Disability Support Pension (under 21) rates 2026
Disability Support Pension (under 21) · Single, under 18 — Dependent (at home)
Typical total per fortnight · $15,454.40 ≈ per year (×26 fortnights)
- Maximum basic rate (includes Youth Disability Supplement)
- $581.50
- Pharmaceutical Allowance
- $7.00
- Energy Supplement
- $5.90
- Total per fortnight
- $594.40
Effective 1 January 2026 · Source: DSS / Services Australia · What changed on 1 January 2026
Disability Support Pension for people under 21 without dependent children is paid at youth rates. It is for young people with a permanent condition that stops them working. It is paid by Services Australia through Centrelink.
This page shows the youth DSP rates and how the tests work. Unlike the adult pension, these youth rates are indexed once a year, on 1 January, and the next change is on 1 January 2027.
Full Disability Support Pension (under 21) rate table
| Variant | Base rate | Supplements | Total /fortnight | ≈ per year (×26) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Single, under 18 — Dependent (at home) | $581.50 | $12.90 | $594.40 | $15,454.40 |
| Single, under 18 — Independent | $839.80 | $16.10 | $855.90 | $22,253.40 |
| Single, 18–20 — Dependent (at home) | $645.00 | $13.60 | $658.60 | $17,123.60 |
| Single, 18–20 — Independent | $839.80 | $16.10 | $855.90 | $22,253.40 |
| Member of a couple | $839.80 | $12.60 | $852.40 | $22,162.40 |
Source: DSS Social Security Payment Parameters, 1 January 2026 — Disability Support Pension — under 21, no dependent children — Maximum rates; Pharmaceutical Allowance from the same list; Energy Supplement from CO029
The table below shows the DSP youth rates for people under 21 with no children. Rates depend on your age band, whether you are treated as dependent or independent, and whether you live at home or away from home. A member of a couple is paid at the higher independent rate.
The youth rate includes a Youth Disability Supplement, which is a set extra amount added to the basic rate. Recipients usually also receive a Pharmaceutical Allowance. When a figure is labelled a total, it means those parts added together.
What changed on 1 January 2026
| Rate | Before 1 January 2026 | From 1 January 2026 | Change | Change % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Single, under 18 — Dependent (at home) | $582.30 | $594.40 | +$12.10 | +2.08% |
| Single, under 18 — Independent | $838.50 | $855.90 | +$17.40 | +2.08% |
| Single, 18–20 — Dependent (at home) | $645.20 | $658.60 | +$13.40 | +2.08% |
| Single, 18–20 — Independent | $838.50 | $855.90 | +$17.40 | +2.08% |
| Member of a couple | $835.10 | $852.40 | +$17.30 | +2.07% |
- On 1 January 2026, Disability Support Pension (under 21), single, under 18 — Dependent (at home), rose $12.10, or 2.08%, from $582.30 to $594.40.
- Across the 5 rates in the table, the rise ranged from 2.07% to 2.08%.
- Disability Support Pension (under 21), single, under 18 — Dependent (at home), pays up to $594.40 a fortnight, $643.30 (51.98%) less than the single Age Pension at $1,237.70.
Disability Support Pension (under 21) in 2026
| Rate | Before | 1 January 2026 | 20 March 2026 | 1 July 2026 | 20 September 2026 | 2026 change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Single, under 18 — Dependent (at home) | $582.30 | $594.40 | — | — | — | +$12.10 (+2.08%) |
| Single, under 18 — Independent | $838.50 | $855.90 | — | — | — | +$17.40 (+2.08%) |
| Single, 18–20 — Dependent (at home) | $645.20 | $658.60 | — | — | — | +$13.40 (+2.08%) |
| Single, 18–20 — Independent | $838.50 | $855.90 | — | — | — | +$17.40 (+2.08%) |
| Member of a couple | $835.10 | $852.40 | — | — | — | +$17.30 (+2.07%) |
- Disability Support Pension (under 21), single, under 18 — Dependent (at home), rose $12.10 (2.08%) across 2026, from $582.30 to $594.40 on 1 January 2026.
How much Disability Support Pension (under 21) pays
The youth DSP rate for your situation is shown in the data block and table above. It is paid every two weeks and includes the Youth Disability Supplement.
That figure is the maximum. How much you actually get depends on your income and assets, and for dependent young people, on the tests that apply to them. The next increase is on 1 January 2027.
| Situation | Income a fortnight | Payment |
|---|---|---|
| Independent, aged 18 to 20, no income | $0 | $855.90 a fortnight |
| Independent, aged 18 to 20, with income | $500 | $718.90 a fortnight |
Assets under the limit. Income is per fortnight.
- With $500 a fortnight of income the payment is $718.90, $137.00 less than the maximum of $855.90.
Disability Support Pension (under 21) income test
| Fortnightly income | Effect on your payment |
|---|---|
| Up to $226 | No reduction (this is the income free area) |
| $226 and above | Reduces by 50c for each dollar over $226 |
Source: Services Australia, A guide to Australian Government payments (CO029), 20 September 2026 edition — Income test for pensions (youth rates); limits from DSS Social Security Payment Parameters, 1 July 2026
| Situation | Payment reduces to nil at |
|---|---|
| Single — Dependent — Aged under 18 — At home | $1,414.80 /fortnight |
| Single — Dependent — Aged 18 or over — At home | $1,543.20 /fortnight |
| Single — Independent — Aged under 18 — Away from home | $1,937.80 /fortnight |
| Single — Independent — Aged 18 or over — Away from home | $1,937.80 /fortnight |
| Couple (combined) | $3,805.60 /fortnight |
This payment's income test counts deemed income from your financial assets, not just the income you actually receive.
