The Age Pension increase September 2026 is due on 20 September 2026, when payments are next reviewed for indexation. Payments, and the assets and income test thresholds that determine eligibility, typically rise to keep pace with the cost of living — but the exact increase isn’t confirmed until the Australian Bureau of Statistics releases the relevant CPI and cost-of-living data in the weeks beforehand. Here’s what’s confirmed, what’s likely, and what to check before the change lands.
When is the Age Pension increase for September 2026?
The Age Pension is indexed twice a year, on 20 March and 20 September. The next review is due on 20 September 2026. Services Australia and the Department of Social Services confirm the new rates shortly before that date, based on movements in the Consumer Price Index (CPI), the Pensioner and Beneficiary Living Cost Index (PBLCI), and Male Total Average Weekly Earnings (MTAWE).
Current Age Pension rates (20 March 2026 to 19 September 2026)
These are the rates that apply right now, and the base the September increase will build on.
| Situation | Per fortnight | Per year (approx.) |
|---|---|---|
| Single | $1,200.90 | $31,223 |
| Couple (each) | $905.20 | $23,535 |
| Couple (combined) | $1,810.40 | $47,070 |
| Couple, separated due to illness (combined) | $2,401.80 | $62,447 |
Figures include the base pension rate, pension supplement and energy supplement. Source: Services Australia / Department of Social Services, applicable from 20 March 2026.
How is the September indexation figure worked out?
Your payment rises by whichever measure gives pensioners the better outcome: the increase in CPI, or the increase in PBLCI. The rate is also periodically benchmarked against 27.7% of MTAWE, so it doesn’t fall behind average wages over time. This is why increases vary from review to review — and why, in rare years like September 2020, rates haven’t moved at all.
What else changes on 20 September?
The pension rate isn’t the only figure reviewed on indexation day. Related thresholds move at the same time, and each can affect your entitlement even if the base rate barely changes:
- Assets test thresholds — the upper limits for a part pension (currently $733,500 for a single homeowner, $1,102,500 for a couple) typically increase, which can bring previously-ineligible retirees into a part pension.
- Income test thresholds — the fortnightly income limits for full and part pensions are reviewed alongside the rate rise.
- Deeming rates — reviewed separately (last changed 20 March 2026) but worth checking at the same time, since they feed into your income test result.
How much could your pension go up?
No one — including Centrelink — can confirm the exact September 2026 figure until the underlying ABS data is published. For context, the March 2026 increase added $22.20 a fortnight for singles and $33.40 combined for couples, a smaller rise than September 2025’s. For an early, non-binding estimate based on published CPI and PBLCI data, National Seniors Australia runs a preliminary Age Pension Indexation Estimator you can check ahead of the official confirmation.
What should you do before 20 September 2026?
- If you’re currently just over the assets or income test limits, check again after 20 September — a threshold increase could bring you into a part pension for the first time.
- If your account-based pension or investment values have changed materially this year, make sure Centrelink has your current asset values so any new entitlement is calculated correctly.
- If you’re not currently receiving any pension because you narrowly missed out before, don’t assume that’s permanent — thresholds move twice a year, and most newly-eligible retirees weren’t receiving any Centrelink payment beforehand.
Frequently asked questions
Will the Age Pension definitely increase in September 2026?
Most likely, but it isn’t guaranteed. Indexation is based on CPI and cost-of-living data, and in rare cases — most recently September 2020 — the calculation has resulted in no increase at all.
How much is the Age Pension right now?
From 20 March 2026 to 19 September 2026, the maximum full pension is $1,200.90 a fortnight for a single person and $1,810.40 combined for a couple, including supplements.
Do I need to do anything to get the increase?
No — if you’re already receiving a pension, the increase is applied automatically. You only need to act if updated thresholds might newly qualify you, or if your assets or income have changed and Centrelink needs updated figures.
Not sure whether the September changes will affect your pension, or whether it’s worth reviewing your assets before then? Speak with our Adelaide retirement planning team for a personal check against the updated thresholds.
