Report reveals Centrelink payments ‘too low’ to cover basic living costs

As the cost of living continues to soar, many find it difficult to make ends meet.

This is particularly true for those on Centrelink payments, who are often the most vulnerable members of our community.



A recent report from Anglicare Australia has highlighted the dire situation faced by welfare recipients amid the nation's worst inflationary period since the 1980s, calling for an urgent increase in Centrelink payments to help alleviate the financial strain.

The report painted a grim picture of the reality for households with the lowest incomes.


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Anglicare Australia’s report revealed the welfare recipients’ situation amid the worst inflationary period in the country. Credit: Shutterstock


These individuals and families are spending nearly all of their budgets on essential items, leaving little to no room for discretionary spending.

This means that when prices for necessities such as food, housing, and electricity rise, they are disproportionately affected.

Over the past two years, housing costs have surged by 22 per cent, food and grocery prices by 17 per cent, and electricity costs by a similar margin.

'It has become clear over the past 18 months that many Australians are living too precariously to cope with the shocks brought on by rising living costs,' the report said.



Anglicare Australia's Executive Director, Kasy Chambers, has pointed out welfare recipients borrowing money to cover rent, skipping meals, and forgoing insurance payments to afford the necessities.

'People on low incomes did not create Australia's cost-of-living crisis,' Chambers said.

'They shouldn't be asked to pay a higher price for it. We need a plan to stop the lowest-paid Australians from being pushed deeper into poverty.'

The charity's report called for immediate action from the federal government to raise the rate of all social security payments above the poverty line.

Furthermore, the report advocated for establishing an Independent Social Security Commission.

This body would have the authority to adjust payments as needed rather than relying on the current system, which would have them indexed to the inflation rate.



In a previous story, experts highlighted the complex reality many Centrelink recipients face despite the latest indexation to payments.

They said that a significant number of those on social security were engaged in work that isn’t compensated financially. You can read more about it here.
Key Takeaways

  • Welfare recipients in Australia are struggling amid the rising cost of living, with essential items such as food and housing seeing significant price increases.
  • A report from Anglicare Australia indicated that low-income households are the worst affected by the country's inflationary period since the 1980s.
  • The charity recommended raising Centrelink payments above the poverty line and establishing an Independent Social Security Commission to adjust payments.
  • Anglicare Australia's Executive Director highlighted that welfare recipients are resorting to borrowing money, skipping meals, and forgoing insurance just to afford necessities.
What are your thoughts on the current state of Centrelink payments? Share your experiences and opinions in the comments below.
 
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I know for me with medical conditions I have had to resort to consuming cheaper foods that are exasperating my medical conditions and putting me in far more danger of more complicated medical conditions
 
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I know for me with medical conditions I have had to resort to consuming cheaper foods that are exasperating my medical conditions and putting me in far more danger of more complicated medical conditions
But then I guess its way more important the pollies get there wage rises
 
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Have you thought about moving closer to a town where you can access things more easily and take the pressure off your misery. Just wondering.
LittleBoy8: Why should this person have to sell their home just because they live in the country and not a city.
 
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LittleBoy8: Why should this person have to sell their home just because they live in the country and not a city.
I tell you where the pain is, living in a city or town, no pain living out in the sticks where the air is fresh, there is NO traffic noise or crime, stick your towns up your backside! I have no pain in that sence and if I need to see the doctor I plan ahead.
 
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It's a disastrous situation beyond what you may imagine unless you are in the mix... government knows and will continue to push it for WEF control. Next thing no family in this situation will be able to school the kids . criminal 9 year Olds now emerging .the starve is on .. insurance lmao mine is cancelled all of it I'd rather eat . pension joke one day gone .rent bills car payment .health items scams cons .one day pension gone that leaves 13 days of misery lol thank god in my own way I enjoy my misery only choice but others turned into vultures don't . tyrantical government at our throat middle class still asleep un fuking believable.fuk EWF china NWO.fight these knts or descend into a hell U never would have imagined in your worst night mares
Astral - I could have written that.
The first thing we "let go" was our Priv Health Insur.
It's a joke.
Nothing but a gateway to expose people to GAP fees of the greedy "health" providers.
They know who they are.

We go for walks when we can.
That's our entertainment - just getting out of the house and appreciating the world God gave us, and the immeasurable abundance of nature around us.
Yes the WEF and NWO might prevail - or not.
Both are unelected entities that our foolish "leaders" are recognising.

