Proposed legislation will ease work hour restrictions for DSP recipients

The Australian Government has introduced a Bill that eases the restrictions on the hours per week that a person receiving Disability Support Pension (DSP) can work.

The specific change involves an increase in the allowable maximum hours worked by DSP recipients granted  from 15 hours to 30 hours per week. The change ensures that all disability pensioners have the same limits to the amount of hours they may work per week. It will encourage people in part-time work to work longer hours without jeopardising their pension entitlement.

The Bill also introduces new  participation requirements for DSP recipients under 35 who are assessed as having some work capacity. This group will be required to attend regular participation interviews and develop participation plans with Centrelink in order to overcome potential barriers and build their work capacity. They will be encouraged, but not required, to implement the participation plan.

The Bill also contains a clause that allows DSP recipients with a severe and permanent disability and no capacity to work to travel overseas for more than 13 weeks while retaining their pension.

The Bill will be debated in Parliament over the next few weeks and the changes are scheduled to take effect from 1 July this year. The welfare-to-work measures contained in the Bill are positive changes aimed at enabling more people with disability to enjoy the benefits of work.