From 1 July 1996, Mature Age Allowance (MAA) was made a permanent feature of the Australian social security system. This payment, made under more favourable eligibility requirements than the unemployment allowance, is payable to unemployed men over the age of 60 but not yet of age pension age (65). It was introduced in 1994 as a temporary measure.

Other modifications to the payment include:

- the use of the unemployment benefit income and assets test rather than the more generous pension arrangements which applied previously;
- the replacement of the requirement for 12 months registration with the Commonwealth Employment Service with a requirement that recipients show that they have no recent workforce experience; and
- reduction from 12 months to 9 months of the period a person must have been in receipt of an unemployment benefit. This period has been removed entirely for recipients of other social security payments.

The age pension age for women, which is being increased gradually from 60 to 65 over a number of years, is now 60 and 6 months. This means that women aged over 60 but not yet eligible for the pension can also receive MAA if they meet the other requirements.

Source: Australian Department of Social Security.

Implementation date: 01.07.1996