But God laughs at them in derision.
We trust HIM because we know He has us in the palm of His hand, and none can take us away from Him.

That's our reality, and that removes all of our anxiety.
Though our governments spend billions of our taxes on wastrel projects, fixing and breaking things that are NOT BROKEN (energy) we know our Redeemer lives.
 
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This report is spot on and to those that suggest those on Centrelink payments should get part time work you seem to forget that many of us are on an aged pension and at 70 or 80 years old we are physically incapable of any work part time or not. I urge the government to stop treating pensioners as a burden and inconvenience and help us live out our remaining years with our heads held high
 
I am not against people on pensions but be thankful for what you get because if you were, like me, a self funded retiree with no job, no super, no family, no help and no govt. help you would be even worse off!! I worked for years, was taxed and paid for everyone else's pension but when my turn came was told I was not entitled to anything. How disgusting is that! The lucky country - no - the greedy country would be more like it!
Be thankful you are self-funded.
I wish.
 
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I quite agree and we have had very few holidays in our lifetime as our children needed a lot of healthcare and somewhere to go to school where the teachers understood that they had complex medical issues.
These sorts of comments are splitting the discussion.
Remember the topic.
You are not the only ones with a legit point.
But I will gladly change places with you.

I care for a terminally ill person who has given me the best years of her life - I can't leave her for more than an hour.
A fall would be fatal for her.
Yet Centrelink says that I do not qualify as a carer.
What do we do now?
We pray, and we give thanks.
We have a roof, food, clothing.
We have love.
We have our Lord and Saviour.
This earth is not our home.

Penury is our lot, and the lot of millions of similar people who built the infrastructure of this nation. We'll manage.
"No one left behind."
Remember this when you vote. You are voting for others too - not just yourself.
Read my bio. I had a life too.
 
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LittleBoy8: Why should this person have to sell their home just because they live in the country and not a city.
They said they are renting and it was just a suggestion. Don’t get your knickers in a knot nats🤣And some country towns are lovely and not big at all. Socialisation is very important for peoples mental health as well and sounds like he is miserable living in the sticks. Only he can change his life if he really wants to.😊
 
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I am a 67 year old pensioner working part time to try to keep my head above water.
The pension, I believe, is financed through the tax payments we have paid over a lifetime of working and is therefore tax free. BUT for those who decide to, or need to keep working, we are penalised by having to pay tax on our pension. If, however, you don’t work, you get the full pension. The work bonus is a stupid idea, why not let pensioners earn whatever they are able (and most of us wouldn’t or couldn’t work 40 hours a week) so we are not taking jobs from the younger generation. We would also not need to report every fortnight which would lessen the load of administrative responsibility on Centrelink.
Instead we pay tax on the little extra we earn and tax on the pension as well which makes it impossible to actually move ahead financially.

The whole system needs to change and we, as the people who are the majority, need to stand up and make the politicians accountable. It seems they can, and do, keep us in line thinking we’re too stupid to see or do anything to threaten their elite existence. We need to show some unified strength.

IS IT EVEN LEGAL TO TAX PEOPLE ON THE TAX THEY HAVE PAID IN ORDER TO RECEIVE THE PENSION!!
 
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considering the huge amount of Australian's money that leaves our country to help out other countries, it is laughable, the amount that pensioners, and disabled people have to live on the bread line.

considering the amount that Politicians are paid, most of whom do not deserve this amount, waste on travelling, and expenses, its laughable..

considering that Politicians get a huge payout when they are voted out, or thrown out get when they leave.

considering the huge amount of money Politicians are allocated every year, even when they have a new position that pays huge amounts.

considering the number of homeless people now living on the streets and their cars, who cannot afford the ridiculous rents that are being charged.

Get a grip, you Politicians, I would like to see you, live on what an aged pensioner is paid, for one month, without the benefit of a home, a car, or any other income..
 
Someone said I should move. GREAT IDEA GLOBAL SHOP DIRECT.

Lets examine that somewhat and allow you to think a bit more from your Global Shop Direct box of ideas.

First to move will cost a couple of truckloads.
Second, where could I move too?
Third, how the heck would I be able to afford the increased rental when I can hardly live as it is?
Fourth, a decrease in fuel needed and cost per litre doesn’t in any way compensate for the increased rental - if I could bloody well find one.

