WA Seniors Card Cost of Living Rebate

What the WA Cost of Living Rebate Actually Is

The Cost of Living Rebate is a direct annual payment made by the Western Australian government to WA Seniors Card holders. For 2026-27, couples receive $171.30 and singles receive $114.20. It is separate from your council rates concession and water concession — you can receive all three if you qualify.

The rebate is paid automatically once your WA Seniors Card is active. You do not need to submit a separate application for it. If you hold a valid WA Seniors Card and have not received the payment, contact the WA Seniors Card Centre on 1800 671 233.

Who Qualifies

You need a current WA Seniors Card, which requires:

• Being aged 65 or over (or 60 and over for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people)
• Being a permanent Western Australian resident
• Meeting the work-hour limits set by the WA Seniors Card Centre

The Cost of Living Rebate does not require you to own property. Renters with a WA Seniors Card receive it too.

How It Connects to Your Rates Concession

The Cost of Living Rebate and your rates concession are funded by different programs, but they interact in one important way: your WA Seniors Card status determines your rates rebate tier.

Holding a WA Seniors Card alone caps your council rates rebate at 25% (up to $100). But if you also hold a Commonwealth Seniors Health Card, you jump to the full 50% rebate tier — up to $750 on council rates and $600 on water service charges. That card pairing is separate from the Cost of Living Rebate itself, but both flow from the same Seniors Card registration.

If you currently receive only the $100 rates cap, check whether you qualify for a Commonwealth Seniors Health Card through Services Australia on 13 23 00. The income test thresholds have increased in recent years, and many WA seniors who previously missed out now qualify.

The Safety and Security Rebate

WA Seniors Card holders can also claim the Safety and Security Rebate — up to $400 towards home security improvements like deadlocks, sensor lights, or smoke alarms. This is a reimbursement (you pay first, then claim back), not an automatic payment like the Cost of Living Rebate.

Claiming Everything You Are Entitled To

Between the Cost of Living Rebate, rates concessions, water concessions, and the Safety and Security Rebate, a WA pensioner homeowner can receive well over $1,000 in annual savings. The catch is that rates and water concessions require a separate registration through the Water Corporation (online at watercorporation.com.au/concessions or by phone on 1300 659 951). The Cost of Living Rebate is automatic — but your rates concession is not.

Our WA Rates Concessions Guide walks through the full registration process, card-pairing strategy, and cap calculations so you can confirm you are receiving every dollar available to you.

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