DSP Payment Rates in Australia: Current Amounts, Income Test and Assets Test

The maximum single Disability Support Pension rate is $1,200.90 a fortnight ($1,100.30 basic rate, $86.50 pension supplement, $14.10 energy supplement), current as at 20 March 2026 per Services Australia, which reindexes these figures every 20 March and 20 September.

This page sets out the current Disability Support Pension (DSP) fortnightly payment rates, the income test, the assets test, DSP's tax status and the Pensioner Concession Card, drawing on Services Australia's own rate and test pages and the Department of Social Security (DSS) Guide to Social Security Law. Every figure below carries the as-of date of the page it came from. Because Services Australia reindexes these numbers on a fixed schedule, treat the figures as a snapshot and confirm the live number on Services Australia before you rely on it for a specific decision. For who can claim DSP in the first place, see DSP eligibility in Australia.

Current DSP Rates: 21 and Older, or Under 21 With a Child

Services Australia's payment rates page states these fortnightly amounts, current as at 20 March 2026:

These rates apply to anyone 21 or older, and to anyone under 21 who has a dependent child in their care. A couple who live apart because one or both need long-term care, such as one partner in residential aged care, is paid at the higher separated rate shown above rather than the standard couple rate. Services Australia's own cadence statement is specific: rates for this cohort update on 20 March and 20 September each year. The figures above are the 20 March 2026 update; a 20 September 2026 update becomes due before this page's next scheduled review, so check the live Services Australia page if you are reading this after that date.

Rates for Under 21 With No Dependent Child

A different, lower rate structure applies to a claimant under 21 with no dependent child in their care, and this sub-group indexes on 1 January each year rather than the March and September cycle above. Services Australia's own text: 'the amount of DSP you get depends on whether we assess you as dependent or independent,' and a parent's or guardian's income never affects the amount either way, dependent or independent.

These youth rates include the Youth Disability Supplement but exclude the Pharmaceutical Allowance and Energy Supplement that apply to the adult rate. A claimant is assessed independent if, among other grounds, they have or have had a dependent child, are or have been in a registered relationship or a couple for a year or more, cannot be looked after by a parent, or have supported themselves through paid work; otherwise a claimant under 21 living at home with no independence ground met is assessed dependent. Once a claimant turns 21, they move onto the standard adult rate regardless of dependent or independent history. The source page ties this table to the 1 January cadence in its general cadence statement rather than an explicit 'rates as at' caption on the youth table itself, so treat 1 January 2026 as the applicable date by inference from that stated cycle, not a verbatim date on the table.

The Income Test

DSP uses the standard pension income test, the same test structure that applies to the Age Pension, not the lower-threshold benefits income test that applies to JobSeeker Payment. Per Services Australia, current as at 1 July 2026:

Above those free areas, payment reduces on a sliding scale until it cuts off entirely. Services Australia's published fortnightly income cut-off points for a claimant 21 or older are $2,627.80 for a single person, $4,016.80 combined for a couple living together, and $5,199.60 combined for a couple separated due to ill health. A narrower legacy group who were already on the pre-20 September 2009 transitional rate, and who were not under 21 with no dependent child at that date, has separate transitional cut-offs on the same page.

The Work Bonus, which lets some pensioners earn employment income without it counting fully against the income test, does not apply to a DSP recipient who is under Age Pension age. Services Australia states the Work Bonus is available to a person 'of Age Pension age' receiving Age Pension, Carer Payment or DSP; the DSS Guide separately confirms 'the work bonus applies for pensioners over age pension age.' A DSP recipient under Age Pension age has their employment income assessed under the standard income test above, with no Work Bonus offset.

The Assets Test

The assets test, also current as at 1 July 2026 on Services Australia's own assets test page, sets a full-pension limit below which assets do not reduce the payment at all:

Above the applicable limit, the pension reduces by $3 a fortnight for every $1,000 in assets over the limit for a single person, or $1.50 a fortnight for each member of a couple (a combined $3 a fortnight per $1,000 for the couple). The DSS Guide states the same taper as a combined $3 figure, so the two descriptions are consistent, not conflicting. Services Australia states the Department of Social Services reviews these limits and the cut-off points below in January, March, July and September each year.

