As the cost of living continues to rise, many Australians feel the pinch, particularly those who rely on government assistance to make ends meet.

However, there's some good news on the horizon for over five million Aussies who will soon see a welcome increase in their wallets.

Services Australia payments are set to be indexed, and Rent Assistance payments will be increased further, providing a much-needed cash boost for many.

This indexation will be applied to a broad spectrum of payments, including the Age Pension, Disability Support Pension, Carer Payments, Commonwealth Rent Assistance, Job Seeker Payments, and Parenting Payments.

The increases, which could be up to $41.50 per fortnight, will vary depending on the payment type and are scheduled to take effect on Friday, 20 September.

Over 5 million Australians get a cash boost with increased Services Australia payments. Credit: Shutterstock

For those of you who need to become more familiar with the term, indexation is a method used to adjust income payments by a percentage that reflects the movement in prices or wages.

Commonwealth Rent Assistance will see a significant 10 per cent increase in maximum rates.

At the maximum rate, this translates to an extra $23 for single recipients every fortnight.

Families with one or two children will see their Rent Assistance payment rise by $27.02 per fortnight.

JobSeeker recipients are also set to benefit.

‘Single JobSeeker Payment recipients with an assessed partial capacity to work of zero to 14 hours per week will move to the higher rate of JobSeeker, receiving $849.50 a fortnight,’ the Department of Social Services stated.

Even those remaining on the lower rate will see an increase; single recipients without children will receive an additional $15.30, while those with a child will get a $19.80 boost.

Single-age pensioners will notice an increase of $28.10 in their fortnightly payments, and couples will receive a combined $42.40 increase.

The same rise applies to the Disability Support Pension and Carer Payment, with total payments per fortnight, including the energy supplement, reaching $1114.40 for singles and $862.60 for each couple member.

Parenting Payment recipients will also benefit from a $19.80 increase in fortnightly payments.

Social Services Minister Amanda Rishworth has stated that these indexation increases and budget measures mean that Commonwealth Rent Assistance has risen by about 45 per cent since Labor was elected.

‘This government recognises that many Australians continue to be directly affected by cost of living pressures,’ she emphasised.

‘This indexation will deliver timely boosts to people receiving allowance payments and pensions, ensuring that these vulnerable cohorts have more money in their pockets for everyday expenses.’

Find out if you're eligible for these increased benefits and see the list of increasing payments.

It's essential to visit the Department of Social Services website or contact Services Australia directly.

Key Takeaways

• The indexation of Services Australia payments, including the Age Pension, Disability Support Pension, Carer Payments, Commonwealth Rent Assistance, JobSeeker, and Parenting Payments, will give more than five million Australians a cash boost.
• The indexation increase, which may reach $41.50 a fortnight, will vary depending on the payment type and take effect on Friday, 20 September.
• The maximum rates of Commonwealth Rent Assistance will rise by 10 per cent, with varying increases for single recipients and families depending on their circumstances.
• Social Services Minister Amanda Rishworth highlighted that the combination of indexation and budget measures has resulted in a roughly 45 per cent increase in Rent Assistance since Labor was elected, alleviating cost-of-living pressures for vulnerable Australians.

How will the upcoming payment increases impact your budget? What adjustments might you notice in your government assistance from 20 September? Share your thoughts and opinions in the comments below.

 

[IAN3005]

You've just saved my posting a similar set of observations ... and I suspect echoes the sentiments of many on this site.
Many of us have had significant contributory careers, yet through no fault of our own, find ourselves at the mercy of a pension that locks us into poverty. Impossible to save for 2 weeks visiting the kids and grand kids.
While grateful for the welfare - who wouldn't be, having visited the UK amd Asia in my prime it has to be noted that the increases are purely the mandatory CPI rises. The govt is NOT being "generous".

