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Income and assets tests for Newstart Allowance


Personal income test

As a Newstart Allowance customer you can earn up to $62 per fortnight before tax before your payment is affected.

Income between $62 and $250 reduces your fortnightly payment by 50 cents in the dollar.

Income above $250 reduces your payment by 60 cents in the dollar.

Partner income which exceeds the cut-out point also reduces your payment by 60 cents in the dollar.


Working credit

Working Credit helps you keep more of your Newstart Allowance payment if you do any part-time or casual work. It also makes it easier for you to get Newstart Allowance back if you have a short-term full-time job.

When your total income is less than $48 a fortnight, you will automatically build up working credits. When you have income from work, your credits will reduce the effect that income has on your Newstart Allowance payment.

You can collect up to 1,000 credits, and for every credit you can earn $1extra before your Newstart Allowance payment is reduced. Your credits will also help you to keep more of your payment when you start a full-time job. This means you could get some or all of your Newstart Allowance payment in addition to your pay when you first start work.


Assets test

As an applicant for Newstart Allowance you will be assessed against an assets test:


Payment may be deferred if your liquid assets exceed:

  • $2,500 if you are single, or
  • $5,000 if you are a couple, or single with dependants.

Hardship provisions may apply to the personal assets test.

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