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You may be independent if you supported yourself through paid work that met certain conditions.
You need to give us proof of your paid work when you claim DSP.
How we assess you as independent for DSP through paid work
If you’ve done paid work within certain timeframes, we may assess you as independent.
Independent due to your full time paid work
We may assess you as independent if you’ve had paid work averaging at least 30 hours per week for at least 18 months during any period of 2 years.
You don’t need to work for 18 months in a row, and you may have been in paid work at one or more jobs during the period.
Independent due to your part time paid work
We may assess you as independent for DSP if you worked part time paid for at least 15 hours each week over consecutive weeks for a continuous 2-year period.
The 2-year period can start any time after you last left secondary school.
Independent due to your paid work after leaving school
We may assess you as independent for DSP if you supported yourself through paid work within an 18-month period since you last left school.
During this 18-month employment period, you need to have earned at least 75% of the Wage Level A National Training Wage Schedule (NTWS) rate.
Find out how much you need to earn in the National Training Wage schedule on the Department of Social Services website.
What types of paid work there are
Paid work is any work you do where an employer pays you, including if you work overseas. We also consider all the following to be paid work:
- paid leave
- unpaid leave if your employer shuts down, but you’re still employed
- full time apprenticeships and traineeships
- time when you’re getting workers compensation and you can demonstrate you’re connected to your employment
- time when you get Community Development Program (CDP) wages.
What proof you need to give us
We’ll need proof of your employment and when you left school.
Proof of paid work
You’ll need to give us proof that shows when you were employed and the hours you worked.
You can give us any of the following:
- a letter from your employer on the company letterhead
- payslips
- payroll reports from your employer
- payment summaries, also known as group certificates.
If you have more than one employer, you’ll need to give us proof for each employer.
Proof of leaving school
When we’re considering the part time work criteria, we don’t look at any work you did before you last left secondary school. You’ll need to provide proof of when you last left secondary school.
When we’re considering earnings from paid work, we don’t look at any work you did before you last left school. You’ll need to provide proof of when you last left school.