Higher Education Support Act 2003

Chapter 4 - Repayment of loans

PART 4-2 - DISCHARGE OF INDEBTEDNESS

Division 154 - How is indebtedness compulsorily discharged?

Subdivision 154-B - Amounts payable to the Commonwealth

SECTION 154-25 Indexation of HELP repayment thresholds

View history reference

154-25(1)

View history reference

This section applies in relation to the following amounts (each of which is an indexable amount ):

(a) the * minimum repayment income;

(b) the amount mentioned in paragraphs 154-20(2)(a) and (b) .

154-25(2)

View history reference

At the start of each * income year (an indexation year ) after the 2025-26 income year, each indexable amount is replaced by the amount worked out using the following formula:

where:

Indexable amount for the 2025-26 income year	×	AWE for the indexation year
		AWE for the 2025-26 income year

AWE
, for an income year, is the number of dollars in the sum of:

(a) the average weekly earnings for all employees (total earnings) for the reference period in the * quarter ending on 31 December immediately before the income year, as published by the * Australian Statistician; and

(b) the average weekly earnings for all employees (total earnings) for the reference period in the quarter ending on 30 June that is immediately before the quarter referred to in paragraph (a), as published by the Australian Statistician.

154-25(3)

View history reference

If an amount worked out under subsection (2) is an amount made up of dollars and cents, round the amount down to the nearest dollar.

Publication of indexation amounts

154-25(4)
The Minister must cause to be published in the Gazette , before the start of an indexation year, the replacement indexable amount for the indexation year. However, a failure by the Minister to do so does not invalidate the indexation.

Definitions

154-25(5)
In this section:

reference period
, in a * quarter, is the period described by the * Australian Statistician as the pay period ending on or before a specified day that is the third Friday of the middle month of that quarter.

S 154-25 substituted by No 30 of 2025, s 3 and Sch 2 item 6, effective 3 August 2025 and applicable in relation to the 2025-26 income year and later income years. S 154-25 formerly read:

SECTION 154-25 Indexation

154-25(1)
The following amounts for the 2020-21 * income year, or a later income year:

(a) the * minimum repayment income;

(b) the amounts referred to in paragraph (a) of the second column of items 1 to 17 of the table in section 154-20;
are indexed by multiplying the corresponding amounts for the 2019-20 income year by the amount worked out using the formula:

The sum of the * CPI index numbers for the * quarter ending on 31 December immediately before the income year and the 3 quarters immediately preceding that quarter

The sum of the * CPI index numbers for the * quarter ending on 31 December immediately before the 2019-20 income year and the 3 quarters immediately preceding that quarter

View history note

Hide history note

History

S 154-25(1) amended by No 108 of 2024, s 3 and Sch 1 item 7 by substituting the formula, effective 5 December 2024. For application and transitional provisions, see note under 140-10(1B). The formula formerly read:

The sum of the * index numbers for the * quarter ending on 31 December immediately before the income year and the 3 quarters immediately preceding that quarter

The sum of the * index numbers for the * quarter ending on 31 December immediately before the 2019-20 income year and the 3 quarters immediately preceding that quarter

S 154-25(1) substituted by No 76 of 2018, s 3 and Sch 1 item 9, effective 1 July 2019 and applicable in relation to the 2020-21 income year and later income years. No 76 of 2018, s 3 and Sch 1 item 18 contains the following transitional provision:
18 Transitional - indexation
18
Despite anything in repealed subsection 154-25(1) of the Higher Education Support Act 2003 (as that subsection applies to the 2019-20 income year), an amount referred to in paragraph (a) or (b) of that subsection is not to be indexed for the 2019-20 income year.

S 154-25(1) formerly read:

154-25(1)
The following amounts for the 2019-20 * income year, or a later income year:

(a) the * minimum repayment income;

(b) the amounts referred to in paragraph (a) of the second column of items 1 to 9 of the table in section 154-20;
are indexed by multiplying the corresponding amounts for the 2018-19 income year by the amount worked out using the formula:

AWE for that income year
AWE for the 2018-19 income year

S 154-25(1) substituted by No 55 of 2016, s 3 and Sch 1 item 3, applicable in relation to income years commencing on and after 1 July 2018. S 154-25(1) formerly read:

154-25(1)
The following amounts for the 2006-07 * income year, or a later income year:

(a) the * minimum repayment income;

(b) the amounts referred to in paragraph (a) of the second column of items 1 to 8 of the table in section 154-20;
are indexed by multiplying the corresponding amounts for the 2005-06 income year by the amount worked out using the formula:

* AWE for that income year
AWE for the 2005-06 income year

154-25(2)
(Repealed by No 76 of 2018)
View history note

Hide history note

History

S 154-25(2) repealed by No 76 of 2018, s 3 and Sch 1 item 10, effective 1 July 2019 and applicable in relation to the 2020-21 income year and later income years. S 154-25(2) formerly read:

154-25(2)
AWE , for an * income year, is the number of dollars in the sum of:

(a) the average weekly earnings for all employees (total earnings, seasonally adjusted) for the * reference period in the * quarter ending on 31 December immediately before the income year, as published by the * Australian Statistician; and

(b) the average weekly earnings for all employees for the reference period in the quarter ending on 30 June that is immediately before the quarter referred to in paragraph (a), as published by the Australian Statistician.

S 154-25(2) amended by No 23 of 2013, s 3 and Sch 4 item 1, by subtituting " the quarter ending on 30 June that is immediately before the quarter referred to in paragraph (a) " for " each of the 3 quarters immediately before that quarter " , applicable in relation to the indexation of the amounts referred to in subsection 154-25(1) of the Higher Education Support Act 2003 for the 2013-14 income year, or a later income year.

154-25(3)
(Repealed by No 76 of 2018)
View history note

Hide history note

History

S 154-25(3) repealed by No 76 of 2018, s 3 and Sch 1 item 10, effective 1 July 2019 and applicable in relation to the 2020-21 income year and later income years. S 154-25(3) formerly read:

154-25(3)
The reference period in a particular * quarter in a year is the period described by the * Australian Statistician as the pay period ending on or before a specified day that is the third Friday of the middle month of that quarter.

154-25(4)
If an amount worked out under this section is an amount made up of dollars and cents, round the amount down to the nearest dollar.

Disclaimer and notice of copyright applicable to materials provided by CCH Australia Limited

CCH Australia Limited ("CCH") believes that all information which it has provided in this site is accurate and reliable, but gives no warranty of accuracy or reliability of such information to the reader or any third party. The information provided by CCH is not legal or professional advice. To the extent permitted by law, no responsibility for damages or loss arising in any way out of or in connection with or incidental to any errors or omissions in any information provided is accepted by CCH or by persons involved in the preparation and provision of the information, whether arising from negligence or otherwise, from the use of or results obtained from information supplied by CCH.

The information provided by CCH includes history notes and other value-added features which are subject to CCH copyright. No CCH material may be copied, reproduced, republished, uploaded, posted, transmitted, or distributed in any way, except that you may download one copy for your personal use only, provided you keep intact all copyright and other proprietary notices. In particular, the reproduction of any part of the information for sale or incorporation in any product intended for sale is prohibited without CCH's prior consent.