Above a further part-pension cut-off point, the assets test removes payment entirely (figures below stated by Services Australia as applying 'from 1 July 2026'; a higher cut-off applies to someone also getting Rent Assistance):

Hardship provisions exist for a claimant whose assets either block DSP entirely or reduce it to a small amount while the claimant is in severe financial hardship. A permanently blind DSP recipient is exempt from both the income test and the assets test, unless they claim Rent Assistance or their partner claims an income support payment, per Services Australia's income and assets test overview page.

Tax Status and the Pensioner Concession Card

DSP is tax-free for a recipient under Age Pension age, and becomes a taxable Centrelink payment once the recipient reaches Age Pension age. The Australian Taxation Office lists 'disability support pension paid by Centrelink, if you are under age-pension age' among tax-free government payments, and separately lists DSP paid to someone at or over Age Pension age among taxable pensions, on its government-payments page, last updated 8 June 2026. Services Australia's own taxable-payments page corroborates the same split.

A DSP grant brings an automatic Pensioner Concession Card, with no separate application. The card gives cheaper medicine, bulk-billed doctor visits and help with hearing services, per Services Australia. If DSP later stops, a recipient can keep the card for up to two years if either they are working 30 hours or more a week and told Services Australia about the change, or a nil-payment period of DSP results from employment income (their own or their partner's). See working while on DSP for how the 30-hour threshold itself works as a DSP rule.

How Often These Figures Change, and How to Confirm the Current Rate

These figures come from several Services Australia pages with different update stamps, not one single date. The fortnightly rate table (21-plus and under-21-with-a-child) is current as at 20 March 2026 and next updates 20 September 2026. The under-21, no-child rate table follows a 1 January cycle. The income test and assets test figures are current as at 1 July 2026, and the Department of Social Services reviews the assets thresholds specifically in January, March, July and September each year. Because a 20 September 2026 rate update and further asset threshold reviews fall inside the normal lifespan of this page, confirm the live figure on Services Australia's payment rates, income test and assets test pages before relying on a specific dollar amount for your own situation. See how to apply for DSP for what happens after these figures determine your rate, and the DSP hub for the full picture, including reviews and appeals if you disagree with a rate decision.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the maximum DSP payment in Australia right now?

As at 20 March 2026, the maximum single rate is $1,200.90 a fortnight (basic rate $1,100.30, pension supplement $86.50, energy supplement $14.10), and the maximum combined couple rate is $1,810.40 a fortnight. Services Australia reindexes these figures every 20 March and 20 September, so confirm the current amount on Services Australia before relying on it.

How often do DSP rates change?

The standard adult rate (21 and older, or under 21 with a dependent child) changes on 20 March and 20 September each year. The rate for someone under 21 with no dependent child changes on 1 January each year. Income test and assets test figures are reviewed on a separate cycle, with the assets thresholds specifically reviewed in January, March, July and September.

How much can I earn before it affects my DSP payment?

The income free area is $226 a fortnight for a single person and $396 a fortnight combined for a couple, current as at 1 July 2026. Above that, payment reduces by 50 cents for each dollar over the free area for a single person, or 25 cents for each dollar over for each partner in a couple.

Do I have to pay tax on DSP?

No, not while you are under Age Pension age. The Australian Taxation Office treats DSP as tax-free below Age Pension age and as a taxable Centrelink payment once you reach Age Pension age.

Does the assets test include my home?

The homeowner and non-homeowner limits in the assets test table are different specifically because a homeowner's principal home is excluded from the assessed assets, which is why homeowner limits are consistently lower than non-homeowner limits in the same table.

Do I automatically get a concession card with DSP?

Yes. A Pensioner Concession Card is issued automatically once DSP is granted, with no separate application. It gives cheaper medicine, bulk-billed doctor visits and help with hearing services, and can continue for up to two years after DSP stops in some employment-related situations.