Remote Area Allowance

Last updated:

On this page

  1. Who can get it?
  2. How you claim
  3. How much you can receive
  4. What you need to tell us
  5. Important information

Back to top

Who can get it?

You can receive Remote Area Allowance if you receive one of the following payments:

  • Service Pension
  • Income Support Supplement
  • Social Security Age Pension administered by DVA
  • Veteran Payment

and

You are a permanent resident of one of these zones:

  • tax zone A
  • special areas within tax zone B

The Australian Taxation Office determines remote zones.

See a map of Australia’s tax zones, or find your location list.

If you have dependent children, you may receive an extra amount for each child.

Back to top

How you claim

You don’t need to submit a claim for Remote Area Allowance. We will apply it automatically if you are entitled. If you are not receiving it and think you should be, Contact us.

Back to top

How much you can receive

Each fortnight you can receive:

  • $18.20 if you are single
  • $15.60 each if you live with a partner

If you receive Family Tax Benefit, you will also receive $7.30 per fortnight for each dependent child.

Back to top

What you need to tell us

If you receive Remote Area Allowance and anything changes that could affect your payments, you need to let us know within 28 days. You need to tell us if you, your partner or dependent child:

  • are away from home for more than 8 weeks
  • move house
  • leave Australia, even for a short time
  • start or stop living with a partner
  • have a death in your household
  • have any changes to the information you told us previously
Back to top

Important information

  • Remote Area Allowance is not taxable, but it does reduce the amount of zone tax offset you can receive with your tax return.
  • Special areas within tax zone B are more than 250km away from an urban centre of 2500 people or more.
  • If you leave your remote area temporarily, you can keep receiving Remote Area Allowance for the first 8 weeks you’re away.
  • If you move permanently overseas or somewhere in Australia that is not remote, your Remote Area Allowance will stop straight away.
  • If you receive Remote Area Allowance for a dependent child, we will pay it with your DVA payments.
  • If your dependent child lives in a non-remote part of Australia, you can still receive Remote Area Allowance for them. This may apply if they go to boarding school.
  • If your dependent child goes overseas temporarily, you can keep receiving their Remote Area Allowance for the first 8 weeks they’re away.
Back to top
Was this page useful?
Please tell us why you selected 'Yes'?
Please tell us why you selected 'No'?