The Age Pension rose $22.20 a fortnight for singles from 20 March 2026, taking the maximum rate to $1,200.90. Couples now receive $905.20 each, up $16.70. The Disability Support Pension and Carer Payment moved by the same amount.
Update, 24 September 2026: these were the rates from 20 March to 19 September 2026. Pension rates were indexed again on 20 September 2026, so check your current rate with Services Australia.
Key facts
| What changed | Before | Now |
|---|---|---|
| Age Pension — single | $1,178.70 | $1,200.90 |
| Age Pension — couple (each) | $888.50 | $905.20 |
| Age Pension — couple (combined) | $1,777.00 | $1,810.40 |
| Disability Support Pension | — | Same rates as Age Pension |
| Carer Payment | — | Same rates as Age Pension |
The new pension rates
From 20 March 2026 to 19 September 2026, the maximum full Age Pension is $1,200.90 a fortnight for a single person and $905.20 each for a couple — $1,810.40 combined. Both figures include the pension and energy supplements. The rise applies automatically to existing recipients; there's nothing you need to do to receive the higher rate, and the new amount should appear in your first payment on or after 20 March 2026 without any need to update your details.
For context, the single rate has now risen every March and September for several years running, tracking cost-of-living pressures and wages growth. Couples separated by illness — for example where one partner is in permanent residential care — are generally paid at the higher single rate rather than the couple rate, so it's worth checking which rate applies to your specific household circumstances.
Disability Support Pension and Carer Payment rise too
The Disability Support Pension and Carer Payment are paid at the same maximum rate as the Age Pension, so both increased to $1,200.90 a fortnight for singles and $905.20 each for couples on the same date. All three payments share the twice-yearly indexation cycle, which is separate from the family payments and student allowances indexed in January and July. JobSeeker Payment and other allowance-type payments are also reviewed on the same 20 March and 20 September dates, though they're indexed to CPI alone rather than the wage-linked benchmark that applies to pensions, so their dollar increases are typically smaller.
Why the pension rises twice a year
Pension rates are indexed every 20 March and 20 September, using the higher of the Consumer Price Index or the Pensioner and Beneficiary Living Cost Index, then checked against a benchmark percentage of Male Total Average Weekly Earnings. That benchmark protects pensioner incomes from falling behind wages growth even in years when inflation is low. It's a deliberate design feature of the pension system: rather than pension rates being set once and left to erode with inflation, they're recalculated twice a year against whichever measure gives pensioners the better outcome.
Income and assets test thresholds also moved
The income and assets test cut-off points that determine how much pension you receive are indexed alongside the payment rate. Because the thresholds usually rise by a similar proportion, some part-pensioners may find they're now eligible for a slightly higher payment, or that they've become eligible for the first time even if their income and assets haven't changed. The way Centrelink assesses savings and investments also changed on the same date — see how deeming rates shifted, since a higher deeming rate can partly offset the benefit of a higher pension rate for part-pensioners with significant savings.
What this means for your pay
If you're still working part-time alongside a pension, the higher payment rate and adjusted income test can change how much of your wages get taxed away under the taper. Use our Centrelink income test guide to check the current thresholds, and the superannuation calculator if you're drawing down super alongside your pension and want to see how contributions or withdrawals affect your balance.