Rates and payments: what DSP pays
DSP is paid fortnightly into a bank account. The figures below are maximum rates: they are what you can receive before the income and assets tests are applied. Many recipients receive a part rate, and the two tests are explained below the tables.
Maximum rates from 20 September 2026
| Fortnightly rate | Single | Each member of a couple | Couple combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| Maximum basic rate | $1,135.40 | $855.90 | $1,711.80 |
| Maximum Pension Supplement | $88.20 | $66.50 | $133.00 |
| Energy Supplement | $14.10 | $10.60 | $21.20 |
| Total maximum | $1,237.70 | $933.00 | $1,866.00 |
A couple separated due to ill health is paid differently: each partner receives the single rate of $1,237.70 a fortnight. Over a year of 26 fortnights, the single maximum is $32,180.20 and the couple combined maximum is $48,516.00. Adult rates are updated on 20 March and 20 September each year. The Pension Supplement and Energy Supplement are included in the maximum automatically; you do not apply for them separately.
Rates for recipients younger than 21
If you are younger than 21 and do not have dependent children in your care, different rates apply, depending on whether Services Australia assesses you as dependent or independent. The maximum rates are $581.50 a fortnight for a single person younger than 18 who is dependent, $839.80 for a single person younger than 18 who is independent, $645.00 for a single person aged 18 to 20 who is dependent, and $839.80 for a single person aged 18 to 20 who is independent. A couple younger than 21 is listed at $839.80. These rates include the Youth Disability Supplement and do not include Pharmaceutical Allowance and Energy Supplement. Rates for younger recipients without children are updated on 1 January each year. Your parents' or guardians' income does not affect how much DSP you can receive.
The income test
Services Australia assesses your income and your partner's income from all sources, including employment income and deemed income from financial assets. The income free area is $226 a fortnight for a single person and $396 a fortnight combined for a couple. Above the free area, a single person's pension reduces by 50 cents for each dollar of extra income, and each member of a couple has their pension reduced by 25 cents for each dollar of combined extra income. For example, a single person with $426 a fortnight of income is $200 over the free area, so the pension reduces by $100, from $1,237.70 to $1,137.70, before any assets test result is considered.
If your income in a fortnight goes over the cut-off point, you are paid $0 for that fortnight. The cut-off points are $2,701.40 a fortnight for a single person aged 21 or older, $4,128.00 combined for a couple living together, and $5,346.80 combined for a couple living apart due to ill health. Your cut-off can be higher if you receive Rent Assistance or a Work Bonus, and lower if you do not live in Australia. The Work Bonus lets some employment income be disregarded under the income test; ask Services Australia whether it applies to your work.
The assets test
The assets test looks at what you and your partner own, including bank accounts, shares, investment properties, vehicles, and superannuation in relevant circumstances. Your principal home is generally not counted. The limits for a full pension are $333,000 for a single homeowner and $600,000 for a single non-homeowner, and $499,000 for a couple combined if homeowners and $766,000 if non-homeowners. Above the limit, a single person's pension reduces by $3 a fortnight for each $1,000 of extra assets, and each member of a couple has their pension reduced by $1.50 a fortnight for each $1,000 of extra combined assets. Services Australia calculates both tests and pays the lower result.
Other amounts that may come with DSP
DSP recipients generally receive a Pensioner Concession Card, which gives cheaper medicines under the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme and concessions on transport, utilities, and other costs that vary by state and territory. Depending on your circumstances you may also be eligible for Rent Assistance, Pharmaceutical Allowance, or Telephone Allowance. DSP is generally taxable income, and tax is not automatically withheld, so you can ask Services Australia to withhold tax if that suits you. If you are unsure about tax, check with the Australian Taxation Office.