But to say Australia cannot afford to look after the pension rate far better than does, is not correctly observing the wasted resources by successive governments, and tax-smart corporations.
When looking at the gas, coal, iron ore, zinc, copper, aluminium, rare earths, uranium etc etc that has been pulled from our dirt over the years, it is difficult to believe the nation could do far better than it currently does.

Top 40 Tax Dodgers of 2023 - Michael West

Fossil fuel giants and other foreign multinationals are again the biggest tax dodgers in Australia, topping the Top 40 Tax Dodgers charts.

michaelwest.com.au

Yet how many readers here have actually written to, phoned or visited their sitting Federal member to present these facts to them, in the face of their own annual pay rises?
If I had just one wish, it would be to make apathy a crime, so that Australians became active in demanding they get better value for money from corporations and exporters of OUR mineral wealth.
We are being raped by corporations who are playing the nation for fools, in dodging taxes through loopholes that all governments refuse to address, for their own "reasons."

Chr***, if you made apathy a crime more than 80% of the counter would be in jail....

 

[Jest]

Judgement judgement and more judgement.I havent walked in anyone else's shoes so I have no right to judge.I own the choices I have made in life as that has made me who I am today.For those who wish to judge I have had many forks in the road of life and live by unconditional love.

wish there were more like you on this commenting. half do not have empathy. now wait for the nasty comments.

 

[Jest]

That’s abit harsh phantom36

no it is a good reply.

 

[Jest]

You are a self funded retiree and you dare to whinge you do not get anything? How lucky are you that you were able to save for retirement. That means you either earned enough to have enough super or were in business and made enough you could be self funded. Assuming people are "wasting money and smoking and and drinking" shows both your arrogance and ignorance. Most people are too busy trying to pay bills to have anything left over for retirement. Succesive governments since WW2 have known the pressure the post war generation were going to put on the retirement system. They all failed to deal with and left it to a government in the future to deal with. At the same time they put downwards pressure on peoples wages while rich people like you reaped the rewards.

a disgusting and very jealous reply.

 

[Jest]

Well again you do paint too good a picture. It seems to be in your DNA to bolster this government. I need to remind you that every one of those recipients is getting the CPI/Average wage increases on average 6 months too late because these adjustments are after the event with people having to carry the load for that period without compensation. The process repeats and repeats. What also needs to be recognised is that generally these adjustments are automatic under any Australian Government no matter its colour. The rent assistance increase you quote at 45% does not in any serious way cover rental increases in housing which is mostly the result of poor government policies causing very high inflation. The compensation is totally inadequate. Those are the facts.

 

[Jest]

It is ridiculous that an increae of "up to $41.50" is considered "generous" when rent increases alone have been significantly higher than that. That does not even consider the other increases in the cost of living. It just reinforces once again how out of touch the government is. Howevere they are more than generous with the corporate welfare they hand out along with the handouts to the rich.

so it is possible for the australian government to hand out an increase say of 200 to every pensioner. do not be so ungrateful or so jealous of people who have done better in life than you.

 

[IAN3005]

so it is possible for the australian government to hand out an increase say of 200 to every pensioner. do not be so ungrateful or so jealous of people who have done better in life than you.

Only $200...... I should imagine it should be in the order of $600 per week

 

[Jest]

Only $200...... I should imagine it should be in the order of $600 per week

such a greedy bastard

 

[PARISIENNEINOZ]

I'm grateful. I love living in a country that supports me in this way. Thank you.

 

[Gsr]

The payment increases from the 20th, but most people won’t see the full amount hit their bank accounts until October due to the payment cycle they are on, so they are already behind the eight ball. By the time renters get their extra money I’m sure their rents will already have risen by more than they get since no government has the balls to restrict rent increases.

