Australia Age Pension

Australia’s Age Pension: current eligibility, rates, and claim steps

Australia’s Age Pension is an ongoing Centrelink payment for older Australians. It is not a yearly competition, grant round, or application window that closes on a particular date. Services Australia accepts claims when a person is eligible, and people approaching pension age can submit a claim during the 13 weeks before they reach that age. That is why this page uses deadline = 'rolling': the opportunity is continuously available to people who meet the rules, even though an individual claim has to be lodged at the right time.

This guide is based on the current Age Pension information published by Services Australia. Rates, thresholds, and a person’s final entitlement can change with their circumstances, so the official pages linked below should be checked before a claim is submitted.

At a glance

The maximum rates are guides, not guaranteed awards. Services Australia assesses the income and assets tests and pays the lower result. A person can therefore receive a part pension, a different rate because of their relationship or living arrangements, or no Age Pension at all. The payment is taxable, although Services Australia does not automatically deduct tax unless the recipient asks it to.

Who can qualify

The first requirement is age. Services Australia states that Age Pension age is 67 years or older and that there are no plans to change that threshold. There is no need to wait for a special annual announcement. Someone already past pension age can claim when ready, while someone approaching that age can prepare and lodge within the permitted 13-week period.

The second requirement is residence. On the day of the claim, a person generally needs to be living in Australia, physically in Australia, and an Australian resident. Services Australia describes an Australian resident for this purpose as someone living long-term in Australia who is an Australian citizen, a permanent visa holder, or a protected Special Category visa holder from New Zealand. A person who is overseas may have different options if an Australian Social Security Agreement applies, but that is a specific exception rather than the ordinary rule.

The usual residence history rule is at least 10 years as an Australian resident in total, with at least 5 of those years having no break in residence. Services Australia says that some people can qualify with less than 10 years. Its listed examples include refugees or former refugees, certain women whose partner has died, and people whose time in an agreement country can be considered under a Social Security Agreement. These cases are fact-specific. A person should not assume that a passport, a short visit, or a period spent on holiday establishes the required residence history.

The third set of requirements is financial. Both the income test and the assets test apply to most applicants. If the applicant has a partner, Services Australia generally needs information about both people. Income and assets held outside Australia can also affect the rate. The principal home is treated differently from other property under the assets rules, but other real estate, savings, investments, vehicles, businesses, and many personal possessions can be relevant. Superannuation is also relevant for people of Age Pension age.

There are narrow exceptions. Services Australia says a permanently blind person who is claiming Age Pension and not claiming Rent Assistance may be able to claim without the income and assets tests, subject to supporting medical evidence. A person who is Age Pension age but does not qualify may instead be able to apply for a Commonwealth Seniors Health Card, which is a separate form of assistance rather than an Age Pension payment.

Current payment amounts

The official “How much Age Pension you can get” page currently lists normal rates before tax. For a single person, the maximum basic rate is AUD $1,100.30 per fortnight. The maximum Pension Supplement is AUD $86.50 and the Energy Supplement is AUD $14.10, producing a listed total of AUD $1,200.90 per fortnight.

For a couple, the maximum basic rate is AUD $829.40 per person, or AUD $1,658.80 combined. The maximum Pension Supplement is AUD $65.20 per person, or AUD $130.40 combined, and the Energy Supplement is AUD $10.60 per person, or AUD $21.20 combined. The listed total is AUD $905.20 per person, or AUD $1,810.40 combined. A couple separated due to ill health has its own rate column and should check the official table rather than applying the ordinary couple figure.

These are maximum normal rates. They do not mean every eligible recipient receives that amount. Services Australia applies the income and assets tests, and other details such as relationship status, residence outside Australia, Rent Assistance, or a transitional pension rate can alter the result. Rates are adjusted every 20 March and 20 September, so the figures on the official page should be treated as changeable rather than as a permanent promise.

Income test

Services Australia assesses income from both members of a couple where relevant. The assessment can include earnings from work, investment income, and deemed income from financial assets such as savings, shares, and superannuation. Employment income still needs to be reported even when the recipient expects it to be below the amount that reduces the pension.

For a single person under the standard income rules, the first AUD $226 per fortnight is the income free area. Income above AUD $226 reduces the pension by 50 cents for each dollar above the free area. The standard fortnightly cut-off point listed by Services Australia is AUD $2,627.80, although the relevant point can be higher when Rent Assistance or the Work Bonus applies and lower for someone who does not live in Australia.

For a couple living together or apart due to ill health, the standard combined income free area is AUD $396 per fortnight. Each person’s pension reduces by 25 cents for every combined-income dollar above AUD $396. The listed combined cut-off is AUD $4,016.80 for a couple living together and AUD $5,199.60 for a couple apart due to ill health. Transitional rate pensioners have different reduction rates and cut-offs.

