Rates and supplements, from 20 September 2026
Parenting Payment is paid fortnightly. The tables below show the maximum you can get, which is the starting point before the income test and the assets test. The amount you actually receive can be lower, and it can be nil if your income or assets are above the limits. Rates change on 20 March and 20 September each year, so always check which indexation period a figure belongs to before comparing it with another source.
Maximum basic rates
| Your circumstance | Maximum, per fortnight, from 20 September 2026 |
|---|---|
| Single | $1,037.50 Parenting Payment, plus a Pension Supplement of $30.70, giving $1,068.20 |
| Partnered | $755.10 |
| Partnered, separated due to illness, respite care or prison | $883.30 |
The single rate is higher than the partnered rate for a clear reason: Parenting Payment Single is paid at a pension-type rate and includes the Pension Supplement, while Parenting Payment Partnered is paid at an allowance-type rate without it. A single carer is also usually the only adult income in the household, which is why the single income test, explained on its own page, is more generous. The separated-partner rate of $883.30 recognises that a couple separated by illness, respite care or imprisonment is carrying two households, and it should not be quoted as the ordinary partnered rate.
Supplements and typical totals
| Item | Single, per fortnight | Partnered, per fortnight |
|---|---|---|
| Basic Parenting Payment plus Pension Supplement where applicable | $1,068.20 | $755.10 |
| Pharmaceutical Allowance | $7.00 | Depends on circumstances |
| Energy Supplement | $12.00 | Included in the typical total below |
| Typical total most people quote | $1,087.20 | $763.00 |
The typical totals of $1,087.20 for a single carer and $763.00 for a partnered carer are the figures most summaries use, because they add the supplements most recipients receive. They are still maximums, not guarantees. If you are eligible for Parenting Payment you will also get an Energy Supplement, and you may get Rent Assistance, which is assessed when you claim Parenting Payment, so no separate Rent Assistance claim is needed. Other help that may be assessed includes Pharmaceutical Allowance, Telephone Allowance, an Education Entry Payment, a Pensioner Education Supplement, Mobility Allowance and Remote Area Allowance. Each has its own eligibility rules, so receiving Parenting Payment does not automatically mean receiving all of them.
Concession cards
A single recipient generally receives a Pensioner Concession Card, which gives access to cheaper medicines and a range of state, territory and local concessions, such as reduced public transport fares and utility concessions where they apply. A partnered recipient generally receives a Health Care Card instead, which gives cheaper medicines and some concessions but not the full pensioner range. Concessions vary by state and territory, so a card that saves a large amount in one state may save less in another. Do not budget on the assumption that every concession applies everywhere.
How the rate is paid
Parenting Payment is paid into a bank account each fortnight, in arrears, after any required reporting for that period. It is a taxable payment, which means it counts as income for tax purposes and you may need to consider tax withholding or a tax return at the end of the financial year. The payment is not a loan and does not have to be repaid merely because you received it, but an overpayment caused by unreported income or an unreported change can become a debt, as explained on the reporting page. If you are over Age Pension age, different maximum amounts may apply, so the tables above are written for carers under Age Pension age.