Centrelink work income calculator
This Centrelink calculator shows how part-time or casual work changes your JobSeeker Payment. Enter your hourly pay and the hours you work each fortnight to see your wages, how much JobSeeker is still paid, your total income and how many hours you can work before the payment stops. It uses the rates from 20 September 2026.
Updated 12 November 2026 · Uses 2026-27 figures
See how work affects your JobSeeker
Enter your hourly pay and fortnightly hours. The full payment is pre-filled for a single person with no children.
General information only, not financial, tax or legal advice. Results are estimates based on 2026-27 figures and the assumptions shown. Check your award, agreement or a qualified adviser for your situation.
Looking for steady shifts or a permanent role? TQN Personnel places casual, contract and permanent staff across Australia.
Find workHow to use the Centrelink income calculator
- Enter your hourly pay before tax.
- Enter the hours worked per fortnight. Centrelink assesses income per fortnight.
- Leave the full JobSeeker rate at $824.90 if you are single with no children, or change it to the maximum rate for your situation.
- Read your total income, the JobSeeker still paid and the hours at which the payment stops.
How much is JobSeeker payment?
From 20 September 2026 the maximum JobSeeker Payment is:
| Situation | Maximum per fortnight |
|---|---|
| Single, no children | $824.90 |
| Single, with a dependent child | $883.30 |
| Single, 60 or older (or 55+ after 9 months on payment) | $883.30 |
| Partnered, each | $755.10 |
Rates are indexed each March and September. Energy Supplement and Rent Assistance may be paid on top and are not included here.
How the JobSeeker income test works
For a single person with no children, the income test works per fortnight:
- The first $150 of income has no effect on your payment.
- From $150 to $256, the payment falls by 50c for each dollar.
- Above $256, it falls by 60c for each dollar.
Single principal carers have a lower 40c taper. Partners' income also counts for partnered people. Report your gross income, before tax, for the fortnight you earned it, not when you were paid.
Worked example. You earn $30 an hour and work 16 hours a fortnight, so your wages are $480.
The first $150 is free. The next $106 (up to $256) reduces the payment by $53. The remaining $224 reduces it by $134.40. JobSeeker falls by $187.40 to $637.50, and your total income is $1,117.50 a fortnight. You are $292.60 a fortnight better off than if you did not work.
At 30 hours a fortnight ($900 of wages) you still receive $385.50 of JobSeeker. At this pay rate the payment stops at about 51 hours a fortnight.
Is picking up casual shifts worth it on JobSeeker?
Yes, in almost every case. Even above $256 a fortnight you keep 40c of every extra dollar of wages from the payment side, plus your wages count towards a work history that leads to more hours. Paid work also builds super, which JobSeeker does not.
Things to keep in mind:
- Working Credit. If your income has been low, you build up a Working Credit balance of up to $4,000 that is used to reduce the income counted when you start work. The calculator does not include it, so your real payment may be higher for a while.
- Tax. JobSeeker and wages are both taxable. If you have one job, claim the tax-free threshold from that employer only.
- Reporting. Report your income every fortnight, even if it is nil. Under-reporting creates a debt.
- If payment stops. If your income is too high for a short time, you may stay on a nil rate for up to 12 weeks and keep your concession card.
TQN Personnel offers casual, contract and permanent work across warehousing, hospitality, care, driving and other areas. Register for work to be considered for shifts that suit you.
Reporting casual and labour hire income
Casual and labour hire pay often lands in a different fortnight from when the work was done, and hours change week to week. Centrelink wants the gross amount you earned for the days in each reporting period. Keep your timesheets or roster, and use the hours and your hourly rate to work out each fortnight's earnings, including penalty rates. The timesheet calculator and penalty rates calculator can help. If you are paid weekly, split the pay into the right fortnights. Getting this right avoids a debt later when your employer's Single Touch Payroll data is matched against what you reported.
What this calculator does not cover
It covers JobSeeker for a single person without children. It does not model partner income, principal carer rules, Rent Assistance, Working Credit, the assets test or other payments such as Youth Allowance and Parenting Payment. Services Australia's payment and service finder gives an official estimate for your situation.
Frequently asked questions
How much is JobSeeker per fortnight?
From 20 September 2026 the maximum is $824.90 a fortnight for a single person with no children, and $883.30 for a single person with a dependent child or aged 60 and over. Partnered people get up to $755.10 each.
How much can I earn on JobSeeker?
A single person with no children can earn $150 a fortnight without affecting the payment. Above that the payment reduces by 50c per dollar up to $256 and 60c per dollar above. At $30 an hour the payment stops at about 51 hours a fortnight.
Does working reduce my JobSeeker payment?
Only income over $150 a fortnight reduces it, and never by the full amount you earn. You are always better off in total income by working more hours, though by less per hour once the 60c taper applies.
How do I report income to Centrelink?
Report your gross earnings for each fortnight through myGov, the Express Plus Centrelink app or by phone, by your reporting date. Report what you earned in the period, not what was paid into your bank.
What is Working Credit?
It is a balance that builds up when your fortnightly income is under the $150 income free area, up to $4,000. When you start work, the credit is used to reduce the income Centrelink counts, so you keep more of your payment for a while.
Is JobSeeker taxable?
Yes. JobSeeker is taxable income and is included in your tax return along with your wages. You can ask Centrelink to withhold tax from the payment if you also work.
Related calculators
Sources and assumptions
- Services Australia: How much JobSeeker Payment you can get
- Services Australia: Income test for JobSeeker Payment
- Services Australia: Working Credit
General information only, not financial, tax or legal advice. Results are estimates based on 2026-27 figures and the assumptions shown. Check your award, agreement or a qualified adviser for your situation.