The income test has a fortnightly income free area. You can have income up to that amount before your payment reduces. Above the free area, your payment reduces as your income rises, the same as the adult pension income test.
For a young person treated as dependent, the income limits are set at the level shown in the income test table for their age band. Financial assets are assessed using deeming.
The income limits for each age band and living situation are shown in the income test table on this page.
Where Disability Support Pension (under 21) stops
| Situation | Income free area | Payment reaches $0 at | DSS figure |
|---|---|---|---|
| Single, under 18 — Dependent (at home) | $226 | $1,414.80 a fortnight | Matches the DSS limit |
| Single, under 18 — Independent | $226 | $1,937.80 a fortnight | Matches the DSS limit |
| Single, 18–20 — Dependent (at home) | $226 | $1,543.20 a fortnight | Matches the DSS limit |
| Single, 18–20 — Independent | $226 | $1,937.80 a fortnight | Matches the DSS limit |
| Couple, combined income | $396 | $3,805.60 a fortnight | Matches the DSS limit |
Rounded up to the cent, as DSS rounds its limits.
- Single, 18–20 — Independent: the payment reaches $0 at $1,937.80 a fortnight of income, $1,711.80 more than the $226.00 income free area.
- The cut-out for couple, combined income, $3,805.60, is $1,867.80 higher than for single, 18–20 — Independent, $1,937.80.
- That is $380.63 higher than JobSeeker's single cut-out of $1,557.17.
Disability Support Pension (under 21) assets test
| Situation | Assets free area |
|---|
Source: DSS Social Security Payment Parameters, 1 July 2026 — Disability Support Pension (aged under 21) — Assets limits
Above the free area, your payment reduces by $3 a fortnight for every 1,000 dollars of assessable assets.
| Situation | Assets limit |
|---|---|
| Single — Dependent — Aged under 18 — At home — Homeowner | $531,250 |
| Single — Dependent — Aged 18 or over — At home — Homeowner | $552,750 |
| Single — Independent — Aged under 18 — Away from home — Homeowner | $618,500 |
| Single — Independent — Aged 18 or over — Away from home — Homeowner | $618,500 |
| Couple (combined) — Homeowner | $1,067,500 |
| Single — Dependent — Aged under 18 — At home — Non-homeowner | $798,250 |
| Single — Dependent — Aged 18 or over — At home — Non-homeowner | $819,750 |
| Single — Independent — Aged under 18 — Away from home — Non-homeowner | $885,500 |
| Single — Independent — Aged 18 or over — Away from home — Non-homeowner | $885,500 |
| Couple (combined) — Non-homeowner | $1,334,500 |
An assets test also applies. There is an assets free area that depends on whether you own a home and whether you are single or a member of a couple. Above the free area, the pension reduces gradually, in the same way as the adult pension.
Because both tests apply and the lower result is paid, assets over the limit can reduce the payment to zero even if income is low. The asset limits are shown on this page.
What this means
DSP under 21 is paid every two weeks at youth rates rather than the full adult pension rate. The rate is picked by your age band, whether you are dependent or independent, and your living situation.
The Youth Disability Supplement is a set extra amount that is added to the basic youth rate. It recognises the extra costs young people with disability face, and it is included in the totals shown on this page.
Income and assets tests both apply, in the same way as the adult pension, and the lower result is paid. When you turn 21, you generally move onto the adult DSP rates shown on the main Disability Support Pension page.
These youth rates are indexed once a year, on 1 January. The next increase is on 1 January 2027, and this page updates to match.
Who can get Disability Support Pension (under 21)
Services Australia assesses youth DSP on your medical condition and how it affects your ability to work, your age, whether you are dependent or independent, your living situation, and your income and assets. The medical rules are the same permanent-condition rules that apply to the adult pension.
This page reports the rates and the test rules. It does not decide your claim, and it does not assess your medical eligibility. For the rules that apply to your own situation, check the official Disability Support Pension page linked at the top and bottom of this page.
Related
Disability Support Pension (under 21): common questions
- How much is DSP for people under 21 per fortnight?
- It depends on your age band, whether you are dependent or independent, and whether you live at home or away from home. For example, an independent person aged 18 to 20 can get up to $855.90 a fortnight, including the Youth Disability Supplement. The table at the top of this page shows every situation. Your payment can be lower once the income and assets tests are applied.
- What is the Youth Disability Supplement?
- It is a set extra amount added to the basic youth rate of DSP for people under 21. It recognises the extra costs young people with disability face. It is already included in the totals shown on this page.
- When does youth DSP go up next?
- The youth rates for people under 21 are indexed once a year, on 1 January. The next increase is on 1 January 2027. This is different from the adult pension, which is indexed in March and September. This page updates to match.
- What happens to my DSP when I turn 21?
- When you turn 21, you generally move onto the adult DSP rates, which are the same as the Age Pension rates and are indexed in March and September. You can see those rates on the main Disability Support Pension page.
- Is youth DSP taxable?
- DSP is generally not taxable while you are under Age Pension age, which includes everyone on the youth rates. Because tax rules depend on your total income, check the Australian Taxation Office for how it applies to you.
Estimates and general information only — not financial advice. Check Services Australia for your circumstances.
Rates effective 1 January 2026 · next scheduled indexation 1 January 2027. Source: DSS / Services Australia. Last checked 23 September 2026.