People on Centrelink will receive more money into their accounts this month as the cost of living continues to rise.
Single people receiving the disability support pension, aged pension, and carer payment will receive an extra $19.60 a fortnight from March 20.
Individuals will receive an extra $29.40 a fortnight, while couples will receive a maximum of $1,682.80.
The payments are adjusted twice yearly to keep up with the cost of living. Single parents, those receiving rent assistance, and people on the ABSTUDY will benefit from the increase.
According to Amanda Rishworth, the minister for social services, the government will be increasing the asset and income limits to address the rising cost of living.
She noted that this would allow Centrelink recipients to have more money in their bank accounts.
Single parents will receive an increase of $17.50 a fortnight. People on Jobseeker’s allowance will also receive an extra $13.50 a fortnight. Those aged 22 and above will get a further $13.50 a week. In addition, the government has changed the eligibility requirements for parents who are looking for welfare payments.
In the last budget, the government announced that parents would be entitled to benefits for kids up to the age of 14, instead of the age of eight. This will result in around 77,000 additional parents being added to the system. The ACOSS has urged the government to do more to improve the welfare payments. When the Youth Allowance and Austudy’s inflation adjustment was made earlier this year, the organization noted that they were inadequate.
According to Cassandra Goldie, the rising cost of living is putting people in danger of becoming trapped in poverty. She noted that the government’s efforts to address the issue have not been enough to help people.
Before the cost of living started to rise, the people receiving welfare payments were already struggling to meet their basic needs. After inflation, they will no longer be adequate.