Rent assistance

• Background
• Eligibility Conditions
• Rent
• Payment Procedures
• Rates of Rent Assistance
• Rent Verification

Background

Rent Assistance is a non-taxable income supplement payment added on to the pension, allowance or benefit of eligible income support customers who rent in the private rental market. Pensioners, allowees and those receiving more than the base rate of Family Tax Benefit Part A may be eligible for Rent Assistance.

Eligibility conditions

In order to receive Rent Assistance, a customer must first qualify for a social security income support payment, more than the base rate of Family Tax Benefit Part A or a service pension. Generally, in order to qualify for Rent Assistance, a person must pay or be liable to pay private rent (not government rent) above the applicable rent threshold for their usual home.

To receive Rent Assistance, a customer must also meet the residency requirements of their pension, allowance, or benefit.

Rent Assistance is generally not payable to a person who:

• pays rent to a government housing authority (such as a housing commission)
• owns or is buying the home in which they live (except for mobile and relocatable homes)
• lives in a care facility in an approved Commonwealth-funded bed
• has a partner who receives Rent Assistance with Family Tax Benefit
• is an allowee and has a partner receiving Rent Assistance with a pension
• is a single person without children who lives in the home of a parent and is aged under 25 (or under 21 if on a Disability Support Pension).

Special rules apply to couples who do not live together and for anyone who has to live away from their usual home in order to give or receive care.

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Rent

Rent is defined as the amount payable by a person as a condition for occupying their principal home and includes amounts paid for:

• lodgings (if board and lodgings is paid, then only the amount paid for lodgings attracts Rent Assistance), or
• site fees for a caravan, mobile home, tent or other structure, or
• mooring fees for a vessel or
• services provided in a retirement village (special conditions apply) or
• respite care in a private residence.

Payment procedures

Rent Assistance entitlement is assessed as part of the process for claiming a primary payment, i.e. pension or allowance. Rent Assistance does not have a separate income or assets test. However, the rate of Rent Assistance payable may be affected by the income or assets test applicable to the primary payment.

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Rates of Rent Assistance

Rent Assistance is paid at the rate of 75 cents for every dollar of rent paid above the specified threshold until the maximum rate is reached. The maximum rates and thresholds vary according to a customer's family situation and the number of children they have. For singles without children, the maximum rate also varies according to whether or not accommodation is shared with others. Rent thresholds and maximum rates are indexed in March and September each year to reflect increases to the Consumer Price Index.

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Further information on Rent Assistance paid under the Social Security Act is available from Rent Assistance.

Further information on Rent Assistance paid under the Family Assistance Act is available from the Family Assistance Office

Rent verification

Customers must produce evidence (rent verification) of the rent amount paid for their accommodation. Acceptable rent verification includes a written tenancy agreement, a rent certificate where a tenancy agreement is not in place or a rent declaration in exceptional circumstances when a rent certificate cannot be obtained.