Australia Pensioner Concession Card eligibility and benefits
This explanation covers Australia’s Pensioner Concession Card eligibility and the concessions it provides, using the published government rules and their stated scope.
- Automatic issue
- Sent automatically to people getting an eligible paymentServices Australia Pensioner Concession Card who can get
- Health benefits
- Cheaper PBS medicine, bulk billed doctor visits, hearing services helpServices Australia Pensioner Concession Card benefits
Who receives the card
Services Australia automatically sends a Pensioner Concession Card to people getting Age Pension, Carer Payment, Disability Support Pension or Parenting Payment single. Services Australia Pensioner Concession Card who can get (opens in a new tab).
People aged 55 or older who get JobSeeker Payment, Parenting Payment partnered or Special Benefit as an Australian resident for more than 9 months, and some people with a partial capacity to work or who are single principal carers, also get the card automatically. Services Australia Pensioner Concession Card who can get (opens in a new tab).
Social Security Agreement
A person who gets an eligible payment under a Social Security Agreement with New Zealand can also get a Pensioner Concession Card. Services Australia Pensioner Concession Card who can get (opens in a new tab).
What the card covers
The card gives access to cheaper medicine under the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme, bulk billed doctor visits depending on the doctor, help with hearing services and discounts to redirect mail through Australia Post. Services Australia Pensioner Concession Card benefits (opens in a new tab).
Some state and territory governments and local council areas offer other benefits, such as lower electricity and gas bills, property and water rates, public transport fares or motor vehicle registration. Services Australia Pensioner Concession Card benefits (opens in a new tab).
Keeping the card
When Parenting Payment single ends because the youngest child turns 14, the card can be kept for 12 weeks after the payment ends. Services Australia Pensioner Concession Card who can get (opens in a new tab).
This general explanation provides no personal eligibility decision, payment estimate or recommendation. No matching calculator or numerical worked example is provided.