As the cost of living continuously rises, any increase in Centrelink payments is typically welcomed.

The Australian government has recently announced a six per cent increase in Centrelink payments, which will affect almost one million recipients.

Despite the increase, there's a growing consensus that this measure is simply not enough to make a significant difference in the lives of those who need it most.

Cassandra Goldie, CEO of the Australian Council of Social Service (ACOSS), has been vocal about the inadequacy of the current increase.

The increase in Centrelink payments is not enough for many Aussies. Image source: Shutterstock.

In an interview, she acknowledged that while every extra dollar helps, it ‘does not get these key payments to the level that will lift people out of poverty'.

ACOSS's research towards the end of last year painted a grim picture of the struggles faced by those relying on Centrelink payments.

'Our cost of living research…showed people relying on these kinds of payments were going without food; they were going without heating and cooling,' Ms Goldie shared.

'We want to see action,' she added.

'We do want the government to go much further with its approach to tackling [the] cost of living [crisis], particularly for people on the very lowest incomes.'

This comes after news that those on the Age Pension, Disability Support Pension, and Carer Payments will receive a much-needed increase in their payments starting from the 20th of September, 2023.

Under this initiative, each single pensioner would see an increase of $32.70 per fortnight, while couples will get an increase of $49.40 ($24.70 each). You can read more about this here.

Adding to these cost of living relief initiatives, around 782,000 people on JobSeeker saw a $40 increase in payment each fortnight, while 222,000 Australians on Youth Allowance and about 64,000 families on Partnered Parenting also saw an increase in payments.

This additional relief is estimated to cost the government $4.7 billion.

While the increase seemed substantial, experts said that the current system still leaves pensioners lagging behind inflation.

National Seniors Australia Chief Advocate Ian Henschke stated: 'More can be done to support older people doing it tough, as recent National Seniors research showed a greater proportion of people with low incomes and those who are renting are suffering from cost-of-living pressures.’

'What we need is additional targeted support for people with limited means.'

'We will continue to fight for a system that improves people's lives.'

Key Takeaways

• Almost one million Centrelink recipients will receive a six per cent increase in their payments.
• ACOSS CEO Cassandra Goldie commented that while every dollar helps, the increase is insufficient to lift people out of poverty.
• Research showed that individuals relying on such payments are foregoing basic needs like food and heating.
• There are calls for the government to take more significant action to address the cost of living for those on the lowest incomes.

What are your thoughts on the Centrelink increase? Do you think it's enough support for those struggling with the rising cost of living? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below.

 

[mitchellowe]

you do not know my curcumstances either or what my last job was
i may have worked for centrelink and heard all the excuses under the sun why some women get drunk or stoned and do not know who the father was
UNDER investigation at least %60 of welfare people are caught out that they live with someone else when claiming
Dao you know of anyone like that because i do.
do you think that it is right to depend on taxpayers to maintain these people who supposedly do not know who the father is
do you think it is right that single parents when you add up their benefits should get paid more than a married couple who both worked for 60 years and get paid less
Some elderly might still have a mortgage especially since this virus was introduced and get no help where as single parents get rent relief ,child maintenence and concessions the same as the elderly
,carers and the disabled and pensioners get lower 6 monthly payment increases lower than any other centrlink recipients
Those on rent relief do not pay council rates either which is thousands of dollars per year
Do u think all the elderly carers and disabled should get treated differently by the govts in power because if you check up how much payments for all centrlink recipients have gone up in the last 4 years you wiill find out its about half as much everyone elses

 

