You can have paid work up to 29 hours per week. You can do this without losing your Disability Support Pension payment providing you still meet the income test. You must tell us if you or your partner have started work within 14 days.
If you are working less than 70 hours per fortnight (casually or part-time) you will still have to look for full-time work or undertake other suitable activities. You will discuss what you will do with your employment services provider and sign a Job Plan.
You may get JobSeeker Payment if any of the following apply: you're unemployed. you're not in full time work, for example you're doing part time or casual work. you've been temporarily stood down.
Partial capacity to work of 15 to 29 hours a week or principal carer parent. A job seeker with an assessed capacity to work of 15 to 29 hours per week can fully meet their mutual obligation requirements by undertaking 15 hours per week of paid work (including self-employment) or approved study (or a combination).
A single person with no children starts losing their JobSeeker payment – currently $693.10 a fortnight – if they earn more than $150 in a fortnight. If they earn more than $1337.50 in that time, they stop receiving the payment.
On 1 December 2022, a one-off $4,000 income credit was added to the Work Bonus income bank of those at least pension age and in receipt of an Age Pension, Disability Support Pension, Carer Payment or certain Veterans entitlement. Prior to 1 December 2022, the Work Bonus income bank was capped at $7,800.
Full time work is an average of 30 hours a week. You may not work 30 hours every week. If this is the case, you can average your work hours over a period of up to 13 weeks.
If you get certain payments from us, you may need to do some tasks and activities to keep getting your payment. We call these mutual obligation or participation requirements. These may include having a Job Plan or Participation Plan. The tasks and activities you need to do depends on the payment you get.
It replaces the “Jobactive” system that required the “mutual obligation” of applying for 20 jobs a month for payments to continue. You must now instead earn 100 points a month through a variety of activities, including applying for jobs, attending courses and even working.
If you're single and not a principle carer, earning below $150 per fortnight your payment will not change your payments. Earn any higher than that and your payment will be reduced by 50 cents for each dollar earned between $150 and $256, and 60 cents for each dollar earned over $256.
Most types of income count in your income test. We use this and your assets test to assess if you can get a payment, and to calculate your rate of payment.
If you don't tell us, it may affect your payment. You may need to pay back money we've paid you. If you're dishonest in order to get a payment, you're committing welfare fraud.
Volunteer and unpaid work, however, does count towards the 20 hours. If an international student works more than the Australian restrictions allow, his or her visa may be cancelled.
Work capacity is Centrelink's assessment of how many hours of work you can do a week without support. Future work capacity is Centrelink's assessment of how many hours you could work if you got Disability Employment Service (DES) support for up to two years.
You will need to tell us: • the gross amount you or your partner were paid (before tax or other deductions) • the hours you or your partner worked • If you return your form for a period longer than 2 weeks you need to tell us as soon as you start work (this may change the day you return your form).
Reporting online
To do this, you can use your Centrelink online account or the Express Plus Centrelink mobile app. Our reporting employment income online guide can help you use your online account to report. If you don't need to report regularly, you can tell us about changes to your or your partner's income online.
Report employment income
You need to report every 2 weeks, even if it's $0. This is so we pay you the right amount. Before you get your first payment, you need to report your and your partner's income. If your Centrelink online account is linked to myGov, sign in now to report your income.
You may get a temporary exemption from your requirements in certain circumstances. This could be something like: you're experiencing a crisis such as the death of an immediate family member, family and domestic violence or being homeless. you're sick or injured and have an approved medical certificate.
If you're doing a combination of paid and voluntary work, you need to do: suitable paid work for at least 15 hours per fortnight in the first 12 months you're on a payment. voluntary work of no more than 15 hours per fortnight in the first 12 months you're on a payment.
You can complete suitable paid work for at least 30 hours a fortnight. This can include self-employment. Your income must be no less than the national minimum wage, or relevant award wage.
The bonus will be paid to workers providing care and support in Government subsidised home care and to residential aged care workers. The payments will be for clinical care workers and expanded to all those providing direct care, food or cleaning services in Government subsidised residential care.
A payment to help students with the cost of moving from regional or remote areas for tertiary study. The Tertiary Access Payment (TAP) is a one off payment of up to $5,000. It's to help eligible students with the cost of moving to study. This is for study after you've finished year 12 or equivalent.
From 1 December 2022 to 31 December 2023, your maximum Work Bonus balance limit increases from $7,800 to $11,800. This will reset to $7,800 on 1 January 2024. You'll also get a one-off increase of $4,000 to your Work Bonus balance during this period. Work Bonus is not money you can draw on to use for other things.