If you’re 55 or older you can meet your mutual obligation requirements through:
- paid work
- self-employment
- study
- approved voluntary work
- a combination of these activities.
- looking for work as part of other approved activities.
Your mutual obligation requirements depend on your age and circumstances.
If you’re fully meeting your requirements, you don’t need to be connected with an employment services provider, however you can choose to volunteer with one. If you’d like to, call us on your regular payment line or visit a service centre. We can refer you to one of the following services:
- Workforce Australia Online – find out more on the Workforce Australia website
- the Remote Australian Employment Service for job seekers on the National Indigenous Australians Agency website
- Inclusive Employment Australia on the Department of Social Services website.
If you stop fully meeting your requirements, we’ll refer you to an employment services provider to help you look for work.
When you’re between 55 and 59
How you can meet your requirements depends on how long you’ve been on your payment.
12 months or less on your current income support payment
Your options for meeting your requirements change when you’re both:
- aged between 55 and 59 years
- have got your current income support payment for less than 12 months.
You can meet your requirements by doing 30 hours a fortnight of any of the following:
- study
- suitable paid work where the income is equal to or more than the minimum wage
- self-employment where your net business income is equal to or more than the relevant national minimum wage
- a combination of approved voluntary work and study, paid work or self-employment.
If you’re doing a combination, you must do at least 15 hours of study, paid work or self-employment. You can only do up to 15 hours of voluntary work.
Find out more about what activities you can do to meet your requirements.
12 months or more on your current income support payment
Your options for meeting your requirements change when you’re both:
- aged between 55 and 59 years
- getting your current income support payment for 12 months or more
You can meet your requirements by doing 30 hours a fortnight of any of the following:
- study
- suitable paid work where the income is equal to or more than the minimum wage
- self-employment where the net business income is equal to or more than the relevant national minimum wage
- approved voluntary work
- a combination of approved voluntary work, study, paid work or self-employment.
Find out more about what activities you can do to meet your requirements.
When you turn 60
Your options for meeting your requirements change when you turn 60 years of age.
You can meet your requirements by doing 30 hours a fortnight of any of the following:
- study
- suitable paid work where the income is equal to or more than the relevant national minimum wage
- self-employment where the net business income is equal to or more than the relevant national minimum wage
- approved voluntary work
- a combination of approved voluntary work, study, paid work or self-employment.
Find out more about what activities you can do to meet your requirements.
What exemptions may apply
You may be exempt from mutual obligation requirements in certain circumstances. There may also be other circumstances for exemption if you’re a principal carer.