Disability and Centrelink: DSP, Mobility Allowance & Carer Support in 2026
Complete guide to Centrelink payments for people with disability — Disability Support Pension eligibility, rates, medical evidence, and related support payments.
Disability Support Pension Eligibility
The Disability Support Pension (DSP) is for people who have a permanent physical, intellectual, or psychiatric condition that prevents them from working 15 or more hours per week at or above the relevant minimum wage within the next 2 years. You must be aged 16 to Age Pension age and meet the medical criteria. Your condition must be diagnosed, treated, and stabilised (DTS), meaning you have had treatment and rehabilitation but your condition has not improved to the point where you can work. You need to score at least 20 points under the Impairment Tables — these tables rate how your condition affects your functional ability across domains like mobility, communication, self-care, and learning. If you score 20+ points from a single impairment table, you generally qualify. If your points come from multiple tables, you also need to show you have actively participated in a Program of Support for at least 18 months in the last 3 years.
DSP Payment Rates in 2026
The maximum DSP rate for a single person aged 21 or over is $1,144.40 per fortnight ($29,754 per year), identical to the Age Pension. This includes the Pension Supplement of $81.60 and Energy Supplement of $14.10 per fortnight. For those under 21 without children, rates are lower and depend on your living situation: $529.80 per fortnight if living at home, or $710.90 per fortnight if living independently. If you are under 21 with a dependent child, you receive the full adult rate. Couples where both partners receive DSP get $863.20 each per fortnight. The income test allows you to earn $204 per fortnight before your pension starts reducing at 50 cents per dollar. The assets test mirrors the Age Pension: $314,000 lower threshold for single homeowners, $566,000 for single non-homeowners. You automatically receive a Pensioner Concession Card.
Gathering Medical Evidence for Your DSP Claim
The medical evidence requirements for DSP are stringent — roughly 60% of initial claims are rejected, often due to insufficient evidence rather than ineligibility. You need comprehensive reports from your treating doctors and specialists covering your diagnosis, treatment history, prognosis, and functional limitations. Each report should address how your condition affects your ability to work. Request reports from your GP, any specialists (psychiatrist, rheumatologist, orthopaedic surgeon, etc.), psychologist, and allied health professionals (physiotherapist, occupational therapist). Hospital discharge summaries, imaging reports, and pathology results all support your claim. The most valuable evidence includes functional capacity evaluations and work capacity assessments from an occupational therapist. These cost $300 to $800 but significantly strengthen your claim. Ask your GP for a referral to keep costs down.
Mobility Allowance and Disability Extras
Mobility Allowance has been replaced by a Mobility Allowance-equivalent payment integrated into other supports, but you may still receive legacy payments if you were grandfathered in. Current DSP recipients can access several additional supports. The Pensioner Education Supplement of $31.10 per fortnight is available if you are studying. Telephone Allowance of $36.40 per quarter helps with phone and internet costs if you have a home phone connected. If you need assistance with daily living, the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) provides funded supports separate from your Centrelink payments — DSP and NDIS can be received simultaneously. You can also claim Essential Medical Equipment Payment of $157 per year if you use a medical device at home that increases your electricity bill, such as an oxygen concentrator, dialysis machine, or powered wheelchair charger.
Carer Payment and Carer Allowance for Supporters
If you have a family member or friend who provides constant care, they may qualify for Carer Payment — an income support payment of $1,144.40 per fortnight (same as DSP/Age Pension). The care receiver must have a severe disability or medical condition, and the carer must provide care in the home for at least 35 hours per week. Carer Payment is subject to income and assets tests based on the carer's own finances. Separately, Carer Allowance pays $157.30 per fortnight as a supplementary payment and is not income or assets tested — it is available to carers who provide daily care to someone with a disability or severe medical condition. A carer can receive both Carer Payment and Carer Allowance simultaneously, totalling $1,301.70 per fortnight. Carer Allowance also includes an annual Carer Supplement of $635 paid each July.
Working on DSP: Supported Wage and Open Employment
Being on DSP does not mean you cannot work at all — it means you cannot work 15+ hours per week at full minimum wage capacity. Many DSP recipients do some paid work. The income test allows $204 per fortnight before your payment starts reducing at 50 cents per dollar. The Work Bonus of $300 per fortnight (accumulating up to $11,800) applies to employment income, meaning you could effectively earn $504 per fortnight before any reduction. Disability Employment Services (DES) can help you find suitable work with adjustments and ongoing support. The Supported Wage System allows employers to pay a productivity-based wage assessed by an independent assessor — for example, if you are assessed at 60% productivity, you receive 60% of the award wage. If you work 8 or more hours per week for 2 years, your DSP remains active for 2 years even if your employment income exceeds the cut-off, providing security to try working.
If Your DSP Claim Is Rejected
If your DSP claim is knocked back, you have rights. First, request the reasons in writing — Centrelink must provide a detailed explanation including your Impairment Table scores and the Job Capacity Assessment outcome. If you disagree, you can request an internal review by an Authorised Review Officer (ARO) within 13 weeks of the decision. The ARO will independently reassess your claim with any new evidence you provide. If the ARO upholds the rejection, you can appeal to the Administrative Appeals Tribunal (AAT) First Review within 13 weeks of the ARO decision — this is a fresh assessment by an independent tribunal member. Many DSP claims succeed at the AAT stage because you can present additional medical evidence. Free legal help is available through Legal Aid in your state or disability advocacy services. While appealing, claim JobSeeker Payment as an interim payment — you can be back-paid DSP to your original claim date if your appeal succeeds.
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General information and estimates only — not financial, tax, or legal advice. Always verify with Services Australia.
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