The Disability Support Pension (DSP) amount per fortnight in Australia varies by age and situation, with a single person 21 or over getting around $1,079.70 (basic rate), while younger individuals get less, e.g., around $822.60 for independent under-21s. These rates are subject to income and assets tests, and supplements (like pension, energy) can add to the total, with figures updated periodically, so checking Services Australia for current figures is best.
The Disability Support Pension (DSP) maximum for a single adult in 2025 is $1,149.00 per fortnight including standard supplements.
The full Centrelink Disability Support Pension (DSP) for a single person over 21 is around $1,178.70 per fortnight, including the basic rate, pension supplement, and energy supplement as of late 2025, but this varies by your situation (age, partner, income, assets). You can get up to approximately $1,777.00 combined as a couple, or less if you have significant income or assets, with rates updated twice yearly.
How much is the disability pension per fortnight for a single person? After the September 20, 2025 indexation, the Disability Support Pension for a single person is up to $1,149.00 per fortnight, including all supplements (base pension, pension supplement, and energy supplement).
Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) – The maximum payment is $4,152 a month (up from $4,018 in 2025). The maximum family benefit for SSDI is about 85% to 150% of the disabled worker's benefit. The maximum payment at full retirement age is $4,152 monthly.
After 2 years on Australia's Disability Support Pension (DSP), your status depends on your circumstances, but typically involves reassessment for continued eligibility, potential suspension or cancellation if you're working significantly above limits, and ongoing need to report earnings, with a key 2-year assessment cycle for work capacity. You might face a review of your medical condition and work capacity, or if you've been working, your payments could be suspended for up to 2 years if you exceed income/hours thresholds, but your Pensioner Concession Card can last longer.
Myth 8: The DSP is for life
This means you might need to report changes to Centrelink, and they can review your payments at any time. Also, it's important to know that if you're over 65 years old, you won't qualify for DSP. Instead, people over 65 usually receive the Age Pension.
Adult Disability Payment is between £29.20 and £187.45 per week. The amount you get depends on how your condition or disability affects you. Adult Disability Payment has two components – a daily living component and a mobility component. You could get money from one or both of these.
Can I get Disability Living Allowance (DLA)?
The Australian Government uses an income test to determine how much you are eligible for on the Disability Support Pension. Most types of income are assessed in the income test, including: Income you get from work. Real estate income.
Single recipients will receive $1,149.00 per fortnight, up from $1,138.00. It's a small increase, but every bit helps. Couples will see their payments increase as well. Each partner in a couple will receive $866.10, which is $11.00 more than before.
You must have an impairment rating of 20 points or more. An impairment rating is assigned by comparing your impairment to the Impairment Tables. You must be unable to work for 15 hours or more each week. If you have multiple impairments, you may also have to participate in a Program of Support.
For an Australian Disability Support Pension (DSP), how much you can have in the bank depends on your homeownership and relationship status, as it's part of your total assets, with limits around $300k-$900k for full DSP eligibility, though your payment reduces gradually as assets increase, and specific limits apply for stopping payments entirely. Key factors include your home (counted differently), other assets like cars, and how "deemed income" from savings affects your payment.
How much Disability Living Allowance (DLA) will I get?
If you get DSP, you can have paid work up to 29 hours a week. You can do this without losing your DSP payment providing you meet the income test.
People getting Disability Allowance can qualify for the Rural Social Scheme (if they are actively farming or fishing). People getting Illness Benefit, Invalidity Pension, Disability Allowance, and Blind Pension can qualify for Community Employment. People getting Disability Allowance can qualify for the TÚS scheme.
The four main categories of disability are typically Physical, Sensory, Intellectual/Developmental, and Psychosocial/Mental Health, though specific classifications can vary, with some grouping them as Physical, Cognitive, Sensory, and Social/Emotional. These categories cover limitations in mobility, senses (sight/hearing), learning/thinking, and emotional/behavioral well-being, and individuals can have more than one type.
Keep in mind that the amount a person receives in monthly SSDI benefits depends on their average indexed earnings during their working history. The maximum benefit payment in 2026 cannot exceed $4,152 for workers who paid the maximum Social Security taxes each year and had long work histories.
If you decide to stay on the Disability Support Pension, you may still enjoy certain advantages including: if you pursue further education, you may be eligible for the Pensioner Education Supplement and Education Entry Payment. Retaining the higher rate of Mobility Allowance is another possibility.
To get Adult Disability Payment, you must have a long-term physical or mental health condition or disability, or be terminally ill.
To get the DSP you will need to show Centrelink that you meet certain eligibility criteria. These are: You meet the requirements for age, residency, and the income and assets tests. You have a medical condition or conditions.
Receiving an inheritance can impact your eligibility for Centrelink benefits such as the Age Pension, Disability Support Pension, JobSeeker, or Family Tax Benefit, as it changes your income and assets.
You can have up to $2,000 in savings and assets if you're single. You can have up to $3,000 if you're married. Certain things don't count as assets, like your home (if you live in it) or one car.
In Australia, automatic qualification for disability support (like the Disability Support Pension or NDIS) isn't about specific conditions but rather about meeting "manifest" criteria for severe, permanent, or terminal impairments, such as being permanently blind, having an IQ under 70, needing nursing home care, Category 4 HIV/AIDS, or a terminal illness with less than a two-year life expectancy. Otherwise, eligibility for income support (DSP) or NDIS funding depends on demonstrating the condition's permanence and its substantial, long-term impact on daily life and work capacity, requiring medical evidence.