JobSeeker Payment Calculator — Rates and How Working Affects Your Payment
JobSeeker Payment is $824.90 a fortnight for a single person with no children, $883.30 with a dependent child and $755.10 each for a couple, from 20 September 2026. Enter your gross fortnightly wages to see how much you keep: the first $150 is free, then it reduces by 50 cents to $256 and 60 cents above.
Rates from 20 September 2026 · verified 23 September 2026
How Much Is JobSeeker Payment?
These are the maximum fortnightly rates from 20 September 2026, before any reduction for income. JobSeeker is paid every two weeks, and Energy Supplement is paid on top.
| Your situation | Per fortnight | Per week | Income cut-off (fortnight) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Single, no children | $824.90 | $412.45 | $1,557.17 |
| Single, dependent child under 16 (not the principal carer) | $883.30 | $441.65 | $1,655.67 |
| Single, principal carer of a child under 16 | $883.30 | $441.65 | $2,399.50 |
| Single, 55 or older, 9+ months on payment | $883.30 | $441.65 | $1,667.34 |
| Single, partial capacity to work (under 15 hrs/week) | $883.30 | $441.65 | $1,667.34 |
| Partnered | $755.10 | $377.55 | depends on partner income |
| Single principal carer, exempt from mutual obligations | $1,068.20 | $534.10 | $2,868.00 |
Services Australia's figures, indexed on 20 March and 20 September; the next change is 20 March 2027. The single rate with a dependent child also applies if you are 55 or older after 9 continuous months on payment, or have a partial capacity to work of less than 15 hours a week.
How Much JobSeeker Do You Keep?
How the income test applied
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JobSeeker Income Test Rates and Thresholds
Services Australia reduces JobSeeker once your own income passes $150 a fortnight. The free area and the tapers are not part of the September indexation — they are the same before and after 20 September 2026:
| Your income per fortnight | Most recipients | Single principal carer |
|---|---|---|
| Up to $150 | $0 | $0 |
| $150 to $256 | 50c for each dollar | 40c for each dollar over $150 |
| Over $256 | 60c for each dollar | 40c for each dollar over $150 |
Maximum rates before and after 20 September 2026
| Situation | Maximum per fortnight | Cut-off (payment reaches $0) | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| To 19 Sep 2026 | From 20 Sep 2026 | To 19 Sep 2026 | From 20 Sep 2026 | |
| Single, no children | $808.70 | $824.90 | $1,530.17 | $1,557.17 |
| Single, dependent child under 16 (not the principal carer) | $866.00 | $883.30 | $1,626.84 | $1,655.67 |
| Single, principal carer of a child under 16 | $866.00 | $883.30 | $2,356.25 | $2,399.50 |
| Single, 55 or older, 9+ months on payment | $866.00 | $883.30 | $1,638.50 | $1,667.34 |
| Single, partial capacity to work (under 15 hrs/week) | $866.00 | $883.30 | $1,638.50 | $1,667.34 |
| Partnered | $740.30 | $755.10 | depends on partner income | depends on partner income |
| Single principal carer, exempt from mutual obligations | $1,047.30 | $1,068.20 | $2,815.75 | $2,868.00 |
| Partner income free area (partner 22 to Age Pension age) | $1,415.00 | $1,440.00 | 60c per $1 above it, either way | |
Rates are indexed on 20 March and 20 September. The 20 March 2026 figures are Services Australia's, read on 28 August 2026; the 20 September 2026 rates are from the DSS rates list published 20 August 2026. Cut-offs include an Energy Supplement (and, for some situations, a Pharmaceutical Allowance) that not every recipient gets, which is why the payment above reaches $0 slightly below them.
