JobSeeker & Youth Allowance Calculator

How the Means Test Works

JobSeeker Payment and Youth Allowance use a two-test system to determine how much you receive. Services Australia calculates your entitlement under both the income test and the assets test. Unlike the Age Pension (which uses a gradual assets taper), the assets test for working-age payments is a hard cut-off — if your assets exceed the threshold, you receive nothing.

To be eligible for JobSeeker Payment, you must be aged 22 to Age Pension age (67), be an Australian resident, and meet mutual obligation requirements — which typically means actively looking for work, participating in a Workforce Australia program, or undertaking approved activities. Youth Allowance has similar requirements but applies to younger Australians (16–24 for students, 16–21 for job seekers).

Payment rates are indexed in March and September each year. The rates in this calculator reflect the March 2026 indexation. Your actual payment may also include supplementary amounts such as Energy Supplement, Rent Assistance, or Pharmaceutical Allowance depending on your circumstances.

Income Test — Two-Band Taper

The income test for JobSeeker and Youth Allowance uses a two-band taper system that is more aggressive than the Age Pension's single 50c taper:

• Income free area: $150 per fortnight — earn up to this amount with no reduction
• Band 1 ($150–$256/fn): payment reduces by 50 cents for every dollar earned
• Band 2 (above $256/fn): payment reduces by 60 cents for every dollar earned

Income includes employment income, self-employment income, investment income, and most other regular payments. Some income is exempt — for example, certain Commonwealth payments, disability support pension supplement, and some scholarships.

For couples, each partner is assessed on their own income first, but if one partner earns above their cut-off point, the excess can affect the other partner's payment through the partner income test.

Assets Test — Hard Cut-Off

Unlike the Age Pension (where your payment gradually reduces as assets increase), the assets test for JobSeeker and Youth Allowance is a hard cut-off. If your total assessable assets exceed the threshold, you receive no payment at all.

Assessable assets include bank accounts, shares, managed funds, superannuation (if you are over preservation age and it is accessible), vehicles, investment properties, and other personal assets. Your principal home is excluded from the assets test. Non-homeowners receive higher thresholds to account for their need to fund housing from their assets.

Working Credits

Working Credits help people on income support who move in and out of work. When your employment income is below $48 per fortnight, the difference accrues as a credit in your Working Credit balance, up to a maximum of $1,000. When you start earning more, your Working Credits are used to offset your employment income, reducing the impact on your payment.

For example, if you have a Working Credit balance of $500 and earn $400 in a fortnight, up to $250 of that income ($400 minus the $150 free area) could be offset by your credits — meaning less of your payment is reduced. Working Credits only apply to employment income (wages, salary) — they do not apply to investment income or other non-employment sources.

Working Credits are separate from the Age Pension's Work Bonus scheme. If you move from JobSeeker to Age Pension, any remaining Working Credit balance can be converted to a Work Bonus income bank balance (up to the $11,800 cap).

Related Centrelink Calculators

If you are exploring your government payment options, these calculators may also be useful:

• Age Pension Calculator — estimate your Age Pension entitlement if you are 67 or older
• Family Tax Benefit Calculator — calculate FTB Part A & B payments for families with children
• Child Care Subsidy Calculator — estimate your CCS percentage and out-of-pocket childcare costs

Frequently asked questions