What medical conditions qualify for Disability Support Pension in Australia?

Key points:

• Nearly one-third of people with disability — about 1.4 million or 5.7 percent of the Australian population — have severe or profound disability
• As of March 31, 2023, 769,300 people receive the Disability Support Pension in Australia
• The DSP is the second largest form of income support for working-age people after unemployment benefits according to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare

Not all people with disability are eligible for the Disability Support Pension in Australia, as the DSP is intended to support people who can’t work as a direct result of their disability. Additionally, applicants must meet both medical and non-medical criteria to receive the DSP.

The Disability Support Pension is not intended to be used by people who choose not to work but live with disability, as some people may be required to participate in a Program of Support before claiming the DSP. Programs of Support are available to people with disability who may require additional support in securing and keeping a job.

To be eligible to receive the DSP, applicants must be assessed and meet the following general medical criteria:

• have physical, intellectual or psychiatric impairment that is expected to persist for at least two years;
• meet a minimum of 20 points under the Tables for the assessment of work-related impairment for Disability Support Pension;
• assessed as being unable to work for 15 or more hours per week, for at least the next two years, due to their impairment.

In April 2023, the Impairment Tables for DSP eligibility were updated to assess 15 different areas of assessment:

1. Functions requiring Physical Exertion and Stamina
2. Upper Limb Function
3. Lower Limb Function
4. Spinal Function
5. Mental Health Function
6. Functioning related to Alcohol, Drug and Other Substance Use
7. Brain Function
8. Communication Function
9. Intellectual Function
10. Digestive and Reproductive Function
11. Hearing and Other Functions of the Ear
12. Visual Function
13. Continence Function
14. Functions of the Skin
15. Functions of Consciousness

A person will be assessed and assigned a rating based on whether their impairment in each of the 15 tables meets specific descriptors used to gauge the severity. For instance, a person may receive a 30-point rating for extreme severity in a given table and thus meet the eligibility criteria.

A person will not have to participate in Programs of Support before receiving the DSP if they have a 20-point rating or higher in a single table or if they meet manifest medical rules.

Conditions that meet manifest medical rules include:

• permanent blindness;
• needing nursing home-level care;
• terminal illness with an average life expectancy of less than two years;
• intellectual disability with an IQ of less than 70;
• category 4 HIV/AIDS;
• receiving the Department of Veterans’ Affairs Disability Compensation Payment at the Special Rate — totally and permanently incapacitated — paid under the Veterans’ Entitlement Act 1986.

You will also have to meet non-medical rules to be eligible for the DSP:

• you must be at least 15 years and 9 months and under Age Pension age when you claim;
• you meet the residence rules;
• you meet the income and assets tests.

You may have to attend a Job Capacity assessment to receive the DSP, along with providing medical evidence. The Job Capacity assessment is free of charge and can be completed by phone or video conferencing.

To learn more about the Disability Support Pension and eligibility, please visit the Services Australia information portal to learn more.

Do you receive the Disability Support Pension and what role does it play in supporting your day-to-day life? Let the team at Disability Support Guide know and subscribe to the newsletter for more information, news and industry updates.

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