3.4.1.10 Qualification for Age

Qualification (1.1.Q.10) criteria

To qualify for Age, a claimant must meet the criteria listed in the following table, or the alternative criteria for women that are explained later in this topic. If more detail about a criterion is required, the second column indicates where you will find this.

Pension age for women born before 1 July 1952

Before 1 July 2013, men qualified for Age at 65 years and women qualified for Age at different ages to men, depending on their date of birth. From 1 July 1995, the minimum age for women to qualify for Age began to increase by 6 months every 2 years. The qualifying age for women is set out in section 23(5B) (for women born before 1 July 1935) and the table in section 23(5C) (for women born from 1 July 1935 to 31 December 1948). The table below shows pension age by date of birth and the effective date of the change.

Pension age for men born before 1 July 1952

Men born before 1 July 1952 qualify for Age at 65.

Pension age for both men & women born on or after 1 July 1952

Since 1 July 2017, the minimum age for both men and women to qualify for Age has begun to further increase. For men and women born on or after 1 July 1952 the pension age will progressively increase by 6 months every 2 years until it reaches 67 on 1 July 2023. The table below shows pension age by date of birth and the effective date of the change.

Pension age where there is no corresponding day in 6 months

Where a person claiming Age is born on a day for which there is no corresponding day in the month 6 months later, they will reach pension age on the first day of the following month. This occurs for people born on:

• 31 March - 6 months attained on 1 October
• 31 May - 6 months attained on 1 December
• 29 August - 6 months attained on 29 February in leap years and 1 March in other years
• 30 and 31 August - 6 months attained on 1 March
• 31 October - 6 months attained on 1 May, and
• 31 December - 6 months attained on 1 July.

This is in line with section 2G of the Acts Interpretation Act 1901.

Age verification

Delegates should ensure that claimants applying for Age present verifiable evidence of their date of birth.

Australian residence

It may also be possible for the claimant to qualify for Age under the terms of an international agreement (1.1.A.120). The international agreements are found in the SS(IntAgree)Act. The requirement to be an Australian resident does NOT apply to claimants relying on international agreements.

Ten years qualifying residence

Ten years qualifying residence is satisfied if the claimant has:

• been an Australian resident continuously for at least 10 years at any point in the past, OR
• been an Australian resident for 2 or more periods that in total exceed 10 years, AND
• at least one of those periods is of 5 years duration or more.

Qualifying residence exemption

A person has a QRE for Age if they reside in Australia AND is either a refugee or a former refugee.

Proper claim

A claimant must make a proper claim before Age can be granted.

A person receiving DSP, CP, PP, WA or PA MAY BE transferred to Age without the need for a claim.

Note: WA and PA were closed to new recipients from 1 July 2018 and 20 September 2003 respectively. They both ceased completely on 1 January 2022.

Possible entitlement to PBS

From 1 July 2014, the PBS was closed to further registrations. Existing registered members may still be eligible to claim a pension bonus payment. The claim for a pension bonus must be lodged together with the claim for Age.

A claimant cannot receive a payment under the PBS if they receive an income support payment, including Age, after reaching age pension age.

Alternative qualification for some women

A woman who doesn't meet the general qualifications can qualify for Age under subsection 43(1A) of the SSAct. The woman can qualify under these provisions, if:

• she has reached pension age, AND
• her partner has died, AND
• both the woman and her partner were Australian residents when her partner died, AND
• the woman was an Australian resident for a continuous period of at least 104 weeks immediately before the day she lodged the claim for Age.

A woman who qualifies for Age under these provisions remains qualified if she re-partners. That is, the woman is NOT required to remain a widow to retain qualification for Age.

If the woman cannot qualify under this provision, she MAY qualify for WA.

Carer payment

People who provide constant care for an adult and/or child with a disability may wish to claim or continue to receive CP instead of Age. This would give them access to bereavement payments if the person they are caring for dies and that person was single or had a non-income support partner. Applicants should be advised of the possible advantages and disadvantages of being on CP rather than Age or other payments.

Members of a couple (1.1.M.120)

If a couple is living together and the partner requires income support, they should be invited to claim an income support payment if they have not already done so.

Comparable foreign payment (1.1.C.230)

A person claiming Age while they or their partner would be entitled to a CFP, may be required to take reasonable action to obtain the foreign payment. If they fail to take reasonable action to obtain the CFP within the specified period, their claim can be rejected.