Rate of Age Pension (Blind) 065-04040000

Age Pension (Blind) is a taxable payment made to a customer's account on a fortnightly basis. It is not subject to an income or an assets test.

The payment is made up of the basic rate of pension plus the Pension Supplement. The basic rate depends on the customer's relationship status. Customers receiving this payment and their partners (if applicable) do not have to disclose their income and assets unless their partner wishes to claim an income tested payment in their own right (for example, Carer Payment) or if they wish to claim supplementary benefits for example, Rent Assistance.

Age Pension customers may also be eligible for:

• Rent Assistance, depending on their accommodation circumstances
• Energy Supplement
• A Pensioner Concession Card
• A lump sum advance, an interest-free advance payment
• Remote Area Allowance, if the customer is living in a remote area

If a customer is granted Age Pension (Blind) under a provision of an International Social Security Agreement then the direct deduction rules will apply. For any customer granted a New Zealand Government payment the direct deduction rules will also apply.

Although foreign income would not usually affect the customer's rate of payment, an Age Pension (Blind) customer is still required to pursue their comparative foreign payment entitlements.

The compensation provisions impact on Age Pension (Blind) in the same way they affect Age Pension e.g. if the compensation is a direct deduction or if preclusion periods apply, then Age Pension (Blind) is affected.

Community Development Employment Project (CDEP) payments affect Age Pension (Blind) in the same way they affect Age Pension. This option is only available for CDEP wages participants. New CDEP wages participants, in remote locations, commencing after 1 July 2009 will receive Age Pension (Blind) or other relevant income support payment instead of CDEP wages. CDEP wages are treated as a direct deduction. This is because CDEP wages are considered an alternative form of income and do not conform to the general definition of income.

Self-Employment Allowance affects Age Pension (Blind) in the same way it affects Age Pension. Self-Employment Allowance is not assessed as income, however it is a direct deduction.