Guide
Commonwealth Seniors Health Card vs Age Pension
The Commonwealth Seniors Health Card is for people of Age Pension age who do not qualify for the pension. It has an income test only — $99,025 a year single and $158,440 for a couple, as at 20 March 2025 — and no assets test, but it pays no money.
Key facts at a glance
- Income limit: $99,025 a year single, $158,440 a year couple combined, $198,050 for a couple separated by illness.
- No assets test applies to the Commonwealth Seniors Health Card.
- The card provides concessions only — the Age Pension pays up to $1,148.60 a fortnight for a single person.
- You must be Age Pension age (67) and not receiving a Centrelink or DVA pension.
- Income assessed is adjusted taxable income plus deemed account-based pension income.
- Income limits are indexed on 20 September each year; next indexation 20 September 2026.
All figures correct as at 20 March 2025, sourced from Services Australia. Next indexation: 20 September 2026.
Which one applies to you?
| Feature | Age Pension | Commonwealth Seniors Health Card |
|---|---|---|
| Payment | Up to $1,148.60 per fortnight (single) | No payment — concessions only |
| Assets test | Yes — cut-off $697,000 single homeowner | No assets test |
| Income test | Fortnightly assessable income, 50c taper | Annual adjusted taxable income up to $99,025 (single) |
| Minimum age | 67 years | 67 years |
| Concession card | Pensioner Concession Card | Commonwealth Seniors Health Card |
| Rent Assistance | Available if eligible | Not available |
Why the card exists
Many self-funded retirees have assets well above the Age Pension assets test cut-off but modest actual income. The card recognises that: it ignores assets entirely and looks only at income, so a retiree with a large superannuation balance and a low drawdown can hold the card even though no pension is payable.
How the card's income test works
Services Australia adds your adjusted taxable income to the deemed income from your account-based pensions. The result is compared with the annual limit for your situation. Unlike the Age Pension, there is no taper: you either are under the limit and get the card, or you are over it and do not.
Deeming Rate Calculator
Deemed income from account-based pensions counts towards the card's income test.
Deeming assumes your financial assets earn a set rate of return no matter what they actually earn. Lower rate 0.25%, upper rate 2.25%.
Estimated result
$81.43 per fortnight
$2,123.00 a year of deemed income counted under the Age Pension income test.
- Deeming threshold
- $62,600
- Deemed at 0.25%
- $62,600 → $156.50 a year
- Deemed at 2.25%
- $87,400 → $1,966.50 a year
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: Alan and Rose, self-funded retirees
Alan and Rose own their home and have $1,300,000 in superannuation — above the $1,047,500 Age Pension assets cut-off for a homeowner couple, so no pension is payable.
Their adjusted taxable income plus deemed account-based pension income comes to about $46,000 a year, well under the $158,440 couple limit.
Result: no Age Pension, but both qualify for the Commonwealth Seniors Health Card and the pharmaceutical and Medicare concessions it carries.
How to apply for the card
- Sign in to myGov with a linked Centrelink online account.
- Select Make a claim, then Concession cards, then Commonwealth Seniors Health Card.
- Supply your tax details and any account-based pension schedules.
- Submit and track the claim; cards are usually posted within a few weeks of approval.
If your circumstances change and your assets fall below the pension cut-off, you can claim the Age Pension instead — see How to apply for the Age Pension.
Frequently asked questions
What is the income limit for the Commonwealth Seniors Health Card?
The Commonwealth Seniors Health Card income limit is $99,025 a year for a single person and $158,440 a year for a couple combined, as at 20 March 2025. There is no assets test.
Is there an assets test for the Seniors Health Card?
No. The Commonwealth Seniors Health Card is assessed on income only, which is why many people with assets above the Age Pension cut-off still qualify for the card.
Can I get the card if I get the Age Pension?
No, and you do not need it. Age Pension recipients automatically receive the Pensioner Concession Card, which provides the same pharmaceutical concessions and generally more state and territory concessions.
What income is counted for the Seniors Health Card?
Adjusted taxable income plus deemed income from account-based pensions. Adjusted taxable income includes taxable income, foreign income, net investment losses, reportable fringe benefits and reportable super contributions.
What does the Commonwealth Seniors Health Card give me?
Cheaper prescriptions under the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme, a lower Extended Medicare Safety Net threshold, bulk billing at the discretion of your doctor, and state, territory and local concessions that vary by location.
Do I need to be Age Pension age to get the card?
Yes. You must have reached Age Pension age — 67 for anyone born on or after 1 January 1957 — and meet the residence rules, but not qualify for a Centrelink or Department of Veterans' Affairs pension.
How long does the card last?
The card is reissued each year as long as you still meet the income test and residence rules. Services Australia reviews your eligibility automatically using tax and deeming data.
Does the card affect my Age Pension claim later?
No. Holding the card does not stop you claiming the Age Pension if your circumstances change — for example if your assets fall below the cut-off — and you can move from the card to the pension at any time.
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; Commonwealth Seniors Health Card income limits re-checked against Services Australia, figures correct as at 20 March 2025. Next update at the 20 September 2026 indexation.