Over one million Australians are set to receive a welcome cash boost to their Centrelink payments and income support within weeks.
This boost is part of the government’s regular indexation to ensure payments keep up with rising costs.
Which Payments Will Increase?
Several Centrelink payments will receive an increase from January 1, including:
- Youth Allowance
- Austudy
- Youth Disability Support Pension
- Carer Allowance
Other payments, like the Age Pension and JobSeeker and Disability Support Pension, will see an increase with indexation in March and September.
What Does This Mean for You?
According to Social Services Minister Amanda Rishworth, the government is committed to helping Aussies manage cost-of-living pressures and providing a strong social security safety net.
“We want to reduce disadvantage and maintain Australia’s strong and sustainable social safety net by providing relief to those most in need,” she said.
How Much Will Centrelink Payments Increase?
The increases vary depending on the payment and individual circumstances, but here are some examples:
- The Youth Allowance maximum rate will increase by between $15 and $24.30 for a single person with no kids, bringing the total payment to $663.30 for those living away from home.
- Single recipients with dependent children will see an increase of $30.60 a fortnight, taking the maximum rate to $836.60 per fortnight.
- The Carer Allowance will increase by $5.80 for more than 600,000 carers, taking the rate to $159.30 per fortnight.
You can find the complete list of payment increases on the government’s website.