The Guides to Social Policy Law is a collection of publications designed to assist decision makers administering social policy law. The information contained in this publication is intended only as a guide to relevant legislation/policy. The information is accurate as at the date listed at the bottom of the page, but may be subject to change. To discuss individual circumstances please contact Services Australia.

4.10.7.60 Historical income limits for LIC from 20/09/1996

Income limits

The income test for the LIC applies to an applicant's average income in the 8 weeks before applying for a LIC. From when it was first introduced, until 1 July 1998, it was the average income in the 4 weeks before applying for a LIC. An applicant's income must be below the relevant limit, which varies with indexation, and other changes, to JSP. The income limit amount can be exceeded by up to 25% during this period without affecting eligibility for the card. When renewing the card, limits revert to the 100% qualifying amounts. The following table shows the income limits from 20 September 1996. Amounts are shown in dollars per week.

Act reference: SSAct section 8(1)-'income'

100% Qualifying limits - applicable at claim or renewal

Date Single ($) Single/couple, combined with 1 child ($) Couple (combined) ($) For each additional child add ($)
20/09/1996 285.00 509.00 475.00 34.00
20/03/1997 286.00 510.00 476.00 34.00
20/09/1997 286.00 511.00 477.00 34.00
20/03/1998 Note A 286.00 511.00 477.00 34.00
20/09/1998 288.00 513.00 479.00 34.00
20/03/1999 289.00 516.00 482.00 34.00
20/09/1999 290.00 517.00 483.00 34.00
20/03/2000 294.00 524.00 490.00 34.00
01/07/2000 Note B 305.00 542.00 508.00 34.00
20/09/2000 309.00 549.00 515.00 34.00
20/03/2001 315.00 558.00 524.00 34.00
20/09/2001 320.00 567.00 533.00 34.00
20/03/2002 323.00 573.00 539.00 34.00
20/09/2002 328.00 580.00 546.00 34.00
20/03/2003 332.00 587.00 553.00 34.00
20/09/2003 336.00 593.00 559.00 34.00
20/03/2004 339.00 599.00 565.00 34.00
20/09/2004 343.00 606.00 572.00 34.00
20/03/2005 347.00 612.00 578.00 34.00
20/09/2005 351.00 619.00 585.00 34.00
20/03/2006 356.00 627.00 593.00 34.00
01/07/2006 Note C 411.00 719.00 685.00 34.00
20/09/2006 420.00 734.00 700.00 34.00
20/03/2007 423.00 739.00 705.00 34.00
20/09/2007 429.00 748.00 714.00 34.00
20/03/2008 435.00 759.00 725.00 34.00
20/09/2008 446.00 777.00 743.00 34.00
20/03/2009 450.00 783.00 749.00 34.00
20/09/2009 452.00 787.00 753.00 34.00
20/03/2010 459.00 798.00 764.00 34.00
Date Single (no children) ($) Single (one dependent child), or couple, combined (no children) ($) For each additional child, add ($)
20/09/2010 465.00 808.00 34.00
20/03/2011 470.00 816.00 34.00
20/09/2011 480.00 834.00 34.00
20/03/2012 483.00 838.00 34.00
20/09/2012 486.00 843.00 34.00
20/03/2013 497.00 862.00 34.00
20/09/2013 501.00 868.00 34.00
20/03/2014 519.00 899.00 34.00
20/09/2014 524.00 906.00 34.00
20/03/2015 527.00 912.00 34.00
01/07/2015 528.00 913.00 34.00
20/09/2015 531.00 919.00 34.00
20/03/2016 536.00 926.00 34.00
01/07/2016 536.00 927.00 34.00
20/09/2016 537.00 928.00 34.00
20/03/2017 543.00 939.00 34.00
20/09/2017 546.00 943.00 34.00
20/03/2018 552.00 954.00 34.00
20/09/2018 556.00 960.00 34.00
20/03/2019 561.00 969.00 34.00
20/09/2019 564.00 974.00 34.00
20/03/2020 570.00 984.00 34.00
01/07/2020 571.00 985.00 34.00
20/09/2020 Note D 571.00 985.00 34.00
20/03/2021 576.00 993.00 34.00
01/04/2021 Note E 636.00 1,094.00 34.00
20/09/2021 644.00 1,107.00 34.00
20/03/2022 656.00 1,127.00 34.00
20/09/2022 680.00 1,166.00 34.00
20/03/2023 702.00 1,204.00 34.00
20/09/2023 Note F 757.00 1,295.00 34.00
20/03/2024 769.00 1,315.00 34.00
20/09/2024 783.00 1,339.00 34.00

Notes

These notes relate to historical qualifying limits for LIC.

