1.2.2.10 Partner allowance (PA) - description

Note: PA ceased on 1 January 2022. The following page is for historical purposes only as the information only relates to the period before 1 January 2022.

What is PA?

PA is an income support payment that provides financial assistance for older people who are partners (1.1.P.85) of income support recipients and face barriers to finding employment because of their lack of recent workforce experience (1.1.R.80). There have been no new grants of PA since 20 September 2003.

How PA is paid

PA is usually paid fortnightly.

Supplementary assistance

Recipients of PA MAY also receive one or more of the following as part of their PA rate:

• rent assistance (1.2.7.10)
• energy supplement (1.2.7.50)
• pharmaceutical allowance (1.2.7.20)
• remote area allowance (1.2.7.80)
• pension supplement (1.2.10.10) if over age pension age.

They may also be entitled to the following while in receipt of PA:

• telephone allowance (1.2.7.70)
• HCC OR PCC
• education entry payment (1.2.7.60)
• UA (1.2.7.130) if under age pension age
• LLNS (1.2.7.110) if undertaking training through the Skills for Education and Employment Program.

Bereavement payment provisions

The surviving member of a couple (1.1.M.120) may be eligible for bereavement payments following the death of a partner.

Background information

PA was introduced so that each partner of a couple receives a separate payment, rather than one of the couple receiving a combined payment. This ensured that each recipient was treated as an individual rather than being dependent upon another person.