Pensioners over Age Pension age accrue any unused part of the $300 fortnightly Work Bonus concession amount in a Work Bonus income bank. The maximum Work Bonus income bank amount that can be accrued is $7,800.
Eligible pensioners have had $4,000 credited to their Work Bonus balance since 1 December 2022, increasing the maximum Work Bonus balance from $7,800 to $11,800. This measure extends the increase to 31 December 2023. The Work Bonus concession of $300 per fortnight will stay the same.
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.
If you don't work you still accrue a bonus. If you don't work, you still accrue $300 to your Work Bonus balance each fortnight. 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.
Eligible pensioners do not need to do anything, the $4,000 boost will be automatically credited to their Centrelink income bank from December 1, 2022 until December 31, 2023. It follows recent increases to the Age Pension, Carer Payment and Disability Support Pension.
The Centrelink scheme is accessible to people of age pension age who are eligible to receive the age pension. Having deferred age pension for a minimum of a year, a bonus may be paid to the person when the age pension is granted.
Around 1.6 million NSW households and 320,000 small businesses are eligible for a new National Energy Bill Relief payment in financial year 2023-24. Eligible low-income households, pensioners, self-funded retirees, families and carers will receive a one-off $500 bill relief payment towards their electricity bills.
To get the Cost of Living Payment you must be a Centrelink or Department of Veterans' Affairs customer. To get the $250 one-off Cost of Living Payment you must be a Centrelink or Department of Veterans'Affairs customer.
Youth Allowance, Austudy, Abstudy and DSP and some other miscellaneous payments will increase from 1 January 2023. The full schedule of indexation adjustments is here.
If you're a pensioner currently receiving support through Centrelink, you may be eligible for extra help with bills and medicine costs through the Pension Supplement. This supplement is a combined payment of Pharmaceutical Allowance, Utilities Allowance, GST Supplement and Telephone Allowance.
To receive a Pension Bonus, a person must work a minimum of 12 months from their date of registration and complete at least 960 hours of paid work in this and any subsequent years. This is an average of 20 hours each week for 48 weeks each year. For couples, only one person needs to pass the work test.
Latest Age Pension changes (from 20 March 2023)
Single: $1,064.00 per fortnight (approximately $27,664 per year) Couple (each): $802.00 per fortnight (approximately $20,852 per year) Couple (combined): $1,604.00 per fortnight (approximately $41,704 per year)
Around 35.3 per cent of the Federal Budget will be spent on social security and welfare payments after an increase was introduced earlier this month. This will bring the total amount spent to $221.68 billion - down from $227.8 billion last year.
The Government has provided two separate $750 payments to social security, veteran and other income support recipients and eligible concession card holders. Around half of those that benefit are pensioners. These payments will support households to manage the economic impact of the Coronavirus.
Under the Work Bonus, the first $300 of fortnightly income from work is not assessed as income under the pension income test. Any unused amount of the fortnightly $300 Work Bonus will accumulate in a Work Bonus income bank, up to a maximum amount of $7,800.
The Australian Government will invest $1.5 billion to assist around 6 million Australians with higher cost of living pressures. A one-off $250 Cost of Living Payment will be paid to eligible recipients from the end of April 2022.
Full Age Pension income threshold increases by: Singles threshold $204 per fortnight, increase is $14 per fortnight, $364 per annum. Couples threshold $360 per fortnight, increase is $24 per fortnight, $624 per annum.
The Cost of Living Payment is a $250 one-off payment to help with the cost of living. The Cost of Living Payment is not taxable, and you don't need to report it as income. You'll get it if you were residing in Australia on 29 March 2022, and: you were able to claim, or were getting an eligible payment.
You can get up to $600 for each person you provide care for. You won't be eligible for Carer Supplement if you get Age Pension. But you will get Carer Supplement for each person you get Carer Allowance for.
Under the new changes, age pensioners will now be able to earn an additional $4000 during this financial year without losing any of their pension.
The relief will be given to Aussies receiving income support, such as those on JobSeeker, pensioners and Commonwealth Seniors Health Card holders, Family Tax Benefit A and B recipients and eligible small business owners.
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.
The news follows amendments made in the House of Representatives earlier in the week which will see the $4,000 boost extended through to the end of December of 2023. The new legislation introduced by the federal government credits an extra $4,000 to age and veteran pensioners from December 1.