As the cost of living continues to soar, millions of Australians who rely on Centrelink payments are facing an uphill battle to make ends meet.

A recent announcement may see a boost in payments, yet many recipients think that this is not enough to get by.

Starting Friday, 20 September, regular indexation will see a payment increase for over five million Aussies, including those receiving JobSeeker and the Age Pension payouts.

Single Age Pension recipients should receive an additional $28.10 for single recipients or $42.40 for couples per fortnight.

This increase could bring total payments up to $1,047.10 for singles and $1,725.20 in total for couples.

Parenting Payment Single base will go up by $19.80 per fortnight, while the Parenting Payment Couple will increase by $14.

According to the government, this increase could provide 'timely cost-of-living relief'.

The increase in payments aimed to alleviate cost-of-living concerns among Australians. Image Credit: Shutterstock/Nils Versemann

However, the Australian Council of Social Service (ACOSS) and numerous recipients say otherwise.

'Although the increase per fortnight is certainly appreciated, it is still nowhere near enough to live off in these tough times,' one JobSeeker recipient said.

With rental prices skyrocketing and the general cost of living on the rise, the extra money is seen as a drop in the ocean.

'The Government still doesn't realise how far this money goes when you have rent to pay,' they added.

Another JobSeeker recipient shared her struggle to cover rent, utility bills, and the rising cost of groceries and fuel.

She stated that she could go 'broke' on the same day she received her payment.

According to PropTrack data, the nationwide rent average stayed steady at $600 per week, marking a 9.1 per cent annual increase.

'ACOSS welcomes investment in social security, but the core issue remains: JobSeeker, Youth Allowance, and related payments remain below all measures of adequacy,' ACOSS stated.

The welfare body also called for a raise in pension payments to at least $80 a day to effectively 'cover the basics'.

The organisation also pointed out that less than half of JobSeeker recipients get Rent Assistance.

Despite the upcoming ten per cent increase in Commonwealth Rental Assistance, most will still be in housing stress due to low JobSeeker and Youth Allowance payments.

Social Services Minister Amanda Rishworth stated that the government has been 'firmly committed' to assisting Australians facing cost-of-living challenges.

'Indexation, together with our Budget measures, means maximum rates of Commonwealth Rent Assistance will have increased by around 45 per cent since the Albanese Government was elected,' Minister Rishworth said.

'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.'

Yet, the question remains whether these measures are sufficient to support the vulnerable populations who are struggling to afford necessities.

The increases may be a step in the right direction, but the conversation around social security and the cost of living needs to continue.

Key Takeaways

• Over five million Australians should see an increase in their Centrelink payments from starting 20 September, despite being criticised as insufficient.
• JobSeeker and the Age Pension recipients could receive modest increases for their payments, which do not cover necessities.
• ACOSS declared that the social support payment rates are not enough and called to raise them to at least $80 per day.
• Alongside the payment increases, the maximum rate of Commonwealth Rental Assistance will rise by ten per cent, albeit fewer people only get Rent Assistance.

What do you think of the upcoming payment increase? Are they enough to help you manage your expenses? Share your opinions with us in the comments section below.

 

[BeautifulMousey]

Well I for one am thankful what I do get but thank god for Afterpay, yes you heard it right I get my disability pension and by the time I pay for mortgage car insurance car rego fuel ( and I don't go out rarely) can't afford to then gas electricity and yea it's all broken down to $50 here $50 there if I have enough I'll do SOME shopping but usually I use my Afterpay to buy food or another bill that might come up, a trip to the dentist ATM for me trying to fix teeth after domestic violence years ago now going to cost me around $3000 so another $50 to find , or the car needs a service not that I really drive it much, or the cat who had something happen to her other day came home battered and bruises vet bills through the roof, and before anyone says cant afford it , this one along with 4 other kittens was born behind my shed and abandoned by its mother so I hand raised it that's why I have a cat. Otherwise I wouldn't have a pet too expensive to keep more bills .I would love to study and maybe get a part time job but only allowed to earn $300 a fortnight that would probably only just pay for fuel , public transport nope the busses don't go to where the training is to study, already looked into that and due to injuries from domestic violence years ago walking long distances isn't an option especially with vertigo. And a hip problem, it just seems like when you want to get ahead there's always something that pops up and stops you, don't worry I'm still looking into what I can do to make some extra money, selling the house was an option but I only pay 500 a fortnight so if I did I'd still have to buy somewhere else could never afford to rent again I don't know how people who pay these $600 + weekly rentals even get ahead and especially when they have families, probably why there so much domestic violence these days families struggling under so much pressure just to provide for there family parents working away to try get the big dollars but the partners home alone to deal with everything and yet these guys are still broke due to high rent, high groceries, high electricity, Politicians have no idea they sit back on these high wages they give themselves these huge increases in pay yet they get all the perks free cars no rego free trips special discounts for everything cause they work for the government, ridiculous maybe they should try come back down to earth sometime and see how others really struggle

You mean you might be able to indulge in a lobster claw maybe once a year

 

[Greg Sharp]

For an aged pensioner it’s no where near enough and it will soon be overtaken by continuing rising costs of food, electricity, rent etc.

