Last amended: 1 October 2009
ISS payment
Income support supplement (ISS), is an income support payment paid only to certain war widow/widowers. The rate of ISS payable is limited to a ceiling rate, and is indexed each March and September in line with movements in the cost of living and average wages.
Eligibility for higher maximum rate
A higher maximum rate may apply if the person has been in continuous receipt of a social security pension, from 1 November 1986 and became a war widow/widower on or before that date. A higher maximum may also apply where a person's rate of war widow's/widower's pension has been reduced due to the receipt of certain forms of compensation.
Eligibility criteria for ISS
There is no age restriction on eligibility for income support supplement. Once a person gains eligibility for income support supplement, that eligibility cannot be lost (unless the eligibility was acquired through fraud). It may be to the person's tax advantage to apply for invalidity income support supplement if they are permanently incapacitated for work and are under age pension age.
Allowances and benefits accessed by ISS recipient
The following allowances and benefits, can be accessed by a person receiving income support supplement, if the person meets the relevant eligibility criteria:
- rent assistance
- bereavement payment
- remote area allowance
- pensioner concession card (PCC)
- education entry payment (EdEP)
- Home Equity Access Scheme
- Retirement Assistance for Farmers Scheme (RAFS)
- Retirement Assistance for Sugarcane Farmers Scheme (RASF)
Assessment of ISS rate
The rate of income support supplement is assessed with reference to the following:
Other issues to be considered
Other issues that need to be taken into account:
- Obligations for information on pensioner obligations
- Appeals for information on how to appeal a decision