What is the pension age?

Claiming your pension from Centrelink

In Australia, all government pension claims are handled by Centrelink, but before you can claim your pension, you must first make sure that you meet the eligibility criteria, such as being at or over your retirement qualifying age, and being a resident of Australia for at least 10 years.

Are there different ages for men and women?

No, everyone is treated the same when it comes to the age they can apply for the Age Pension. The actual retirement age can be quite different for men and women but this would be down to choice or circumstance rather than government policy.

The amount of pension you are entitled to can be impacted by how much you have accumulated in super; men typically retire with higher balances than women. Women tend to retire with lower balances and have, on average, a longer life expectancy than men, so they can tend to be more reliant on the pension for many more years. That's why it can be helpful to make voluntary contributions to your super while you're still working.

Are there different requirements across states?

Again, no. While the average retirement age may vary from state to state, the Australian government pension rates are the same across the country, regardless of whether you live in a city in Victoria or on a farm in the outback.