This graph shows where people are placed in the household income rankings, according to their household’s main source of income in 2015-16 and 2017-18.
Social security payments include pensions, allowances and family payments.

2017-18: The graph shows that the highest 20% income group receives two-thirds of all investment income and a substantial share of own-business income and wages (48% and 44% respectively). At the other end of the scale, the lowest 20% receives over a third of all social security income (38%).

2015-16: The graph shows that 65% of people in households that mainly rely on social security payments are concentrated in the lowest 20% income group. In contrast, people in households relying mainly on wages or salaries are more likely to be found at the higher end of the distribution (with 51% in the highest 40% income group). Households whose main income is from an unincorporated business are more likely (27%) to belong to the lowest 20% income group. It should be noted however that incomes from self-employment are more likely than other forms of income to be under-reported or uncertain due to the difficulty in distinguishing between personal and business income for this group. For more information, see ABS (2017): Household Income and Wealth, Australia, Explanatory notes