Information about the Low Income supplement

I’ve had quite a few people contact me for advice about the Australian Government’s Household Assistance Package and eligibility thresholds for low income and self-funded retirees.

The Low Income Supplement is a payment of $300 for people in low income households, who do not receive sufficient levels of assistance through tax reforms or other Household Assistance Package payments, to help with everyday expenses following the introduction of a carbon price.

You may be eligible for the Low Income Supplement :

• did you earn less than $30,000( forsingles without a dependent child), $45,000 (for couples without a dependent child) and $60,000 got singles and couples with a dependent child)?
• If you didn’t haveto pay tax last year, or your assessed tax payable is less than $300 for the year
• did you  live in Australia all last year, or have been in Australia for at least 39 weeks of the  year and are living in Australia when  claiming?
• If you weren’t  subject to a newly arrived resident’s waiting period at any time during the assessment year
• If there were no more than 39 weeks in the year where you received a pension or benefit from the Australian Government
• If you haven’t been a dependent child of another person for more than 25 weeks of the assessment year and no-one else was eligible for Family Tax Benefit (FTB) in respect of you for more than 25 weeks of the year;
• you have not been in prison and/or a psychiatric institution for more than 25 weeks of the assessment year and aren’t in prison and/or a psychiatric institution at the time of the claim.

You can apply for the Low Income Supplement from 1 July 2012. You will need to complete a claim at Centrelink or online at www. humanservices.gov.au/householdassistance and provide I.D and your Tax Notice.