Get more from your money with up to 5.05% p.a. interest

with a National Seniors Term Deposit account

Let pensioners
work!


Allowing pensioners in the care sector to work and keep their pension will help retain older workers in this critical sector – help us make it happen.

Join the campaign

The issue

The issue

We need to retain older workers in the care sector to meet desperate shortages.

What we are calling for

What we are calling for

Employment income should be exempt from the income test for pensioners working in the care economy (aged, disability, child care).

The benefits

The benefits

This will give older workers greater income and retain more people in the care sector ensuring care services can be delivered.

The benefits


Case study


Heather is 68. She works casually as a registered nurse with home care provider My Care Solution. She'd be happy to work additional hours. Her employer would welcome her increased availability. Heather wants to work more hours to boost her income. But she finds the 50c in the dollar punitive and the Centrelink reporting burdensome.

Heather would be willing to increase her availability if she knew she wasn't going to be penalised. This would also help her grow her relatively low superannuation balance.

For working pensioners:

  • increases both income and savings of low-wealth pensioners, particularly women
  • provides social and emotional benefits from ongoing workforce engagement

For aged care

  • will boost workforce participation helping to meet growing demand for care workers.

For the economy:

  • by encouraging ongoing workforce participation this will addresses workforce shortages
  • pensioners earning additional income would pay additional income tax, offsetting additional pension costs. 

In New Zealand, pensioners are not penalised for earning additional income.

If Australia had a participation rate of over 65s similar to New Zealand’s 24.8%, it would result in an additional 450,000 available workers.

Donate

Donate

National Seniors is the leading not-for-profit organisation fighting for a fair go for older Australians.

We rely on people like you to donate so we can continue to tackle issues such as age discrimination, accessible housing, pension poverty, health costs, aged care, improve retirement income and provide more home care places so that older Australians can live safely and make ends meet.

Become a National Seniors Member

Join National Seniors Australia today and receive discounts on everyday essentials and more

Join National Seniors Australia today and receive discounts on everyday essentials and more

National Seniors Australia members have access to a range of benefits and services – including discounts on Travel, Health and Life Insurance.

As a member, save with discounts, expand your social circle through our branches, receive a yearly subscription to Our Generation digital magazine, and access our Financial Information Consultant by phone.

For only $49.50, anyone can become a member and it only takes minutes to join.

Help us improve our campaign


In the media

Join our campaign


We've got your back

With National Seniors, your voice is valued. Discover how we campaign for change on your behalf.

Learn more