[mylittletibbies]

you do not know my curcumstances either or what my last job was
i may have worked for centrelink and heard all the excuses under the sun why some women get drunk or stoned and do not know who the father was
UNDER investigation at least %60 of welfare people are caught out that they live with someone else when claiming
Dao you know of anyone like that because i do.
do you think that it is right to depend on taxpayers to maintain these people who supposedly do not know who the father is
do you think it is right that single parents when you add up their benefits should get paid more than a married couple who both worked for 60 years and get paid less
Some elderly might still have a mortgage especially since this virus was introduced and get no help where as single parents get rent relief ,child maintenence and concessions the same as the elderly
,carers and the disabled and pensioners get lower 6 monthly payment increases lower than any other centrlink recipients
Those on rent relief do not pay council rates either which is thousands of dollars per year
Do u think all the elderly carers and disabled should get treated differently by the govts in power because if you check up how much payments for all centrlink recipients have gone up in the last 4 years you wiill find out its about half as much everyone elses

Know where you are coming from. I have three step daughters who cheated on the welfare system for most of their young life.
All have 5 children, birth certificates for most of them say father unknown.
They were never single mums always living with some deadbeat, none of them ever paid maintenance because the girls lied saying father unknown, so when that relationship ended they couldn't chase maintenance without getting themselves into trouble.
They would just move onto the next dropkick.
Now that they are older they are all on jobseeker, without ever really making any effort to ever get a job.
Those 15 grandchildren,girls are all supposed single mums and all the boys on Jobseeker and so it goes on and on.
My husband and I have worked hard for years and he is so ashamed of them all,but this is what his ex-wife did so I guess it's a bit of a case of monkey see monkey do.
All of their friends are exactly the same.
I don't think many people have the slightest idea just how many people are doing this.
They were dobbed in on several occasions but nothing ever happened. They are all well versed in how to rort the system.
I do not begrudge genuine single mothers their payment, I needed that payment myself many years ago when my first marriage broke up, for about six months, until I got on my feet.

 

[mitchellowe]

you do not know my curcumstances either or what my last job was
i may have worked for centrelink and heard all the excuses under the sun why some women get drunk or stoned and do not know who the father was
UNDER investigation at least %60 of welfare people are caught out that they live with someone else when claiming
Dao you know of anyone like that because i do.
do you think that it is right to depend on taxpayers to maintain these people who supposedly do not know who the father is
do you think it is right that single parents when you add up their benefits should get paid more than a married couple who both worked for 60 years and get paid less
Some elderly might still have a mortgage especially since this virus was introduced and get no help where as single parents get rent relief ,child maintenence and concessions the same as the elderly
,carers and the disabled and pensioners get lower 6 monthly payment increases lower than any other centrlink recipients
Those on rent relief do not pay council rates either which is thousands of dollars per year
Do u think all the elderly carers and disabled should get treated differently by the govts in power because if you check up how much payments for all centrlink recipients have gone up in the last 4 years you wiill find out its about half as much everyone elses

 

[mitchellowe]

Know where you are coming from. I have three step daughters who cheated on the welfare system for most of their young life.
All have 5 children, birth certificates for most of them say father unknown.
They were never single mums always living with some deadbeat, none of them ever paid maintenance because the girls lied saying father unknown, so when that relationship ended they couldn't chase maintenance without getting themselves into trouble.
They would just move onto the next dropkick.
Now that they are older they are all on jobseeker, without ever really making any effort to ever get a job.
Those 15 grandchildren,girls are all supposed single mums and all the boys on Jobseeker and so it goes on and on.
My husband and I have worked hard for years and he is so ashamed of them all,but this is what his ex-wife did so I guess it's a bit of a case of monkey see monkey do.
All of their friends are exactly the same.
I don't think many people have the slightest idea just how many people are doing this.
They were dobbed in on several occasions but nothing ever happened. They are all well versed in how to rort the system.
I do not begrudge genuine single mothers their payment, I needed that payment myself many years ago when my first marriage broke up, for about six months, until I got on my feet.

i think it is a common occurence nowadays and unfortunately they get treated better than those that deserve better get shafted every time by greedy govt policies
TAX CUTS 3 TIMES BIGGER THAN PENSION INCREASES .AN EXTRA$60 tax free PER FORTNIGHT COMPARED TO PENSIONERS $18.80 per fortnight and politicians an extra $200 tax free per fortnight