Centrelink Payment Changes
One page for every Centrelink and family-payment indexation date — what changed on 20 September and 1 July 2026, and what's due next.
The indexation calendar
Centrelink doesn't index every payment on the same day. Four dates cover almost everything, each governed by the Social Security Act 1991's CPI indexation table (and the Family Assistance Act for FTB and CCS):
| Date | What it changes | Main payments affected |
|---|---|---|
| 20 March & 20 September | Maximum pension and allowance payment rates, income free areas, Rent Assistance | Age Pension, Disability Support Pension, Carer Payment, JobSeeker Payment, Parenting Payment, Rent Assistance |
| 1 July | Assets value limits, deeming thresholds, Family Tax Benefit rates, Child Care Subsidy income thresholds, Paid Parental Leave rate & length | Age Pension & allowance assets tests, deeming, Family Tax Benefit, Child Care Subsidy, Paid Parental Leave |
| 1 January | Carer Allowance flat rate, Youth Allowance & Austudy base rates, Student Income Bank | Carer Allowance, Youth Allowance, Austudy |
Carer Allowance is currently $162.60 a fortnight per care receiver (combined family income under $250,000), and Youth Allowance and Austudy base rates were last indexed 1 January 2026 — see the Youth Allowance Rates guide for the full table.
What changed on 1 July 2026
Assets and deeming thresholds, plus Family Tax Benefit, Child Care Subsidy and Paid Parental Leave, all move on 1 July. Here's what's current since the 1 July 2026 indexation.
Assets & deeming thresholds
| 1 July 2026 setting | Current value |
|---|---|
| Deeming — single lower-rate threshold | $66,800 |
| Deeming — pension couple lower-rate threshold (combined) | $110,600 |
| Deeming — lower / upper rate (from 20 September 2026) | 1.75% / 3.75% |
| Assets — single homeowner full-rate threshold | $333,000 |
| Assets — single homeowner cut-off (moves with payment rates; 20 September 2026 figure) | $745,750 |
| Assets — couple homeowner full-rate threshold (combined) | $499,000 |
| Assets — couple homeowner cut-off (combined; 20 September 2026 figure) | $1,121,000 |
Family Tax Benefit — 2025-26 vs 2026-27
2025-26
Superseded 30 June 2026
- Part A max rate — child 0-12
- $5,927.60/yr
- Part A max rate — child 13-19
- $7,712.45/yr
- Part B max rate — youngest under 5
- $5,040.65/yr
2026-27
Current from 1 July 2026
- Part A max rate — child 0-12
- $6,139.30/yr
- Part A max rate — child 13-19
- $7,989.85/yr
- Part B max rate — youngest under 5
- $5,223.15/yr
Child Care Subsidy — from 6 July 2026
| CCS setting | Current value |
|---|---|
| Standard rate — income where the taper begins | $88,520 |
| Standard rate — cut-off | $538,520 |
| Standard rate — maximum | 90% |
| Higher rate (3+ children) — full 95% up to | $146,437 |
| Higher rate — income limit (subsidy stops) | $370,727 |
Paid Parental Leave — 2025-26 vs 2026-27
2025-26
Superseded 30 June 2026
- Weekly rate
- $948.10
- Maximum weeks
- 24 weeks
- Partner reserved days
- 15 days
2026-27
Current from 1 July 2026
- Weekly rate
- $1,004.70
- Maximum weeks
- 26 weeks
- Partner reserved days
- 20 days
What changed on 20 September 2026
Payment rates, the allowance partner income free area, Rent Assistance and the Commonwealth Seniors Health Card income limit were indexed on 20 September 2026. These are the current fortnightly rates until the next review on 20 March 2027.
| Payment | 20 March 2026 | From 20 September 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Age Pension — single (maximum) | $1,200.90 | $1,237.70 |
| Age Pension — couple, each (maximum) | $905.20 | $933.00 |
| JobSeeker — single, no children | $808.70 | $824.90 |
| JobSeeker — single, with children | $866.00 | $883.30 |
| JobSeeker — single, aged 55+ after 9 months | $866.00 | $883.30 |
| JobSeeker — partnered, each | $740.30 | $755.10 |
| Parenting Payment Single (PPS) — maximum | $1,066.30 | $1,087.20 |
| Parenting Payment Partnered (PPP) — base | $740.30 | $755.10 |
| Allowance partner income free area | $1,415 | $1,440 |
| Commonwealth Seniors Health Card — single income limit (per year) | $101,105 | $105,048 |
Deeming rates also rose on 20 September 2026, by ministerial determination rather than indexation: from 1.25% to 1.75% on financial assets up to the threshold, and from 3.25% to 3.75% above it. The deeming thresholds, income free areas and assets thresholds stay at their 1 July 2026 levels.
One rule change rode in with this list: pensioners who are not Australian residents, or who have been overseas for more than 12 weeks, no longer receive the Pension Supplement basic amount from 20 September 2026. Every figure on this page and in our calculators is the normal Australian-resident rate.
What's next: 1 January and 20 March 2027
On 1 January 2027 the Carer Allowance flat rate, Youth Allowance and Austudy student base rates and the Student Income Bank are indexed. Pension and allowance payment rates are next reviewed on 20 March 2027.
Pension rates (Age Pension, Carer Payment, Disability Support Pension) are indexed to the higher of the Consumer Price Index (CPI) or the Pensioner and Beneficiary Living Cost Index (PBLCI), then benchmarked against a share of Male Total Average Weekly Earnings (MTAWE). Allowance payments (JobSeeker, the Youth Allowance job-seeker rate) are indexed to CPI movement only.
DSS usually publishes each confirmed rates list two to three weeks ahead of the effective date. This page doesn't estimate unpublished rates — it is updated with the confirmed figures alongside the Age Pension Rates & Thresholds and Youth Allowance Rates guides.