Maximum rates: what the pension pays
The maximum fortnightly rates from 20 September 2026, what each part is made of, and why the number moves twice a year.
The maximum rates from 20 September 2026
From 20 September 2026, the maximum Age Pension — including the Pension Supplement and the Energy Supplement — is $1,237.70 a fortnight for a single person and $933.00 each ($1,866.00 combined) for a couple living together. A couple separated due to illness is paid at the single rate each: $1,237.70 each. These are maximum rates before tax, and they apply only if you pass both means tests in full.
The single maximum is built from three parts: a basic rate of $1,135.40, a Pension Supplement of $88.20 and an Energy Supplement of $14.10. Before 20 September 2026 the single maximum was $1,200.90 ($1,100.30 + $86.50 + $14.10) and the couple maximum was $1,810.40 combined ($905.20 each) — the September increase added $36.80 a fortnight for a single person and $27.80 each for a couple.
Why the number moves — and why you must check it
Pension rates are reviewed on 20 March and 20 September each year so payments keep pace with living costs and wages. That means any figure printed on this site has a use-by date. If you are reading this after a March or September indexation, the current maximum will be higher than the figure above. Check Services Australia's payment rates page for the rate that applies today.
Your actual payment can be much lower than the maximum. The income test and the assets test each reduce your pension, and Services Australia pays the lower of the two results. Rent Assistance, if you qualify, is paid on top of the pension and can also raise the point at which your pension cuts out entirely.
What the maximum means in a year
There are 26 fortnights in a year, so the single maximum of $1,237.70 a fortnight is about $32,180 a year, and the couple combined maximum of $1,866.00 a fortnight is about $48,516 a year. These annual figures are approximate — they assume the rate stays unchanged for a full year, which it will not, because indexation happens twice a year.
Frequently asked questions
Does everyone get the maximum rate?
No. The maximum is the starting point. Your income and assets reduce it, and many pensioners receive a part pension. If either test gives you a lower rate, that lower rate is what you are paid.
When do rates change?
On 20 March and 20 September each year. Income free areas change on 1 July, and assets limits are reviewed in March, July and September.
Is the pension taxed?
Yes, the Age Pension is taxable income, but tax is not automatically deducted. You can ask Services Australia to withhold tax, and the Seniors and Pensioners Tax Offset usually means little or no tax is payable on the pension alone.
Official links
Verify every figure on this page at Services Australia: