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Home Equity Access Scheme calculator
The Home Equity Access Scheme (HEAS) is a Government loan from Services Australia, secured against your home, paid as a fortnightly top-up and/or lump sums. See what you could receive, how the loan grows with fortnightly compounding interest, and how much equity you keep. Uses the current HEAS rate of 3.95% a year and Age Pension rates from 20 September 2026, checked on 27 October 2026.
You need to be Age Pension age (67) to apply, or partnered with someone who is. The loan limit uses the younger partner's age.
Services Australia lets you set aside part of your home's value. It is left out of your maximum loan, so you keep at least that much security available (before interest keeps accruing).
Couples: combined. Move to $0 if you don't receive a pension but are eligible to apply.
0% keeps today's value. Any growth figure is an assumption, not a forecast.
HEAS payment
per fortnight
- Maximum loan amount today
- Fortnightly cap (150% of max pension less pension)
- Lump sum cap each 12 months
- Total paid to you
- Loan balance at end of draw
- Loan balance after 20 years
- Home equity left after 20 years
Loan balance and equity over 20 years
Interest of 3.95% a year is added to the balance every fortnight (3.95% ÷ 26), including after payments stop, until the loan is repaid. Payments stop early if the balance reaches the maximum loan amount, which is recalculated each birthday.
Loan balance Equity remaining Maximum loan amount
Figures used
| HEAS interest rate | 3.95% a year, compounding fortnightly (set by the Minister for Social Services; unchanged since 1 January 2022) |
| Maximum fortnightly payment | 150% of the maximum Age Pension rate, less any pension you receive: single 150% × $1,237.70 = $1,856.55; couple combined 150% × $1,866.00 = $2,799.00 |
| Lump sum (advance payment) | Up to 50% of the maximum annual pension rate in any 26-fortnight (12-month) period, in up to 2 payments: single $16,090.10, couple combined $24,258.00. It reduces the fortnightly payments you can get in that period. |
| Maximum loan amount | Age component × (home value less protected equity, rounded down to the nearest $10,000 ÷ $10,000) |
| Age component per $10,000 | |
| No negative equity guarantee | You (or your estate) won't owe more than the value of the secured property. |
Sources: Services Australia, Home Equity Access Scheme, Interest rate, Maximum loan amount, Age component; DSS Social Security Guide 3.4.5.30; DVA HEAS (rates effective 20 September 2026). Checked 27 October 2026. Excludes legal and registration costs, pension changes, indexation and changes to the interest rate.