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 |
| 20/03/2025 | 786.00 | 1,343.00 | 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 |
| 20/03/2025 | 982.50 | 1,678.75 | 42.50 |