From 20 September this year, deeming rates will increase for the first time since the Covid-era freeze. This change may affect people whose payments and benefits are determined by the income test. The announcement confirms that rates will gradually return to ‘pre-pandemic settings’ with staged increases to take effect in the future. Increases will be realigned from 1 July to the same time that payments are indexed (expected to be 20 March and 20 September).