Which Concession Card Gets You Council Rates Help in South Australia
Not All Cards Work the Same Way
South Australia runs several concession card types, and each one qualifies you for different pieces of the rates relief system. Assuming your card covers everything is the fastest way to leave money unclaimed.
Here is exactly what each card unlocks.
Pensioner Concession Card (PCC)
The PCC — issued by Centrelink to Age Pension, Disability Support Pension and certain other payment recipients — qualifies you for the full suite of ConcessionsSA household concessions:
- Cost of Living Concession ($270.60 in 2026–27)
- Water rate concession (up to $484.80/year)
- Sewerage rate concession (up to $228.12/year)
- Emergency Services Levy remission (up to $46)
It does not qualify you for the Seniors Rates Postponement scheme under Section 182A. That requires an SA Seniors Card, which is a separate credential. Many PCC holders also hold a Seniors Card — if you do, you qualify for both.
Commonwealth Seniors Health Card (CSHC)
The CSHC is issued to self-funded retirees who have reached Age Pension age and whose taxable income falls below the CSHC threshold. It qualifies for the same ConcessionsSA concessions as the PCC.
Some councils apply additional income limits for their own discretionary rebates. The City of Unley, for example, caps its CSHC self-funded retiree rebate at $51,500 single or $82,400 couple.
Like the PCC, the CSHC alone does not qualify for rates postponement — you need an SA Seniors Card for that.
Free Download
Get the SA Council Rates Help Application Checklist
Everything in this article as a printable checklist — plus action plans and reference guides you can start using today.
DVA Gold Card
DVA Gold Cards issued to Totally and Permanently Incapacitated (TPI) veterans, Extreme Disablement Adjustment (EDA) recipients, and War Widows/Widowers qualify for all ConcessionsSA household concessions.
For the Seniors Rates Postponement, a DVA Gold Card holder also needs to hold an SA Seniors Card. The DVA card and the Seniors Card serve different functions in the SA system.
Low Income Health Care Card (LIHCC)
The LIHCC — issued to JobSeeker, Youth Allowance and other low-income payment recipients — qualifies for all ConcessionsSA household concessions: COLC, water, sewerage and ESL.
It does not qualify for Seniors Rates Postponement under Section 182A, regardless of age. The postponement scheme is tied specifically to the SA Seniors Card.
No Card at All: Low-Income Provisions
If you hold none of these cards but your taxable income is below $24,926.20 (single) or $46,295.60 (couple), you can still qualify for the COLC, water and sewerage concessions by providing your most recent ATO Notice of Assessment. The ESL remission requires a card or qualifying payment — income alone is not enough.
The Practical Takeaway
| Card | COLC | Water | Sewerage | ESL | Rates Postponement |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pensioner Concession Card | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Only with Seniors Card |
| CSHC | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Only with Seniors Card |
| DVA Gold Card | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Only with Seniors Card |
| Low Income Health Care Card | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
| SA Seniors Card (alone) | No | No | No | No | Yes |
| Low income (no card) | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
The most common gap: holding a PCC or CSHC and not realising the Seniors Rates Postponement exists separately. The most common waste: holding a Seniors Card and not realising you need a PCC or CSHC for the cash concessions.
Getting the Full Cross-Agency Picture
The SA Council Rates Help guide includes a complete card eligibility matrix, application workflows for each program, and a decision framework for whether postponement makes sense for your situation.
Get Your Free SA Council Rates Help Application Checklist
Download the SA Council Rates Help Application Checklist — a printable guide with checklists, scripts, and action plans you can start using today.