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Wife Pension (WP) 065-10000000

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This file is for historical assessments/information only.

This document outlines information about Wife Pension (WP). From 30 June 1995, there are no new grants of WP. WP customers remained eligible to receive that payment until they were no longer qualified or no longer payable. Wife Pension (WP) ceased on 20 March 2020.

Government intent

Wife Pension (WP) was originally intended to provide income support to the female partners of male Disability Support Pension (DSP) and male Age Pension customers in recognition of their possibly limited workforce experience.

Wife Pension (WP) ceased on 20 March 2020. WP customers could only be restored up to 19 March 2020. All payments current on 20 March 2020 were transferred to either:

WP customers overseas and under Age Pension age were cancelled.

In receipt of WP at 30 June 1995

There was a savings provision for women in receipt of Wife Pension (WP) at 30 June 1995: they could continue to receive WP until they were no longer eligible or transferred to Age Pension.

Eligibility for WP when partner's DSP cancelled

A saved Wife Pension (WP) customer who lost eligibility because her partner's Disability Support Pension (DSP) was suspended (for example, because he was in prison for more than 12 months) could not regain eligibility when her partner reclaimed or was restored to DSP. The only exceptions would be where:

  • the cancellation/suspension was overturned at a review or appeal and both parties had continuing eligibility as payments were restored without a break
  • the partner's DSP was suspended or cancelled (deemed suspended) because they had returned to work and DSP was reinstated when they ceased work or hours of employment reduced. WP could also be reinstated

Workforce participation

Customers were encouraged to return to work whether it was of a part-time or full-time nature. Customers should have been informed of the benefit of working, including information about the incentives to workforce participation provided by Working Credit and the employment income nil rate provisions. Customers were able to contact Services Australia either by phone or in person to advise of their return to work.

Notifiable event possible impact on WP

When a Wife Pension (WP) customer notified multiple events within 14 days and the first notifiable event resulted in an adverse decision and the second notifiable event resulted in a favourable decision which nullified the earlier event, WP should not have been cancelled.

Portability period

For customers who lose entitlement after being absent from Australia for more than the maximum portability period, WP was stopped. If the customer returned to Australia within 13 weeks of the loss of their entitlement and their partner's payment was current or being restored, their payment may have been restored as well. However, if they did not return within 13 weeks, their WP was cancelled and the payment could not be regranted as WP has not been able to be granted since 1 July 1995.

The Resources page contains information about cancellation and suspension of Wife Pension (WP), and whether or not WP can be restored.