In short

The Low Income Health Care Card has no assets test and no minimum age, unlike the Pensioner Concession Card (tied to the Age Pension) and the Commonwealth Seniors Health Card (only from Age Pension age). It's purely income-tested over the eight weeks before you claim, making it valuable for retirees who've stopped working before 67 or asset-rich, income-poor retirees who wrongly assume their assets rule them out.

Ask most people about concession cards in retirement and you'll hear about two: the Pensioner Concession Card that comes with the Age Pension, and the Commonwealth Seniors Health Card that self-funded retirees can apply for once they reach Age Pension age. There's a third card, though, that far fewer people know about — and it's often the one that fits the people who fall between the cracks. It's the Low Income Health Care Card. It has no assets test, it's available at any age, and it can quietly save you money on medicines and a range of other concessions. If you've retired before Age Pension age (currently 67), or you're a self-funded retiree living on a modest income, it's worth knowing this card exists — because a lot of people who qualify never claim it. This article is general information only, not personal advice.

What makes this card different?

Two features set the Low Income Health Care Card apart. First, there is no assets test — unlike the Age Pension, where your home is exempt but most other assets are counted, this card looks only at your income, so you can own your home and hold investments and still qualify, provided your income is low enough (Services Australia, https://www.servicesaustralia.gov.au/who-can-get-low-income-health-care-card). Second, it's available at any age — you don't have to be of Age Pension age, which is what makes it the natural fit for someone who has stopped work in their early 60s and is living on modest super drawdowns, years before the Age Pension or the Commonwealth Seniors Health Card become relevant.

What is the income test?

Eligibility comes down to an income test based on your gross income (before tax) over the eight weeks before you claim (Services Australia, https://www.servicesaustralia.gov.au/income-test-for-low-income-health-care-card). The income counted includes things like employment income and the deemed income on your financial investments — so while there's no assets test, deeming still applies on the income side, working out an assumed income from your financial assets that is added to your other income (Services Australia, https://www.servicesaustralia.gov.au/income-test-for-low-income-health-care-card). There are income limits that vary depending on whether you're single, a couple, or have dependent children, and they're indexed over time, so confirm the current figure for your situation with Services Australia. If your average income over those eight weeks is under the relevant limit, you can qualify. Usefully, once you already hold the card a higher income limit applies than when you first claim — the card is only cancelled if your income exceeds that higher limit in an 8-week period before it expires (Services Australia, https://www.servicesaustralia.gov.au/income-test-for-low-income-health-care-card), so a short spike doesn't automatically cost you the card.

How does it compare to the other two cards?

It helps to see the three cards side by side. The Pensioner Concession Card is automatic — you get it when you're granted the Age Pension or another qualifying pension, and you don't apply for it separately. The Commonwealth Seniors Health Card is for people who have reached Age Pension age but don't receive the pension (usually because their income or assets are too high); it's income-tested on your adjusted taxable income plus deemed income from account-based pensions, with no assets test, and it has comparatively high income thresholds — $101,105 for a single and $161,768 combined for a couple (20 September 2025) (Services Australia, https://www.servicesaustralia.gov.au/income-test-for-commonwealth-seniors-health-card). The Low Income Health Care Card is the any-age option: purely income-tested, no assets test, but with a lower income threshold than the Commonwealth Seniors Health Card. The practical upshot is that if you're under Age Pension age with a modest income, the Low Income Health Care Card is often the card to look at, while once you reach Age Pension age the Commonwealth Seniors Health Card — with its higher income threshold — may become the better fit (our companion piece on the Commonwealth Seniors Health Card goes deeper there). It's worth reviewing which one matches your age and income as your circumstances change.

What are the benefits?

The benefits centre on health costs. The card gives you cheaper prescription medicines under the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) — the concessional co-payment of $7.70 a script rather than the general rate of up to $25.00 (2026 figures) — and a lower threshold for the PBS Safety Net, after which medicines become cheaper still or free for the rest of the calendar year (Services Australia, https://www.servicesaustralia.gov.au/benefits-low-income-health-care-card). Your GP may also choose to bulk-bill you, though that's at the doctor's discretion. On top of the federal benefits, state, territory and local governments often extend their own concessions to card holders — which can include help with energy bills, council rates, public transport, and motor vehicle registration — though these vary considerably by jurisdiction, so it's worth checking what's on offer where you live. One caveat: the Low Income Health Care Card generally doesn't carry the full set of concessions a Pensioner Concession Card does, so the exact benefits differ.

