5.2.8.10 Pension supplement - historical rates

Background

From 1 July 2000, a pension supplement (known also as the GST pension supplement) was introduced as part of the reforms associated with the introduction of the GST. The maximum supplement was initially equal to 4% of the value of the MBR of pension at 1 July 2000. It was introduced to ensure that pensioners were not disadvantaged by price increases resulting from the introduction of the GST. It was paid separately from the basic rate of pension and was therefore not included in the amount benchmarked to a percentage of MTAWE.

The pension GST supplement was included in the following payments:

• age pension
• DSP (excluding under 21 and not blind and under 21 and blind)
• parenting payment (single)
• wife pension
• widow B pension
• carer payment
• bereavement allowance
• mature age allowance (pre 1 July 1996), and
• mature age partner allowance.

Note: WP and WidB ceased on 20 March 2020. BVA ceased on 20 September 2020. Mature age allowance closed to new recipients from 20 September 2003 and completely phased out from 19 September 2008. Mature age partner allowance closed to new recipients in 1995, and no recipients on this payment since July 2001.

From 20 September 2009, as part of major pension reform, a new pension supplement was introduced that combined the GST pension supplement, along with 3 allowances, into one payment. An identifiable component of the new pension supplement is the pension supplement basic amount. The new pension supplement basic amount is equivalent to the former GST pension supplement, were it to have continued to exist.

Historical rates

This table shows the pension GST supplement rates in dollars per annum from 1 July 2000 to 19 September 2009.

The following table shows the rates in dollars per annum of pension supplement, pension supplement minimum amount, pension supplement basic amount and pension supplement remaining amount from 20 September 2009.