I‘ve been looking for over 18 months to get the hell out of here and nothing is available in an area I would consider safe and drug free. Crime in metro areas is a real problem, drug ruled crime is killing people for real.

Yep there is a weirdo camping in the next house. A real hop head. He was caught lighting fence posts just for fun. For us it was very serious.

Most City folk live seemingly inside their big tv screens, a world so remote from reality that the reality shows are their lives.

Get a grip, where can I get a rental? Costing me same or less?

stupid response
 
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The Government should be held accountable. They wasted $450 million on a stupid referendum. And then let all these so called illegal out murderers and all. which we kept and housed for many years plus bringing in more than should have been and house and pay for them as most of them won't work and never will. All the While The Treasurer Charmer says we have to tighten our belts can't get any tighter. That's great coming from someone who getting paid an extraordinary amount to say this. Labor the workers friend what c--p.
Agreed! Now in SA our government is wasting money on its version of the voice where less than 10% of the Aboriginal population bothered to vote! Cancel the damn thing. Only the activists who are already getting money want to be involved. Honestly when is someone going to stand up and tell these people that sand dunes, for instance, cannot be sacred as they move over time. The wind blows the sand away and the dune changes shape and position. Sacred my eye! So someone put up a fence. Big deal. They did not destroy rock art. Now they want to waste another $150million to move the new desalination plant because of some rocks positioned 250 years ago to help catch fish. Would they care to pay for that? No! It’s the poor old taxpayer again.
The Government should be held accountable. They wasted $450 million on a stupid referendum. And then let all these so called illegal out murderers and all. which we kept and housed for many years plus bringing in more people than should have been. and house and pay for them as most of them won't work and never will. All the While The Treasurer Charmer says we have to tighten our belts can't get any tighter. That's great coming from someone who getting paid an extraordinary amount to say this. Labor the workers friend what c--p.
 
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Agreed! Now in SA our government is wasting money on its version of the voice where less than 10% of the Aboriginal population bothered to vote! Cancel the damn thing. Only the activists who are already getting money want to be involved. Honestly when is someone going to stand up and tell these people that sand dunes, for instance, cannot be sacred as they move over time. The wind blows the sand away and the dune changes shape and position. Sacred my eye! So someone put up a fence. Big deal. They did not destroy rock art. Now they want to waste another $150million to move the new desalination plant because of some rocks positioned 250 years ago to help catch fish. Would they care to pay for that? No! It’s the poor old taxpayer again.
I don’t care what policies the countries of these non citizens who mostly have horrendous criminal records have. They are criminals and came here illegally. Why should we have to have them in our communities and pay for them to live as well as giving them cash and air tickets? They should be deported. The lot of them. They have only come here because they know our legal system is so rigged toward the criminal that they will not get sent home where they will face the consequences of their own actions. So they should. Our current government is so weak that these people are having a ball and most it seems are not even monitored. They will rape, steal and murder again as that is their nature. We will get the consequences of their freedom.
 
The government does not care about pensioners they retire from parliment well before the pension age on $300,000 plus ie dan andrews and they take on high paying other jobs while old age pensioners struggle to survive all they care about is having their snouts in the money trough and nothing else
 
Someone said I should move. GREAT IDEA GLOBAL SHOP DIRECT.

Lets examine that somewhat and allow you to think a bit more from your Global Shop Direct box of ideas.

First to move will cost a couple of truckloads.
Second, where could I move too?
Third, how the heck would I be able to afford the increased rental when I can hardly live as it is?
Fourth, a decrease in fuel needed and cost per litre doesn’t in any way compensate for the increased rental - if I could bloody well find one.

I‘ve been looking for over 18 months to get the hell out of here and nothing is available in an area I would consider safe and drug free. Crime in metro areas is a real problem, drug ruled crime is killing people for real.

Yep there is a weirdo camping in the next house. A real hop head. He was caught lighting fence posts just for fun. For us it was very serious.

Most City folk live seemingly inside their big tv screens, a world so remote from reality that the reality shows are their lives.

Get a grip, where can I get a rental? Costing me same or less?

stupid response
If your talking about me it was a suggestion I didn’t say you should move.😊such an angry old man. Jeez. Take a chill pill matey.😊
 
they're ok I suppose as long as you confine 'yourself to baracks'and dont smoke drink eat or drive a car,dont buy daily papers and other luxuries not really needed by old people....we must not be selfish
 

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