What do worked examples look like?

Greg, 62, stopped working two years ago and lives on modest drawdowns from his super, with his home paid off and a share portfolio he largely leaves untouched. He assumes no concession card is available to him until he turns 67. On these facts, Greg is exactly the "gap-years" retiree the Low Income Health Care Card is built for. Because there's no assets test, his home and share portfolio don't disqualify him — what matters is his gross income over the eight weeks before he claims, including the deemed income on his financial assets (Services Australia, https://www.servicesaustralia.gov.au/income-test-for-low-income-health-care-card). If that average sits under the income limit for a single person, on these facts it is generally rational for Greg to claim the card now rather than waiting five years for the Age Pension or Commonwealth Seniors Health Card, since the concessional PBS co-payment of $7.70 a script (versus up to $25.00) and the lower Safety Net threshold can add up meaningfully across a year of regular medicines. He'd been leaving money on the table simply by assuming his assets ruled him out.

Margaret and Robert, both 68 and self-funded, hold a Low Income Health Care Card that Robert qualified for in his early sixties. Now that they've both reached Age Pension age, they're wondering whether anything should change. On these facts, the couple should review whether the Commonwealth Seniors Health Card is now the better fit, because its income threshold is much higher — $161,768 combined (20 September 2025) — than the Low Income Health Care Card's, so a couple whose income has risen above the lower LIHCC limit but stays under the CSHC limit could keep a concession card by switching (Services Australia, https://www.servicesaustralia.gov.au/income-test-for-commonwealth-seniors-health-card). On these facts the rational step is to compare the two cards against their current income and age and hold whichever they qualify for, rather than assuming the card they have is the only or best option. The cards aren't either/or forever — the right one changes as your age and income do.

Who should check their eligibility?

Three groups in particular are worth flagging. The first is gap-years retirees — people who've retired before Age Pension age and are living on modest super drawdowns, who may assume no concession card is available until 67 when the Low Income Health Care Card may be available now. The second is asset-rich, income-poor retirees — if you own your home and hold investments but draw only a modest income, don't assume your assets rule you out, because there's no assets test here. The third is anyone with a low-income period — because the test looks at your recent eight weeks of income, a stretch of low income can be enough to qualify. The simplest message is this: if you're not on the Age Pension and your income is modest, don't assume you're entitled to nothing. Check whether the Low Income Health Care Card fits — the savings on medicines alone can add up over a year, and the application is made through Services Australia.

Sources

Key takeaways

  • The Low Income Health Care Card has no assets test — you can own your home and hold investments and still qualify, provided your income is low enough.
  • It's available at any age, unlike the Pensioner Concession Card (tied to the Age Pension) or the Commonwealth Seniors Health Card (only from Age Pension age).
  • Eligibility is based on gross income over the eight weeks before you claim, including deemed income on financial investments, so deeming still applies on the income side even though there's no assets test.
  • Once you hold the card, a higher income limit applies before it's cancelled than when you first claimed, so a short income spike doesn't automatically end your eligibility.
  • The card gives the concessional PBS co-payment ($7.70 a script versus up to $25.00 general) and a lower PBS Safety Net threshold, plus varying state and local concessions.

Frequently asked questions

Does the Low Income Health Care Card have an assets test?

No. Unlike the Age Pension, it looks only at your income, so you can own your home and hold investments and still qualify, provided your income is low enough.

Can I get a concession card before I reach Age Pension age?

Yes, through the Low Income Health Care Card, which is available at any age and doesn't require you to be receiving the Age Pension or have reached Age Pension age like the Commonwealth Seniors Health Card does.

How is eligibility for the Low Income Health Care Card assessed?

Through an income test based on your gross income over the eight weeks before you claim, including deemed income on financial investments. If your average income over that period is under the relevant limit, you can qualify.

What benefits does the Low Income Health Care Card give?

It gives the concessional PBS co-payment of $7.70 a script rather than the general rate of up to $25.00, a lower PBS Safety Net threshold, and often state, territory and local government concessions on things like energy bills and public transport, though it generally carries fewer concessions than a Pensioner Concession Card.

A note on advice. This article is general information only and doesn't account for your personal circumstances. Everyone's situation is different — before acting, it's worth talking it through with a licensed adviser who knows your full picture.