If you’re 55 or older you can meet your full-time mutual obligation requirements through:
- paid work
- self-employment
- study
- approved voluntary work
- a combination of these activities.
Your mutual obligation requirements depend on your age and circumstances.
If you’re fully meeting your requirements, you don’t need to connect with an employment services provider.
You can choose to volunteer with an employment services provider. If you do, you can contact one of the following services to talk about your situation:
- Workforce Australia Online or employment provider services on the Workforce Australia website
- the Community Development Program on the National Indigenous Australians Agency website
- Disability Employment Services on the JobAccess 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
Your options for meeting your mutual obligation requirements depend 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:
- less than 12 months on your current income support payment
- between 55 and 59 years.
You can meet your mutual obligation requirements by doing 30 hours per fortnight of either:
- 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 suitable paid work including self-employment.
At least 15 hours must be paid work or study if you decide to do a combination of:
- study
- approved voluntary work
- suitable paid work
- self-employment.
If you want to do voluntary work, you need to talk to us about it. We must agree that both:
- the voluntary work is suitable
- the voluntary work organisation meets the relevant criteria.
You can use the Verification of voluntary work form to seek approval from us.
12 months or more on your current income support payment
Your options for meeting your requirements change when you’re both:
- 12 months or more on your current income support payment
- between 55 and 59 years.
You can meet your mutual obligation requirements by doing 30 hours per fortnight of any of the following:
- study
- approved voluntary work
- 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
- a combination of approved voluntary work and suitable paid work, including self-employment.
If you want to do voluntary work you need to talk to us about it. We must agree that both:
- the voluntary work is suitable
- the organisation is an approved voluntary work organisation.
You can use the Verification of voluntary work form to seek approval from us.
When you turn 60
You can meet your mutual obligation requirements by doing 30 hours per fortnight of any of the following:
- study
- approved voluntary work
- 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
- a combination of study, approved voluntary work and suitable paid work, including self-employment.
If you want to do voluntary work you need to talk to us about it. We must agree that both:
- voluntary work is suitable
- the voluntary work organisation meets the relevant criteria.
You can use the Verification of voluntary work form (SU462) to seek approval from us.
What exemptions may apply
You may be exempt from mutual obligation requirements in certain circumstances.