How income affects Student Allowance
If you or your partner get any income, you need to tell us straight away as it could affect how much Student Allowance you're entitled to.
If you don’t tell us about your income we may pay you too much and you’ll have a debt to pay back.
How income affects your payments
Important information
Your income can be up to $217.22 a week (before tax), before it affects your Student Allowance.
After this, your Student Allowance reduces cent for cent.
Example
Your Student Allowance weekly payment is $266.02 (after tax) or $299.60 (before tax). You worked last week and earned $350 (before tax).
We don't count $217.22 (before tax) as income, but the rest of your earnings, that is $132.78 (before tax), will be counted as income.
This means your Student Allowance payment will be reduced by $132.78 (before tax).
If you have a partner
When you're in a recognised relationship, how much you get for a Student Allowance is based on your income and your partner's income.
Below is a guideline for what you could get based on your income and your partner’s income and other circumstances.
| Combined weekly income before tax is: | You might be able to get between: |
|---|---|
| Less than $434.44 | $230 - $485 a week after tax |
| Between $434.44 and $904.86 | $128 - $192 a week after tax |
| More than $904.86 | You can't get a Student Allowance |
If you’re getting a Student Allowance and your personal income is over $217.22 a week before tax, your weekly rate will then further reduce cent for cent.
Example
You work part-time and earn $350 a week (before tax). Your partner gets $50 a week (before tax), so your total income is $400 a week (before tax).
This means you could get between $230-$485 a week for Student Allowance, due to your combined income.
As you earn $350 a week (before tax), we don't count $217.22 (before tax) as income, but the rest of your earnings, that is $132.78 (before tax), will be counted as income.
This means your Student Allowance payment will be further reduced by $132.78 (before tax).
If you get Accommodation Benefit
Your Accommodation Benefit payment will stay the same, even if your Student Allowance payment goes down. But if your Student Allowance payment stops, your Accommodation Benefit will stop as well.
If you get Student Loan living costs
Your living costs payment reduces by the amount of Student Allowance you get. So if your Student Allowance payment goes down, this amount may increase.
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