JobSeeker Payment at Different Incomes (Single, No Children)
| Fortnightly wages | Reduction | JobSeeker to 19 Sep 2026 | JobSeeker from 20 Sep 2026 | Wages + JobSeeker (from 20 Sep) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $0 | $0.00 | $808.70 | $824.90 | $824.90 |
| $100 | $0.00 | $808.70 | $824.90 | $924.90 |
| $150 | $0.00 | $808.70 | $824.90 | $974.90 |
| $200 | -$25.00 | $783.70 | $799.90 | $999.90 |
| $256 | -$53.00 | $755.70 | $771.90 | $1,027.90 |
| $300 | -$79.40 | $729.30 | $745.50 | $1,045.50 |
| $400 | -$139.40 | $669.30 | $685.50 | $1,085.50 |
| $500 | -$199.40 | $609.30 | $625.50 | $1,125.50 |
| $600 | -$259.40 | $549.30 | $565.50 | $1,165.50 |
| $800 | -$379.40 | $429.30 | $445.50 | $1,245.50 |
| $1,000 | -$499.40 | $309.30 | $325.50 | $1,325.50 |
| $1,200 | -$619.40 | $189.30 | $205.50 | $1,405.50 |
| $1,400 | -$739.40 | $69.30 | $85.50 | $1,485.50 |
| $1,500 | -$799.40 | $9.30 | $25.50 | $1,525.50 |
Every extra dollar you earn above $256 leaves you 40 cents better off before tax, and that is before working credits — so working more always adds to the total, but at a flatter slope than the wage suggests. The 20 September increase of $16.20 a fortnight for a single recipient flows through at every income up to the cut-off.
Who Can Get JobSeeker Payment
JobSeeker Payment (it replaced Newstart Allowance, so it is still often called the JobSeeker allowance) is the main Centrelink payment for people of working age who are looking for work. To get it you must:
- be between 22 and Age Pension age;
- meet the residence rules, and the income and assets tests;
- be unemployed and looking for work — which includes working part-time or casually, being temporarily stood down, or having your hours cut — or be sick or injured and unable to do your usual work or study for a short time (with a medical certificate).
Under 22? Look at Youth Allowance. Single and caring for a child under 14? Parenting Payment pays more and tapers more gently. If you rent privately you may also get Rent Assistance with your JobSeeker.
Working Credits
In fortnights when your income is under $48, you build working credits. Services Australia uses them first in a fortnight when you earn more, which can keep some payment flowing above the published cut-off. The calculator does not include them because the balance is individual — check yours in your Centrelink online account before relying on a figure here.
What Counts as Income, and When
Gross wages in the fortnight they are paid — before tax, salary sacrifice or HECS. Commission, bonuses, overtime and penalty rates count too. Your fortnightly gross is the figure to enter, and JobSeeker itself is taxable, so put the wages and the payment together through the take-home pay calculator to see the year.
Other Centrelink Payment Calculators
- Centrelink income test guide — how the free area, taper and cut-off work for every payment
- Parenting Payment calculator — single and partnered, with the 40c taper for single parents
- Family Tax Benefit calculator — FTB Part A and Part B on your family income
- Rent Assistance calculator — 75c for each dollar of rent over the threshold
- Austudy and Youth Allowance calculator — the $539 free area and the 50c/60c bands
- Age Pension income test calculator — with the Work Bonus applied
- Take-home pay calculator — tax on your wages and payment together
- Fortnightly pay calculator — convert your wage to the fortnightly gross Centrelink asks for
How this calculator works▼
- Reduction = 50c × income between $150 and $256 + 60c × income over $256; single principal carers 40c × income over $150. Partner income (partner not on a pension): 60c × income over the limit for their age. The free area and tapers index on 1 July and did not change on 20 September 2026.
- Payment = maximum rate for the situation minus the reduction, floored at $0. Two dated rate sets are held: 20 March 2026 (Services Australia, read 28 August 2026) and 20 September 2026 (DSS rates list published 20 August 2026). The calculator reads today's date in your browser and applies whichever set is in force, so it changes over on 20 September by itself.
