Work and the DSP (Easy Read)
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The Disability Support Pension or DSP is a Centrelink payment from the Government. It is for people with disability who cannot work or need support to work. |
What some people think
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Some people who get the DSP think they lose money if they do paid work. This is not true. |
Sometimes people are told it is good to get a very low wage so they don’t affect their DSP. This is not true. |
You are always better off if you earn an income
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The Australian Government wants people with disability to work. |
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The DSP has rules that let you do quite a bit of work without losing your DSP. |
The rules say: |
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You are still better off. |
How does earning an income affect my DSP?
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Some of this information may sound confusing. It is okay to get someone to help you understand it. |
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The DSP rules say how much you can earn before your DSP changes. |
In 2025 you can earn $212 each fortnight from having a job and your DSP stays the same. |
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For every extra dollar you earn after $212, you will loose 50 cents of your DSP. This means you are still better off working. |
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Here are some examples:
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Can you see that working means you end up with more money? |
The 2-year rule
If you do earn too much, you still won’t lose your DSP. But your DSP money can be stopped for 2 years. This is called the 2-year rule. |
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The 2-year rule is a good thing. It means you can earn more money without losing your DSP. If you lose your job or your income drops:
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Your DSP money can be stopped for 2-years if you:
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The cut-off limit is the most money you can earn before the government stops your DSP money. |
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You can have the pensioner Concession Card for up to 2 years after your DSP money stops. Concession Card is sometimes called a pension card. It lets you get special benefits like cheaper medication. |
An example of the 2-year rule is: |
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Jurrah is 22 and is on a DSP. He got a job in open employment. |
He packs flowers to send from the warehouse to the shops. He is on an award wage. |
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Because he works more than 29 hours each week, Jurrah’s DSP was stopped. But Jurrah was paid more than his pension for working. And Jurrah got to keep his concession card. |
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After 6 months, work got quiet. Jurrah’s hours went down to 25 hours each week. Jurrah told Centrelink this. His DSP money started again; Jurrah also still got his pay from work. |
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Jurrah was always better off working. |
Here is an example if you have worked more than 29 hours per week for more than 2 years. |
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Amber is on a DSP. She gets a job in an office working 34 hours a week. Her DSP money is stopped because she works more than 29 hours per week. |
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Amber still earns more money than her DSP. |
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After 2 years Amber’s DSP is cancelled. If Amber’s hours go down, she will have to reapply for the DSP. |