primary · Services Australia
Single — No dependent children, typical total
$817.50 / fortnight
From 2026-07-01 to 2026-09-19
Guide p.21, 2026-07-01 to 2026-09-19.
I am looking for work · Services Australia
JobSeeker Payment
Main working-age income support if you are unemployed or looking for work, including people with a partial capacity to work who do not qualify for DSP.
$817.50 / fortnight
Hover the amount for four other currencies (live rate).
Who it is for
Usually 22 to Age Pension age, meeting residence, income and mutual-obligation rules.
State unemployment allowance. Private income protection may offset it. JobSeeker is not DSP and is not TPD.
ISSA (1 January 2024) — Qualifying conditions (ISSA 2024)
Aged 22 to Age Pension age, actively seeking paid work, participating in approved activities unless exempt. Benefit may be reduced or stopped for not attending training, interviews, or refusing a suitable job. Can be paid during temporary incapacity. Payable abroad 6 weeks in limited cases. Ordinary waiting period 7 days (may extend with liquid assets). Government pays the total cost. Indexation March and September (CPI).
Conditions
- Age
- Generally 22 to Age Pension age (Youth Allowance below that).
- Mutual obligations
- Job plan unless exempt (including some principal-carer and partial-capacity settings).
- Means test
- Allowance income and assets tests — tighter than the pension.
Primary source first. A disputed or stale figure stays visible. Hover a rand or dollar figure for four other currencies. W weekly · F fortnightly · M monthly · A annually.
primary · Services Australia
Single — With dependent children, typical total
$875.50 / fortnight
From 2026-07-01 to 2026-09-19
Guide p.21, 2026-07-01 to 2026-09-19.
primary · Services Australia
Single — Principal carer of a dependent child, typical total
$882.50 / fortnight
From 2026-07-01 to 2026-09-19
Typical total includes Energy Supplement and, where marked, Pharmaceutical Allowance or Youth Disability Supplement. Guide p.21, 2026-07-01 to 2026-09-19.
primary · Services Australia
Single — Principal carer of a dependent child granted an exemption from mutual obligation requirements for foster caring, non-parent relative caring under a court order, home schooling, distance education or large family, typical total
$1,066.30 / fortnight
From 2026-07-01 to 2026-09-19
Typical total includes Energy Supplement and, where marked, Pharmaceutical Allowance or Youth Disability Supplement. Guide p.21, 2026-07-01 to 2026-09-19.
primary · Services Australia
Single — Aged 55 or over, after 9 continuous months on payment, typical total
$882.50 / fortnight
From 2026-07-01 to 2026-09-19
Typical total includes Energy Supplement and, where marked, Pharmaceutical Allowance or Youth Disability Supplement. Guide p.21, 2026-07-01 to 2026-09-19.
primary · Services Australia
Single — Assessed as having a partial capacity to work of 0 to 14 hours per week, typical total
$882.50 / fortnight
From 2026-07-01 to 2026-09-19
Typical total includes Energy Supplement and, where marked, Pharmaceutical Allowance or Youth Disability Supplement. Guide p.21, 2026-07-01 to 2026-09-19.
primary · Services Australia
Single — Partnered, typical total
$748.20 / fortnight
From 2026-07-01 to 2026-09-19
Guide p.21, 2026-07-01 to 2026-09-19.
primary · Services Australia
Single — No dependent children, basic rate
$808.70 / fortnight
From 2026-07-01 to 2026-09-19
Guide p.21, 2026-07-01 to 2026-09-19.
primary · Services Australia
Single — With dependent children, basic rate
$866.00 / fortnight
From 2026-07-01 to 2026-09-19
Guide p.21, 2026-07-01 to 2026-09-19.
primary · Services Australia
Single — Principal carer of a dependent child, basic rate
$866.00 / fortnight
From 2026-07-01 to 2026-09-19
Guide p.21, 2026-07-01 to 2026-09-19.
primary · Services Australia
Single — Principal carer of a dependent child granted an exemption from mutual obligation requirements for foster caring, non-parent relative caring under a court order, home schooling, distance education or large family, basic rate
$1,047.30 / fortnight
From 2026-07-01 to 2026-09-19
Guide p.21, 2026-07-01 to 2026-09-19.
primary · Services Australia
Single — Aged 55 or over, after 9 continuous months on payment, basic rate
$866.00 / fortnight
From 2026-07-01 to 2026-09-19
Guide p.21, 2026-07-01 to 2026-09-19.
primary · Services Australia
Single — Assessed as having a partial capacity to work of 0 to 14 hours per week, basic rate
$866.00 / fortnight
From 2026-07-01 to 2026-09-19
Guide p.21, 2026-07-01 to 2026-09-19.
primary · Services Australia
Single — Partnered, basic rate
$740.30 / fortnight
From 2026-07-01 to 2026-09-19
Guide p.21, 2026-07-01 to 2026-09-19.
stale · International Social Security Association
ISSA 1 Jan 2024 — single, no children
A$749.20 / fortnight
From 2024-01-01 to 2024-12-31
2026 booklet typical total is $817.50. Keep 2026.
stale · International Social Security Association
ISSA 1 Jan 2024 — partnered
A$686.00 / fortnight
From 2024-01-01 to 2024-12-31
2026 booklet typical total is $748.20. Keep 2026.
Cross-checks
- agrees ACOSS — JobSeeker vs pension ACOSS Aug 2026: JobSeeker has fallen to about 68% of the pension. Their commentary matches the official single rate being well below DSP/Age Pension. Not a second legal table.
- agrees A guide to Australian Government payments Booklet tracks the same March 2026 allowance table.
- disagrees ISSA country profile — Australia ISSA Country profiles: Australia, policies as of 1 January 2024 (https://www.issa.int/node/195543?country=796). Amounts lag the 1 July 2026 payments guide (co029-2607). Compass keeps 2026.
How to apply
myGov. Job plan / mutual obligations unless exempt.
Methodology
coreau_ss_methodology.centrelink_indexation
Maximum rates from Services Australia. Pensions and most allowances index on 20 March and 20 September. FTB indexes 1 July. Income and assets tests can pay less than the maximum. Current Compass figures are overlaid from the 1 July–19 September 2026 payments guide (co029-2607). Change this row in Core AU and the Compass follows.
- Read the live Services Australia page for that payment.
- Cross-check A guide to Australian Government payments for the current quarter (Core AU job payments_guide_quarterly).
- Do not treat a September-preview blog figure as in force before indexation day.