Some young jobseekers face parental income checks
Some young Jobseeker Support applicants will face a parental income requirement; another part starts on 1 April 2027.
Social Security (Jobseeker Support and Accommodation Supplement) Amendment Act 2026 · Starts 2 Nov 2026
What's changing
- Young people aged 18 or 19, and some 16- or 17-year-olds, must meet a parental income requirement for jobseeker support.
- If the requirement is not met or information is missing, jobseeker support may be refused, cancelled, or reduced for a partner.
- Some homeowners will need to pay 40% of the relevant base rate towards accommodation costs before receiving the accommodation supplement, instead of 30%.
- The same accommodation threshold change will apply to some single students with a supported child.
Who's affected
The changes affect some young people seeking jobseeker support, their partners, and some homeowners receiving or applying for accommodation support.
When
The Act was passed on 3 September 2026 and starts on 2 November 2026; Part 2 starts on 1 April 2027.
What you might need to do
- Young people applying or reapplying for jobseeker support may need to give MSD information about their parents’ income.
- Partners of affected young people may need to provide information so MSD can decide the correct benefit rate.
- Affected homeowners may need to check whether they still qualify for the accommodation supplement.
Background
The government says the Act is intended to make welfare spending more sustainable, reduce young people’s benefit dependency, and focus assistance on people most in need. It also says the homeowner threshold has not changed since 1993 and needs to reflect current accommodation costs.