- Both sets of cut-offs are Services Australia's published figures; the 20 September 2026 ones were re-checked on its income test page on 23 September 2026. Each reconciles to cut-off = (typical total rate − $53) ÷ 0.6 + $256, or ÷ 0.4 + $150 for a single principal carer, to within a cent — the tests assert it.
- Not modelled: working credits, assets test, Rent Assistance and other supplements, partners receiving a pension. Pay Calculator Australia is not Services Australia — use their Payment Finder for a claim estimate.
Frequently Asked Questions
JobSeeker payment questions and answers
How much is JobSeeker Payment a fortnight?
From 20 September 2026: $825 a fortnight if you're single with no children (about $412 a week), $883 if you're single with a dependent child, 55 or older after 9 months on payment, or have a partial capacity to work, and $755 each if you're partnered. These are maximums — your payment reduces once your own income passes $150 a fortnight.
Who is eligible for JobSeeker Payment?
You must be between 22 and Age Pension age, meet the residence rules and the income and assets tests, and be either unemployed and looking for work (including if you work part-time or casually, have been stood down or had your hours cut) or sick or injured and unable to do your usual work or study for a short time.
Is JobSeeker the same as Newstart or the JobSeeker allowance?
Yes — JobSeeker Payment replaced Newstart Allowance in March 2020, and many people still call it the JobSeeker allowance. It is an allowance, so it uses the allowance income test (the $150 free area and 50c/60c tapers), not the pension income test.
How much can I earn before JobSeeker reduces?
$150 a fortnight. Above that your payment reduces by 50 cents for each dollar up to $256, then 60 cents for each dollar over $256. The free area and the tapers are unchanged by the 20 September 2026 indexation. Working credits, built up in fortnights when you earn under $48, can cover some income before the test applies.
How much JobSeeker do I get if I work part-time?
Single with no children earning $600 a fortnight: the reduction is $259 ($53 on the first band plus $206 at 60 cents). On the $809 maximum paid to 19 September 2026 you keep $549 of JobSeeker; on the $825 maximum from 20 September 2026 you keep $566. Your $600 wages are on top either way.
What is the JobSeeker cut-off point?
To 19 September 2026: $1,530 a fortnight for a single person with no children, $1,639 if you are 55 or older after 9 months on payment, and $2,356 for a single principal carer. From 20 September 2026 those become $1,557, $1,667 and $2,400. Earn more than that in a fortnight and you are paid $0 for it — unless working credits cover part of the income.
How much did JobSeeker go up on 20 September 2026?
A single person with no children goes from $809 to $825 a fortnight, up $16.20. Single with a dependent child, aged 55+ after 9 months, or with a partial capacity to work: $866 to $883. Partnered (each): $740 to $755. Single principal carers exempt from mutual obligations: $1,047 to $1,068. The first payment at the new rate covers the fortnight that starts on or after 20 September.
What is the maximum JobSeeker Payment?
To 19 September 2026: $809 a fortnight single with no children; $866 single with a dependent child, aged 55+ after 9 months, or with a partial capacity to work; $740 partnered; $1,047 for a single principal carer exempt from mutual obligations. From 20 September 2026: $825, $883, $755 and $1,068. Rates are indexed on 20 March and 20 September.
Does my partner's income affect my JobSeeker?
Yes. If your partner does not get a pension, your payment reduces by 60 cents for each dollar they earn over $1,415 a fortnight, rising to $1,440 from 20 September 2026. The under-22 limits do not change on 20 September: $1,307 if they are under 22 with no children, $1,402 under 22 with children. Your own income is tested separately.
Is JobSeeker taxable?
Yes. JobSeeker Payment is taxable income. Services Australia can withhold tax from it if you ask, which helps avoid a bill at tax time when you also have wages.
Do I report gross or net wages to Centrelink?
Gross — your pay before tax, and in the fortnight it is paid. The calculator uses the same gross fortnightly figure. If you are paid weekly, add the two pays that fall in the reporting fortnight.