Note Explanation
A CPI factor for March 1998 did not result in an increase to limits.
B Increase for 1 July 2000 reflected one-off GST compensation arrangements.
C Increase for 1 July 2006 is due to flow-on effects from Welfare to Work measures.
D CPI factor for September 2020 did not result in an increase to limits.
E Increase for 1 April 2021 reflected a one-off $50.00 a fortnight increase in the JSP rate.
F Increase for 20 September 2023 reflected a one-off $40.00 a fortnight increase in the JSP rate.

125% limits - to retain throughout period of issue of card

Date Single ($) Single/couple with 1 child ($) Couple (combined) ($) For each additional child add ($)
20/09/1996 356.25 636.25 593.75 42.50
20/03/1997 357.50 637.50 595.00 42.50
20/09/1997 357.50 638.75 596.25 42.50
20/03/1998 357.50 638.75 596.25 42.50
20/09/1998 360.00 641.25 598.75 42.50
20/03/1999 361.25 645.00 602.50 42.50
20/09/1999 362.50 646.25 603.75 42.50
20/03/2000 367.50 655.00 612.50 42.50
01/07/2000 381.25 677.50 635.00 42.50
20/09/2000 386.25 686.25 643.75 42.50
20/03/2001 393.75 697.50 655.00 42.50
20/09/2001 400.00 708.75 666.25 42.50
20/03/2002 403.75 716.25 673.75 42.50
20/09/2002 410.00 725.00 682.50 42.50
20/03/2003 415.00 733.75 691.25 42.50
20/09/2003 420.00 741.25 698.75 42.50
20/03/2004 423.75 748.75 706.25 42.50
20/09/2004 428.75 757.50 715.00 42.50
20/03/2005 433.75 765.00 722.50 42.50
20/09/2005 438.75 773.75 731.25 42.50
20/03/2006 445.00 783.75 741.25 42.50
01/07/2006 513.75 898.75 856.25 42.50
20/09/2006 525.00 917.50 875.00 42.50
20/03/2007 528.75 923.75 881.25 42.50
20/09/2007 536.25 935.00 892.50 42.50
20/03/2008 543.75 948.75 906.25 42.50
20/09/2008 557.50 971.25 928.75 42.50
20/03/2009 562.50 978.75 936.25 42.50
20/09/2009 565.00 983.75 941.25 42.50
20/03/2010 573.75 997.50 955.00 42.50
Date Single (no children) ($) Single (one dependent child), or couple, combined (no children) ($) For each additional child, add ($)
20/09/2010 581.25 1,010.00 42.50
20/03/2011 587.50 1,020.00 42.50
20/09/2011 600.00 1,042.50 42.50
20/03/2012 603.75 1,047.50 42.50
20/09/2012 607.50 1,053.75 42.50
20/03/2013 621.25 1,077.50 42.50
20/09/2013 626.25 1,085.00 42.50
20/03/2014 648.75 1,123.75 42.50
20/09/2014 655.00 1,132.50 42.50
20/03/2015 658.75 1,140.00 42.50
01/07/2015 660.00 1,141.25 42.50
20/09/2015 663.75 1,148.75 42.50
20/03/2016 670.00 1,157.50 42.50
01/07/2016 670.00 1,158.75 42.50
20/09/2016 671.25 1,160.00 42.50
20/03/2017 678.75 1,173.75 42.50
20/09/2017 682.50 1,178.75 42.50
20/03/2018 690.00 1,192.50 42.50
20/09/2018 695.00 1,200.00 42.50
20/03/2019 701.25 1,211.25 42.50
20/09/2019 705.00 1,217.50 42.50
20/03/2020 712.50 1,230.00 42.50
01/07/2020 713.75 1,231.25 42.50
20/03/2021 720.00 1,241.25 42.50
01/04/2021 795.00 1,367.50 42.50
20/09/2021 805.00 1,383.75 42.50
20/03/2022 820.00 1,408.75 42.50
20/09/2022 850.00 1,457.50 42.50
20/03/2023 877.50 1,505.00 42.50
20/09/2023 946.25 1,618.75 42.50
20/03/2024 961.25 1,643.75 42.50
20/09/2024 978.75 1,673.75 42.50

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