Summary: Eligibility for disability pension
To be eligible for the Disability Support Pension, you must meet both non-medical and medical criteria.
Non-medical criteria include age, residency, income, and assets.
Medical criteria focus on how your condition affects your ability to function and work, not just your diagnosis.
Most people must meet the general medical rules, including an impairment assessment using the Impairment Tables.
If you don’t meet DSP criteria, other payments, support programs, or employment services may still be available.
Who is eligible for the Disability Support Pension?
The Disability Support Pension (DSP) is designed for people with a permanent physical, intellectual, or psychiatric condition that significantly limits their ability to work.
To qualify, you must meet both:
Non-medical rules, and
Medical rules.
Meeting one set of criteria alone is not enough.
Non-medical eligibility criteria
According to Services Australia, you must meet all non-medical requirements to be eligible for disability pension.
Age
You must be:
You can apply for DSP up to 13 weeks before turning 16, but payments will not start until your 16th birthday.
Example: If you’re 45 years old and meet all other eligibility rules, your age would not prevent you from qualifying.
Residency requirements
In most cases, you must:
There are exceptions, including if:
You’re a refugee or former refugee.
You became unable to work while living in Australia.
You were a dependent child of an Australian resident when your condition began.
Residency rules can be complex, so it’s important to check your individual circumstances with Services Australia.
Income test
You may still qualify for DSP if you or your partner earns income, but income limits apply.
If your income is above certain thresholds:
Income includes wages, business income, and some other payments.
Assets test
You can own assets and still be eligible for disability pension, but limits apply.
Assets may include:
If your assets exceed the threshold, your DSP payment may be reduced or affected.
Medical eligibility criteria
To meet the medical requirements for DSP, Services Australia assesses you under either the:
Manifest medical rules
You may automatically meet the medical criteria if certain serious conditions apply, such as if you:
Are permanently blind.
Have an intellectual disability with an IQ below 70.
Require nursing home-level care.
Have a terminal illness with a life expectancy of less than two years.
Receive a Department of Veterans’ Affairs Disability Compensation Payment at the Special Rate.
If these rules apply, you may not need to meet impairment rating or Program of Support requirements.
General medical rules
Most people apply under the general medical rules. To meet these, Services Australia must be satisfied that:
Your condition is fully diagnosed, treated, and stabilised.
Your condition will prevent you from working at least 15 hours per week within the next two years, even with support.
Your condition results in an impairment rating of 20 points or more under the Impairment Tables.
You meet Program of Support requirements, if applicable.