 

[UNIT1000]

pay ments did not happen

 

[UNIT1000]

The payment increases from the 20th, but most people won’t see the full amount hit their bank accounts until October due to the payment cycle they are on, so they are already behind the eight ball. By the time renters get their extra money I’m sure their rents will already have risen by more than they get since no government has the balls to restrict rent increases.

you are right apayment are payed on the 22of march and the 22 of september each year so to day we shoud git money in the bank on monday thats thay are at work

 

[Drew62]

the government gives out the money then takes it back in rent increases and price hikes nobody can win

 

[Dugy]

For your information the tiny increases cover nothing for aged pensioners, you stated the increases come into affect from the 20th however the reality is we do not get any of it for another fortnight, maybe try telling it as it really is , our rent has more than doubled which is totally unafordable on aged pension, $42 fortnight and rent increase is $300 per week more, this is the reality

 

[Luckyus]

Politicians Okay themselves hundreds of dollars a day, while they Okay less than a Dollar $1.00 a day for the most vulnerable (For various reasons) other than children in our society the pensioner.
GIVE ALBO --THE ELBOW.

 

[tumoulin]

This is just an indexation increase to keep pensioners up with inflation so it is not a real increase at all.
And since it is a percentage increase each member of a couple continues to fall further behind what a single pensioner receives. The gap is now huge and way beyond what may be reasonable.
Both sides of politics when in government should stop pretending that these indexation increases are real increases due to them or that they are even enough to cover price increases of the things pensioners need to buy, because they are not enough.

 

[tumoulin]

Politicians Okay themselves hundreds of dollars a day, while they Okay less than a Dollar $1.00 a day for the most vulnerable (For various reasons) other than children in our society the pensioner.
GIVE ALBO --THE ELBOW.

Giving Albo the Elbow will only make things even worse if it means the likes of Dutton gets in.

 

[tumoulin]

You've just saved my posting a similar set of observations ... and I suspect echoes the sentiments of many on this site.
Many of us have had significant contributory careers, yet through no fault of our own, find ourselves at the mercy of a pension that locks us into poverty. Impossible to save for 2 weeks visiting the kids and grand kids.
While grateful for the welfare - who wouldn't be, having visited the UK amd Asia in my prime it has to be noted that the increases are purely the mandatory CPI rises. The govt is NOT being "generous".

But to say Australia cannot afford to look after the pension rate far better than does, is not correctly observing the wasted resources by successive governments, and tax-smart corporations.
When looking at the gas, coal, iron ore, zinc, copper, aluminium, rare earths, uranium etc etc that has been pulled from our dirt over the years, it is difficult to believe the nation could do far better than it currently does.

Top 40 Tax Dodgers of 2023 - Michael West

Fossil fuel giants and other foreign multinationals are again the biggest tax dodgers in Australia, topping the Top 40 Tax Dodgers charts.

michaelwest.com.au

Yet how many readers here have actually written to, phoned or visited their sitting Federal member to present these facts to them, in the face of their own annual pay rises?
If I had just one wish, it would be to make apathy a crime, so that Australians became active in demanding they get better value for money from corporations and exporters of OUR mineral wealth.
We are being raped by corporations who are playing the nation for fools, in dodging taxes through loopholes that all governments refuse to address, for their own "reasons."

Absolutely, both sides of politics have sold this country out for decades. Great for them and their multinational mates. Terrible for the rest of us.

 

[Lelly]

Those of us on the pension and own our own homes get no help with rates

In my area pensioners get a rebate on their rates. No it’s not much, but as a renter my yearly cost for the roof over my head in 2021 was $18,720 and is now $26,520!!! Believe me that leaves nothing to live on!

 

[Auswallaby]

It is ridiculous that an increae of "up to $41.50" is considered "generous" when rent increases alone have been significantly higher than that. That does not even consider the other increases in the cost of living. It just reinforces once again how out of touch the government is. Howevere they are more than generous with the corporate welfare they hand out along with the handouts to the rich.

I'm just as worst off...will get increase of $22 P/F in Rent Assistance...that does not help much when my Yearly Rent just increased a $100 from $600 P/W to $700 P/W. This does not help Age Pensioners living week to week.