Income Support For People With Disability in Australia

People with disabilities in Australia can apply for the Disability Support Pension. This payment is available to people who are aged between 22 and 65 and are either unable to work or looking for work. Applicants must be a permanent resident of Australia and meet income and asset tests. If you are eligible for the DSP, you may also be eligible for other disability support payments.

According to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, four out of 10 people with disabilities are receiving allowances. In December 2018, there were 336,800 people receiving Newstart and Youth Allowance (Other) and 210,690 with a partial capacity to work. The report also states that the current rate of poverty in these households is rising.

If you are receiving disability support, you may qualify for tax concessions. These include tax offsets and tax rebates. You can find out more about these on the Tax support page. Concessions are also available through state and territory governments. They give people with disabilities discounts on various services and products. For example, you can receive discounts on gas and electricity bills, or on public transport. You may also qualify for discounts on events.

People with disabilities in Australia can also benefit from a higher level of income support. Having a disabled employee in the workplace reduces the risk of workplace accidents and Workers’ Compensation claims, and reduces the number of sick days and productivity losses. In addition, employees with disabilities are more likely to stay in a job longer and have fewer days off.