Estimate your Australian Parenting Payment — PPS for single parents with a youngest child under 14, or PPP for partnered parents with a youngest child under 6. Applies the income test, assets test, partner income test, and deeming on financial assets. Rates from 20 March 2026.
PPS & PPPMarch 2026 ratesIncome + assets tests
01 —INPUTS
Parenting Payment Single — youngest child must be under 14
PPS ends at 14; PPP ends at 6
PPS free area grows by $24.60 per extra child per fortnight
Parenting Payment is paid in two distinct streams depending on whether you're single or partnered.
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Parenting Payment Single (PPS) — For single parents / principal carers. Paid until the youngest child turns 14. Pension-style rate with Pension Supplement (basic) and a single-band 40c taper above the income free area.
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Parenting Payment Partnered (PPP) — For partnered parents / principal carers. Paid until the youngest child turns 6. Allowance-style rate aligned with the JobSeeker principal-carer rate. Uses the JobSeeker two-band taper plus a partner income test.
Once your youngest child ages out of PP, you generally transition to JobSeeker Payment at the principal carer rate (higher than standard JobSeeker), subject to mutual obligation requirements.
Income test details
PPS (single parents): pension-style income test. Free area $231.40/fn + $24.60 per extra child. Taper 40c per $1 above free area. Assessable income includes employment, self-employment, rental, maintenance, and deemed income on financial assets at 1.25% below $64,200 and 3.25% above.
PPP (partnered parents): allowance-style test. Free area $150/fn, band 1 ($150–$256) 50c/$1, band 2 (>$256) 60c/$1. Partner income test: above $1,124/fn, partner income reduces payment by 60c/$1.
Assets test — hard cut-off
Parenting Payment uses a hard-cut-off assets test — above the threshold the payment drops to zero. Your principal home is excluded.
Situation
Assets cut-off
Single, homeowner
~$314,000
Single, non-homeowner
~$566,000
Couple, homeowner (combined)
~$470,000
Couple, non-homeowner (combined)
~$722,000
Deeming on financial assets
Financial assets — cash, term deposits, shares, managed funds, superannuation if accessible — are deemed to earn a regular return that counts as income, regardless of what they actually earn.
→Singles: first $64,200 at 1.25%, above at 3.25%
→Couples: first $106,200 combined at 1.25%, above at 3.25%
FAQ
What is Parenting Payment?
Parenting Payment is the primary Centrelink income support for the principal carer of a dependent child. Single parents receive Parenting Payment Single (PPS) — a pension-style payment — until their youngest child turns 14. Partnered parents receive Parenting Payment Partnered (PPP) — an allowance-style payment — until their youngest child turns 6. After those thresholds, most parents transition to JobSeeker Payment (principal carer rate).
How much is the Parenting Payment Single rate in 2026?
From 20 March 2026, the maximum Parenting Payment Single rate is approximately $1,053.70 per fortnight, made up of a base rate around $1,009.60, the Pension Supplement basic amount of $30.00, and the Energy Supplement of $14.10 (for eligible recipients). This is roughly $27,400 per year. The rate is indexed twice a year against CPI.
How much is the Parenting Payment Partnered rate in 2026?
From 20 March 2026, the maximum Parenting Payment Partnered rate is approximately $831.00 per fortnight per eligible parent, which aligns with the JobSeeker principal-carer rate of $816.90 plus the Energy Supplement of $14.10. Only one parent per couple is typically paid PPP at a time.
What is the difference between the PPS and PPP income tests?
PPS uses a single-band pension-style taper: income above the free area of $231.40 per fortnight (plus $24.60 for each extra dependent child) reduces the payment by 40 cents for every dollar. PPP uses the two-band allowance-style taper shared with JobSeeker: 50c/$1 between $150 and $256 per fortnight, then 60c/$1 above $256. PPP also applies a partner income test.
Are there assets limits?
Yes. Parenting Payment uses a hard-cut-off assets test. Single homeowners cut out at around $314,000 in assessable assets, single non-homeowners at $566,000, couple homeowners at $470,000 combined, and couple non-homeowners at $722,000. Financial assets are also subject to deeming.
What happens when my youngest child turns 6 or 14?
When your youngest turns 6 (partnered) or 14 (single), Parenting Payment ends. Most parents transition to JobSeeker Payment (principal carer), which pays a higher rate than standard JobSeeker to acknowledge caring responsibilities.
Can I work while receiving Parenting Payment?
Yes — and you'll usually keep some payment. Single parents under the 40c PPS taper can typically earn several hundred dollars per fortnight before their payment reduces to zero. Partnered parents taper more steeply under PPP. Working Credits (up to $1,000 banked) can offset employment income when you return to work.
Parenting Payment calculations use rates from 20 March 2026. Real entitlements can vary with Rent Assistance, Pharmaceutical Allowance, Working Credits, and mutual obligation outcomes that are not modelled here. Use Services Australia's Payment & Service Finder for a formal assessment.