let them know of their options.
If a recipient is eligible for a resolution payment there are 2 options to consider:

  1. a funeral bond which is an investment that helps save money for funeral costs
  2. a lump sum payment.

What happens next
From July 2024, Services Australia (Centrelink) will start calling eligible former ACBF/Youpla members over the phone with more information about the payment.
Services Australia (Centrelink) will match:

  • information provided by the NIAA about eligible former Youpla members
  • information on a Centrelink record.

Services Australia (Centrelink) will then use information on a Centrelink record to contact former Youpla members to discuss the resolution payment.
As part of this call, Services Australia (Centrelink) will offer referrals to financial counselling.
We encourage eligible recipients to consider this option.
The financial counsellors can explain the payment options and provide information to help with decision
making.

What eligible recipients need to do

  • Wait to be contacted by Services Australia (Centrelink).
  • Check their SMS messages – Services Australia (Centrelink) will send a pre-call SMS immediately before
    making the phone call.
  • Ensure that all Centrelink contact details are up to date.

If eligible recipients don’t want Services Australia (Centrelink) to use the information from their Centrelink
customer record for the purpose of contacting them, they need to contact Services Australia (Centrelink) before 5 July 2024.
This will not affect the eligibility to receive a resolution payment but may take longer to get the payment. For more information, please visit servicesaustralia.gov.au/youpla.

More support
13YARN
is a crisis support line for First Nations people who are feeling overwhelmed or having difficulty coping.
13YARN offers a confidential one-on-one yarning opportunity with a Lifeline-trained First Nations Crisis
Supporter who can provide crisis support 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
You can call 13YARN on 13 92 76.

How to contact us
Centrelink Indigenous call centre 1800 136 380 – Monday to Friday 9 am to 5 pm