About Income Management
Income Management helps some people receiving income support to manage their money. Better control of money helps people to stabilise their lives. This helps people to better care for themselves and their children. It can also support people to join or return to the workforce.
Income Management does not change how much income support a person receives. Participants have part of their payment put into an Income Management account. This money goes to essential needs like:
- food
- clothing
- housing
- medical
- power
- education.
Participants can't spend income managed money on tobacco or tobacco products, pornography, alcohol or homebrew kits, gambling, cash-like products and some gift cards, or cash out.
Participants receive the rest of their income support payment in the usual way. There is no restriction on how a person spends this remaining money.
Participation in Income Management
Some people volunteer to take part in Income Management. Participation in Income Management can also be required due to a person’s location and/or personal circumstances.
There are 2 Income Management programs.
The enhanced Income Management program started on 4 September 2023. All new participants go into the enhanced Income Management Program.
Entry to the Income Management program closed on 3 September 2023. Participants can no longer join this program. People who started in the Income Management program before 3 September can stay in the program. They can also choose to move to the enhanced Income Management program if they prefer.
Information on Income Management locations and participation is available on each program page:
Eligibility
There are different ways people are eligible for the Income Management and enhanced Income Management programs. We call these measures.
View the Income Management and enhanced Income Management map to understand more about the measures and locations.
Income Management accounts and cards
Income Management program participants have a BasicsCard to manage their money. Enhanced Income Management program participants are automatically provided with a Visa debit card called a SmartCard. The SmartCard gives participants access to modern banking technology.
Read more information about the Income Management accounts and cards for each program on the Services Australia website: