What is the partner income test?
The partner income test is how a partner's income can reduce your own payment. For working-age allowances, it is not only your income that counts. Once your partner earns more than a set amount, their income starts to reduce your payment too.
There is a partner income free area. Your partner can earn up to that amount without affecting your payment. Above it, their income reduces your payment at a set rate. The partner income free area is higher if your partner is 22 or over than if they are younger.
The partner income test applies to allowances such as JobSeeker, Youth Allowance, Austudy and Parenting Payment partnered. Pensions look at a couple's combined income instead of running a separate partner test.
How it affects your payment
The partner income test means a couple is assessed together, not just as two separate people. If your partner works, their income above the partner free area can lower your payment even if your own income is small.
Different rules apply if your partner is a pensioner. The partner income free areas and the way the test works for each payment are shown on that payment's income test page.
Example
Suppose you are on JobSeeker and your partner has a job. Your own income is under your free area, so on its own it would not reduce your payment. But if your partner earns more than the partner income free area, the amount above it reduces your JobSeeker. This is why a couple where one person works can get less than two single people would.
How a partner's income reduces JobSeeker
| Partner's income per fortnight | Partnered rate |
|---|---|
| $1,440 | $763 |
| $2,000 | $427 |
| $2,711.67 | $0 |
Assumes the JobSeeker recipient has no income of their own and the partner is aged between 22 and Age Pension age.
- A partner earning $2,000 a fortnight, $560 more than the $1,440 partner free area, reduces a partnered rate of $763.00 to $427.00.
- The payment reaches $0 when the partner earns $2,711.67, $1,271.67 more than the partner free area.
Related terms
Figures include every indexation up to 20 September 2026; each shows the date it took effect. Next scheduled indexation 1 January 2027. Source: DSS / Services Australia. Last checked 23 September 2026.