The Work Bonus can help an eligible Age Pension recipient who works keep more of their payment. Services Australia says that AUD $300 is added to the Work Bonus balance each fortnight, up to a maximum balance of AUD $11,800. This is not a general exemption for every type of income: the rules concern eligible work income, and recipients still have to report employment income. A claimant should use the official Work Bonus information or ask Services Australia how their particular income will be treated.

Assets test

The assets test considers the value of assets a person or couple owns or has an interest in, including assets outside Australia and debts owed to them. Services Australia reviews the limits and cut-off points in March, July, and September. The assets page updated for the current period lists the following full-pension limits: AUD $333,000 for a single homeowner, AUD $600,000 for a single non-homeowner, AUD $499,000 for a combined couple who are homeowners, and AUD $766,000 for a combined couple who are non-homeowners.

The page also lists the part-pension cut-offs from 1 July 2026: AUD $733,500 for a single homeowner, AUD $1,000,500 for a single non-homeowner, AUD $1,102,500 for a combined homeowner couple, and AUD $1,369,500 for a combined non-homeowner couple. A couple separated due to illness has different cut-offs. Rent Assistance can also raise a cut-off point.

The full-pension figures are not a simple promise that someone below the threshold will receive the maximum. Services Australia calculates the rate under both financial tests and uses the lower result. Assets above the relevant full-pension limit reduce the pension; when assets exceed the applicable cut-off, the part pension cancels. The value of the principal home is treated differently, but a second property, bank balance, managed investment, shareholding, vehicle, boat, caravan, business, or other assessable asset can matter. The official asset-types guidance should be used for unusual items.

How to prepare a claim

Start by checking age, residence, relationship status, and likely income and assets. If you have lived or worked outside Australia, read the international agreement information before assuming that the ordinary 10-year rule is the only route. If you already receive an eligible payment, Services Australia says it will write to you 13 weeks before Age Pension age with information about transferring to Age Pension.

Prepare proof before opening the claim. Services Australia says applicants must provide details showing age, bank account information, Tax File Number, Australian residence status unless an exemption applies, relationship status where relevant, and income and assets. Depending on the circumstances, documents may include a passport, citizenship papers, Australian visa or ImmiCard, lease or rent information, property ownership documents, rates notices, mortgage records, savings statements, term-deposit statements, superannuation statements, managed-investment records, share and dividend statements, tax returns, or business accounts.

The exact document list is generated from the answers in the claim. If Services Australia asks for further documents after submission, the supporting-documents page says they generally need to be provided within 14 days of the request. Missing evidence can delay assessment or lead to rejection, so it is better to upload clear documents as soon as they are available. Documents can be uploaded through the Centrelink online account or Express Plus Centrelink mobile app, or supplied by mail, fax, or at a service centre.

How to apply

The preferred route is online:

1. Create or sign in to myGov and link a Centrelink online account. You may need to confirm your identity before starting.
2. In myGov, select “Make a claim or view claim status”, then “Make a claim”.
3. Under “Older Australians”, select “Get started” and follow the prompts for Age Pension.
4. Enter your own and, if applicable, your partner’s income and asset information. If using a combined partner claim, the partner must review the task in their own account within 3 days.
5. Submit the claim within 13 weeks of starting it. An unsubmitted online claim expires after that period and must be started again.
6. Upload the requested documents and keep the receipt. The receipt includes the claim ID, an estimated completion date, and a link to track progress.

People who cannot claim online can print and complete the Claim for Age Pension and Pension Bonus form and the Income and Assets form, call the Older Australians line on 132 300, or make an appointment at a Services Australia service centre. People living outside Australia should follow the international claim instructions if a Social Security Agreement may apply.

After lodgement, the claim can be tracked through myGov or the Express Plus Centrelink mobile app. Services Australia sends the decision to the myGov Inbox, the app, or by post for people who do not receive electronic letters. If the decision appears wrong, the applicant can ask Services Australia to review it.

Practical checks before submitting

Do not treat the maximum rate as a personal quote. Use the official Payment Finder or obtain information from Services Australia, especially where a couple, overseas residence, a recent property transaction, a trust, a business, or a large superannuation balance is involved. Keep copies of the figures and documents used in the claim so that later questions can be answered consistently.

If you start work after receiving Age Pension, report the employment income and check whether the Work Bonus applies. Report changes in relationship status, address, overseas travel, income, and assets as required. An estimate from a calculator is useful for planning, but only Services Australia can determine entitlement after assessing the claim and evidence.

This page remains a live reference because Age Pension claims are ongoing. The official source is the Services Australia Age Pension hub, which links to the current eligibility, rate, income-test, assets-test, preparation, claim, and payment-management pages.