How it works

You’ll accrue $300 to your Work Bonus balance each fortnight. The maximum Work Bonus balance you can accrue is $11,800.

Work Bonus isn’t money you can draw on to use for other things. But you can benefit from it to help you keep more of your pension if you’re working.

If you work

If you work, we’ll apply your Work Bonus balance to offset your Work Bonus eligible income. We’ll do this before we apply the income test. If there is income left over after applying your Work Bonus balance, it will be included in your income test.

When your Work Bonus eligible income is less than $300 a fortnight, we’ll reduce it to zero and add any Work Bonus left over to your Work Bonus balance.

If you have a partner and they have employment income, their assessable income may also change with the Work Bonus. Read about Work Bonus and your partner’s income.

If you don’t work

If you don’t work you’ll get $300 added to your Work Bonus balance each fortnight until it reaches the maximum of $11,800.  You can use your Work Bonus balance to offset eligible income if you start working.