5.2.1.50 Youth related payments - July 1986 to present date

Summary

This topic contains tables under the following headings:

Table 1: Under 18 years single unemployment benefit (UB) & sickness benefit (SB) - November 1984 to December 1987

This table shows the rates in dollars per week (pw).

Notes for Table 1

Table 2: Job search allowance (JSA) & SA for under 18 years - January 1988 to December 1994

Before 1 July 1991 JSA was available only to people under 18 years of age. JSA had a 2-tiered level of payment. The maximum rate could be paid to claimants but was subject to a Parental Income Test (PIT) (1.1.P.40). The minimum rate applied where parental income was above the relevant limit. This rate was also subject to the normal income test. From 13 December 1987 the weekly income test was changed to a fortnightly income test. After this date, when calculating a person's entitlements affected by income, the weekly rate of income should be converted to a fortnightly amount.

SB was changed to SA on 1 July 1991.

This table shows the single rates of JSA and SA for under 18 years:

Notes for Table 2

Table 3: YTA & SA - January 1995 to June 1998

From 1 January 1995 to 30 June 1998, unemployed young people aged 16 or 17 (and certain 15 year olds) were eligible for YTA, rather than JSA. There were 3 categories of payment:

• at home
• away from home, that is, living away from home to undertake training or job search, and
• independent (including homeless).

These are the same as the AUSTUDY basic rates of payment. YTA rates are indexed every January. Minimum rate for YTA was abolished from 1 January 1997.

The following tables show the rates, in dollars per fortnight (pf), for the 4 years from 1995 to 1998:

Table 4: YA - July 1998 to present date

This table shows the rates in dollars per fortnight (pf).

Notes for Table 4

From 1 July 1998, YA replaced YTA, AUSTUDY and SA for recipients under 21 (unemployed) or 24 (students).

Rates changed from 1 July 2000 due to the introduction of the new taxation system (PAYG).

The at home rate applies to a dependent person living at home, an accommodated independent person and a person in supported State care.

The away from home rate applies to a dependent person required to live away from home, an independent person in unsupported state care and an independent person who is not 'accommodated', not in supported State care and who does not have a dependent child. The away from home rate applies to a partnered person without a dependent child.

From 1 July 2012, the maximum age for YA (job seeker) was increased to 21.

On 1 April 2021, the maximum basic rates of working age payments increased by $50 per fortnight. This was given effect by the Social Services Legislation Amendment (Strengthening Income Support) Act 2021.

On 20 September 2023, the maximum basic rates of working age and student payments increased by $40 per fortnight. This was given effect by the Social Services and Other Legislation Amendment (Strengthening the Safety Net) Act 2023.

Table 5: Young homeless allowance (YHA) - July 1986 to January 1990

This table shows the rates in dollars per week (pw).

Notes for Table 5

An SA recipient could receive both YHA and RA, although the YHA component had to be reduced by the amount of RA payable. Therefore the maximum rate payable could not be increased by the addition of RA.

The income test on YHA was the same as the personal income test on JSA under 18.

From 1 January 1990, YHA as a separate component ceased to be paid and these cases were paid the 'independent or homeless rate of JSA'.

From 1 January 1995, recipients under 18 became eligible for YTA rather than JSA.