Gotax Alert

JobKeeper & JobSeeker Changes

From 28 September 2020 to 3 January 2021

The JobKeeper Payment rates will be: $1,200 per fortnight for all eligible employees who, in the four weeks of pay periods before 1 March 2020, were working 20 hours or more a week on average.

$750 per fortnight for all other eligible employees.

From 4 January 2021 to 28 March 2021

The JobKeeper Payment rates will be $1,000 per fortnight for all eligible employees who, in the four weeks of pay periods before 1 March 2020, were working 20 hours or more a week.  

$650 per fortnight for other eligible employees.

JobSeeker Payments

From 25 September 2020 until 31 December 2020, the $550 per fortnight coronavirus supplement will be reduced to $250.

Means testing for Government Payments —

From 25 September 2020, means testing will be reinstated in the following ways:

• Asset testing for all payments will be restored, for those who are both existing and new receiving Government payments; and
• The Liquid Assets Waiting Period (LAWP) for all payments will be restored.

Partner income testing — From 25 September 2020, the partner income test cut-out will increase to $3,086.11 per fortnight, or $80,238.89 per year, for individuals with no personal income.