From 20 September 2026: $825 a fortnight if you're single with no children (about $412 a week), $883 if you're single with a dependent child, 55 or older after 9 months on payment, or have a partial capacity to work, and $755 each if you're partnered. These are maximums — your payment reduces once your own income passes $150 a fortnight.
You must be between 22 and Age Pension age, meet the residence rules and the income and assets tests, and be either unemployed and looking for work (including if you work part-time or casually, have been stood down or had your hours cut) or sick or injured and unable to do your usual work or study for a short time.
Yes — JobSeeker Payment replaced Newstart Allowance in March 2020, and many people still call it the JobSeeker allowance. It is an allowance, so it uses the allowance income test (the $150 free area and 50c/60c tapers), not the pension income test.
$150 a fortnight. Above that your payment reduces by 50 cents for each dollar up to $256, then 60 cents for each dollar over $256. The free area and the tapers are unchanged by the 20 September 2026 indexation. Working credits, built up in fortnights when you earn under $48, can cover some income before the test applies.
Single with no children earning $600 a fortnight: the reduction is $259 ($53 on the first band plus $206 at 60 cents). On the $809 maximum paid to 19 September 2026 you keep $549 of JobSeeker; on the $825 maximum from 20 September 2026 you keep $566. Your $600 wages are on top either way.
To 19 September 2026: $1,530 a fortnight for a single person with no children, $1,639 if you are 55 or older after 9 months on payment, and $2,356 for a single principal carer. From 20 September 2026 those become $1,557, $1,667 and $2,400. Earn more than that in a fortnight and you are paid $0 for it — unless working credits cover part of the income.
A single person with no children goes from $809 to $825 a fortnight, up $16.20. Single with a dependent child, aged 55+ after 9 months, or with a partial capacity to work: $866 to $883. Partnered (each): $740 to $755. Single principal carers exempt from mutual obligations: $1,047 to $1,068. The first payment at the new rate covers the fortnight that starts on or after 20 September.
To 19 September 2026: $809 a fortnight single with no children; $866 single with a dependent child, aged 55+ after 9 months, or with a partial capacity to work; $740 partnered; $1,047 for a single principal carer exempt from mutual obligations. From 20 September 2026: $825, $883, $755 and $1,068. Rates are indexed on 20 March and 20 September.
Yes. If your partner does not get a pension, your payment reduces by 60 cents for each dollar they earn over $1,415 a fortnight, rising to $1,440 from 20 September 2026. The under-22 limits do not change on 20 September: $1,307 if they are under 22 with no children, $1,402 under 22 with children. Your own income is tested separately.
Yes. JobSeeker Payment is taxable income. Services Australia can withhold tax from it if you ask, which helps avoid a bill at tax time when you also have wages.
Gross — your pay before tax, and in the fortnight it is paid. The calculator uses the same gross fortnightly figure. If you are paid weekly, add the two pays that fall in the reporting fortnight.
Sources & References
- 1Income test for JobSeeker Payment— Services Australia
- 2How much JobSeeker Payment you can get— Services Australia
- 3Social Security Payment Parameters — 20 September 2026 indexation— Department of Social Services
Last verified: 23 September 2026. Our content is based on the latest information from official Australian government sources.
Anita Bell
AuthorFounder & Senior Bookkeeper
Accountancy degree (2015); certified in Xero, QuickBooks Online, MYOB, Saasu, Zoho and Reckon One
Anita Bell earned her accountancy degree in 2015 and has worked as a senior bookkeeper with Prime Bookkeeping for over 5 years. This built her skills in Australian and New Zealand tax legislation and industry regulations. She is certified in Xero, QuickBooks Online, MYOB, Saasu, Zoho and Reckon One, and works with payroll and rostering software including Gusto, Deputy, Tsheets and KeyPay. She has strong experience in hospitality, building and construction, financial services, real estate, ecommerce, and medical and health services.
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