Guide
How much is the Age Pension?
The maximum Age Pension is $1,148.60 a fortnight for a single person and $1,731.60 a fortnight combined for a couple, including the Pension Supplement and Energy Supplement, as at 20 March 2025. That is about $29,864 and $45,022 a year.
Key facts at a glance
- Maximum single rate: $1,148.60 per fortnight, about $29,864 a year.
- Maximum couple rate: $865.80 per fortnight each, $1,731.60 combined, about $45,022 a year.
- Rates include the Pension Supplement ($83.20 single) and Energy Supplement ($14.10 single).
- Couples separated by illness are paid the single rate each.
- Rates are indexed on 20 March and 20 September; next indexation 20 September 2026.
- Rent Assistance, if you qualify, is paid on top of these amounts.
All figures correct as at 20 March 2025, sourced from Services Australia. Next indexation: 20 September 2026.
Full Age Pension rates, broken down
| Component | Single | Each member of a couple | Couple combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| Maximum basic rate | $1,051.30 | $792.50 | $1,585.00 |
| Pension Supplement | $83.20 | $62.70 | $125.40 |
| Energy Supplement | $14.10 | $10.60 | $21.20 |
| Total maximum | $1,148.60 | $865.80 | $1,731.60 |
| Approximate annual total | $29,864 | $22,511 | $45,022 |
Full pension or part pension?
You receive the full pension when neither means test reduces your rate — broadly, assets below your free area (for example $321,500 for a single homeowner) and income below the income free area. You receive a part pension when one of the tests reduces the maximum. Services Australia calculates both the assets test and the income test and pays whichever is lower.
When is the Age Pension paid?
The Age Pension is paid fortnightly into your nominated bank account. Your payment day depends on your Centrelink record, not on a national pay date, and payments are brought forward when a payday falls on a public holiday. You can see your next payment date in your Centrelink online account through myGov.
Combined Pension Estimator
See what you would actually be paid after both means tests are applied.
Estimated result
$1,148.60 per fortnight
You are estimated to receive the full pension. Roughly $2,489 a month, $29,864 a year.
- Maximum rate
- $1,148.60 per fortnight
- Assets test result
- $1,148.60 per fortnight
- Income test result
- $1,148.60 per fortnight
- Deemed income counted
- $107.32 per fortnight
- Total assessable income
- $107.32 per fortnight
This is an estimate based on the published rules and rates of Services Australia, correct as at 20 March 2025. Confirm your actual entitlement with Services Australia — your circumstances may include assessments this tool does not model.
Worked example: Sarah, part pension after the assets test
Sarah is single, owns her home, and has $420,000 in assessable assets — about $295.50 a fortnight of assets test reduction.
Result: $853.10 a fortnight, roughly $22,181 a year — a part pension that still carries the Pensioner Concession Card and all the concessions that come with it.
How indexation works
Twice a year, on 20 March and 20 September, the Age Pension is indexed by the higher of the Consumer Price Index and the Pensioner and Beneficiary Living Cost Index. The combined couple rate is then benchmarked to 41.76% of Male Total Average Weekly Earnings, and the single rate is set at 66.33% of the couple combined rate. Assets and income thresholds are indexed on the same dates, so the whole system moves together.
What else comes with the pension
- Pensioner Concession Card — cheaper prescriptions, bulk billing and state concessions
- Commonwealth Rent Assistance — if you rent privately above the threshold
- Pension Supplement and Energy Supplement — already included in the rates above
- Work Bonus — see the Work Bonus guide if you still work
Frequently asked questions
How much is the Age Pension per fortnight in 2026?
The maximum Age Pension is $1,148.60 a fortnight for a single person and $1,731.60 a fortnight combined for a couple, including the Pension Supplement and Energy Supplement, as at 20 March 2025.
How much is the Age Pension per year?
The maximum single Age Pension is about $29,864 a year and the maximum couple rate about $45,022 a year combined, based on 26 fortnightly payments at the rates correct as at 20 March 2025.
What is the difference between a full pension and a part pension?
A full pension is the maximum rate, paid when both the assets test and income test leave your rate untouched. A part pension is any amount below the maximum, caused by assets or income above the relevant free area.
What is the Pension Supplement?
The Pension Supplement is an extra fortnightly amount that covers costs like utilities, phone and internet — $83.20 a fortnight for a single person and $62.70 for each member of a couple. It is included in the maximum rates quoted above.
When is the Age Pension indexed?
Age Pension rates are indexed on 20 March and 20 September each year, using the higher of the Consumer Price Index and the Pensioner and Beneficiary Living Cost Index, then benchmarked to Male Total Average Weekly Earnings. The next indexation is 20 September 2026.
Are couples separated by illness paid more?
Yes. If you and your partner cannot live together because of illness or because one of you is in residential aged care, you can each be paid at the single rate of $1,148.60 a fortnight, which is more than the couple rate each.
Can I get Rent Assistance on top of the Age Pension?
Yes, if you rent privately and pay more than the minimum rent threshold. Commonwealth Rent Assistance is paid on top of the maximum rates on this page and is not included in the figures shown.
Is the Age Pension taxable?
The Age Pension is taxable income, but most pensioners pay no tax because of the Seniors and Pensioners Tax Offset and the tax-free threshold. If you have significant other income, some tax may be payable.
Researched and fact-checked by
researches Australian retirement and social security policy full time. Not a licensed financial adviser — every figure on this page is sourced from Services Australia or the Social Security Act 1991 (Cth).
Last reviewed: 15 September 2026
Figures as at: 20 March 2025
Next indexation: 20 September 2026
Change log: Reviewed 15 September 2026; basic rate, Pension Supplement and Energy Supplement re-checked against Services Australia payment rates correct as at 20 March 2025. Next update at the 20 September 2026 indexation.