DVA FACTS
IS21

Rates and Limits

Service and Social Security Age Pension Rates

 

Introduction

This fact sheet provides a brief description and the current rates of service pension, age pension and allowances.  The rates quoted are fortnightly amounts unless otherwise indicated.

 

This information is current from –

 

 

20 September 2008 to 31 December 2008

 

What has changed?

The following rates for this quarter have been changed. -  service and age pension, rent assistance rates, rent thresholds and telephone allowance.

 

Service and social security age pension

Service and social security age pensions are income and assets tested pensions paid to eligible veterans, their partners, widows and widowers.  They are paid fortnightly, based on daily entitlements.  Service and social security age pension rates are adjusted twice yearly, in March and September, in line with movements in the cost of living and/or average wages.  The current maximum fortnightly amounts are shown below.

 

Singles rate                                                                            $ 562.10

Couples rate (each)                                                                 $ 469.50

 

Pharmaceutical allowance

All pensioners who are prescribed medicine are required to pay a patient contribution for each prescription item received.  Pharmaceutical allowance is a non taxable component of service or age pension to help with the cost of these patient contributions.

 

Singles rate                                                                              $   5.80

Couples rate (each)                                                                  $   2.90
Rent assistance

Rent assistance may be included as a component of service or age pension to help meet the cost of rented private accommodation, subject to minimum rent thresholds.

 

For service pensioners who also receive a high rate of disability pension and/or a war widow’s or widower’s pension, the amount of rent assistance payable to you may be affected by your disability pension and/or war widow’s or widower’s pension.  This also applies if your partner receives a disability pension and/or war widow’s or widower’s pension.

 

Note 1:        For pensioners with dependent children, rent assistance is considered a child-related payment and is paid as part of Family Tax Benefit part A through the Family Assistance Office.

 

Note 2:        Certain compensation payments under the Military Rehabilitation  and Compensation Act 2004 (MRCA) will affect the rate of rent assistance payable.  For further details refer to Fact Sheet IS 74: Renting and Rent Assistance.

 

Maximum amount payable

Singles rate, no children                                                          $ 110.20

Couples rate, no children (combined)                                       $ 103.80

                                                                                

 

Rent thresholds

This is the minimum amount of rent you must pay each fortnight to be eligible for rent assistance.

 

Singles rate, no children                                                           $  98.00

Couples rate, no children (combined)                                       $ 159.60

 

Singles rate, with children                                                        $ 128.94

Couples rate, with children (combined)                                     $ 190.82
Remote area allowance

Remote area allowance is a non taxable component of service or age pension to help offset the higher than normal costs, such as transport and communication, incurred whilst living in designated remote areas of Australia.

 

Maximum fortnightly amount

Singles rate                                                                             $  18.20

Couples rate (each)                                                                 $  15.60

Each child                                                                                $   7.30

 

Telephone allowance

Telephone allowance (TA) is paid to telephone subscribers receiving a pension to help meet the cost of the rental on your telephone service and your home Internet connection charges.  This allowance is paid quarterly in January, March, July and September each year, and is non taxable.

 

If eligible for TA only

                                                                                          per quarter

Singles rate                                                                             $  23.00

Couples rate (each)                                                                 $  11.50

 

or

 

If eligible for the increased rate of TA for home Internet

                                                                                          per quarter

Singles rate                                                                             $  34.60

Couples rate (each)                                                                 $  17.30

 

Family Tax Benefit

Family Tax Benefit may be paid to income support pensioners in respect of dependent children.

 

Veterans’ Affairs income support pensioners receive the maximum rate of Family Tax Benefit Part A irrespective of their income.

 

Application for and enquiries about payment of this benefit should be made to the Family Assistance Office, which is located in all Medicare offices, Centrelink outlets and ATO access and enquiry sites.  You can also visit their Internet site at www.familyassist.gov.au.
Other fact sheets

Other fact sheets related to this topic include:

·       Service and Social Security Age Pension Limits: IS 23

·       Service and Social Security Age Pension Ready Reckoner for Singles:
IS 164

·       Service and Social Security Age Pension Ready Reckoner for Couples:
IS 165

·       Renting and Rent Assistance: IS 74

 

More information

All DVA fact sheets are available on request from any DVA office or on the DVA website at www.dva.gov.au/factsheets/default.htm.

 

If you need more information about this topic, contact your nearest DVA office or visit the DVA website at www.dva.gov.au.

 

You can telephone DVA for the cost of a local call* on:

 

133 254 - general inquiries

1800 555 254 - non-metropolitan callers.

 

Note:       *If you use a mobile phone, calls may be more costly.  You are advised to use a normal phone (a landline phone) when ringing these numbers.