 

[eiziele]

i am on a carers pension, and im very grateful for what i get, but so many always complain no matter what , some never want to help themselves and only think of the handouts, i always try to help myself i have a small vegetable garden , i try to recycle when i can , i swap, barter, just little things that help

 

[BeautifulMousey]

It shows how out of touch the politicians on both sides are. They will all say this is a generous increase while ignoring that costs are actually going up much higher than the official inflation rate. Meanwhile politicians retire on pensions far beyond what most working people willever see.

Look at Rudd, he gave us a generous rise and I can't think what they called it but said the government couldn't take anything from it. He was sacked within a months and outcasted

 

[mylittletibbies]

The Carer Allowance is currently $153.50 a fortnight. This amount changes on 1 January each year to keep up with the cost of living.

The question was about the Disability Pension which goes up twice a year.
You are correct about the Carer Allowance it does go up once a year but keeping up with the
cost of living is a bit of a joke though, lol.
Still I guess it's better than nothing.

 

[Lelly]

I drop in the ocean is all it is for me. I appreciate that we have a welfare system in this country I really do. I worked for many years to support it. But I am a single pensioner in my 70’s and I rent. The unit I have been renting at has been sold and the only places at a similar price in the town I live are unsafe for a woman my age and on her own to live in. We have a drug and alcohol and crime rate that is high like so many other towns in Australia. I am an ex service woman and have my name down for one of their units but there is a waiting list… so
I have just signed a lease to put a roof over my head for $1020 a fortnight! I have a tiny, tiny bit of savings and the rental assistance is set to go up by ?10% which equals $18. Don’t get me wrong I’m grateful for every cent. But the anxiety and stress is overwhelming the bond alone is $2040 and I don’t have a bond where I am as it was through family. And I know I’m not the only one out there in this situation. I also realise the cost of home ownership. There doesn’t seem to be an answer does there? Accommodation 6 foot under pushing up daisies is even going to cost more than I have!

 

[BeautifulMousey]

i am on a carers pension, and im very grateful for what i get, but so many always complain no matter what , some never want to help themselves and only think of the handouts, i always try to help myself i have a small vegetable garden , i try to recycle when i can , i swap, barter, just little things that help

Not everyone has that chance. I only have a small garden but due to health am not able to do it anymore. My daughter used to help me but she passed in July

 

[June E]

You people never disappoint. As soon as I saw it was pension adjustment time I didn’t need to wait long for the whining to start. It doesn’t matter what the Government does it is never enough. Be happy you actually got an increase. From some of the comments it’s no wonder you can’t manage on the amount of money you receive as you are obviously financial illiterate and can’t even work out why you are getting less than the standard pension

You are very rude to call anyone a Whiner ! A lot of people have good reason to be disappointed with the raise. I suppose we should be grateful that it’s a little more than the cost of bread and milk that it usually is. I guess you are an ex government worker who doesn’t need an age pension. Pity we all are not as smart as you but don’t need to be a smart arse and make people feel small.

 

[Bill Schulz]

Where did you get $730 from unless you are not getting a full pension due to assets eg money in the bank.

See below for what the pension totals to. It's more again if you fet rent assistance.

View attachment 58108

That works out at $1682.80 per couple per fortnight, plus if your getting carer's allowance of $153.50 = $1,836.30 per couple per fortnight. For a single that might be entitled to a Carer's Allowance = $1,269.80. Both, below the poverty line per fortnight. Without Carer's Allowance you are well below the poverty line per fortnight costs. Remember the poverty line is worked out with at least one person working per week.
5 June 2024 — Inclusive of housing costs, the poverty line is $1145.61 per week (or $2,291.22 per fortnight) for a family comprising two adults, one of whom is working, and two dependent ... These families also got a Tax cut from the Government to help with the cost of living. Pensioners did not get a tax cut as they don't earn a wage but still pay the same cost of living.

 

[BeautifulMousey]

No, it is only a drop in the bucket.you have some pensioners who have worked very hard an now have super or other funds to help them. But you have pensioner like me and many,many others who do not have that and struggling from pay to pay to get by. Not easy for any of the pensioners. What rise we get is gone in increasing prices for food, petrol, rent and gas and electricity. We really get nothing. I won't be getting $28 a fortnight as the government is taking 1/4 of that in rent rise. Our rent goes up twice a year as well

 

[mylittletibbies]

i am on a carers pension, and im very grateful for what i get, but so many always complain no matter what , some never want to help themselves and only think of the handouts, i always try to help myself i have a small vegetable garden , i try to recycle when i can , i swap, barter, just little things that help

You are right there are many things you can do to help yourself,.but some people just can't either through disability,
whether physical or mental, lack of education, social isolation.
When current average rents in Perth are $1400/fortnight that takes up the pension plus the rent assistance.
A small vegie garden, while useful, isn't going to help much and you need to have things you can swap or barter. Some people just don't.
Not everybody's situation is the same.
I am lucky I own my home and I don't have to rely solely on the pension.
Other people are not so lucky either through misfortune or many through their own stupidity of not thinking when young to plan for their old age and buy their own home. Spent their money or alcohol, cigs, drugs,gambling whatever.
Nonetheless the situation is still the same and the pension is nowhere near enough for people to survive on.

 

[MAZERATTI]

Yes, it's not enough and does anyone really believe that any opposition parties, give you anymore?
In the old days every home had a good veggie patch and 1 or 2 hens and you would go to the markets for your .
I know of several families who do and some even use either cordial and milk bottles hanging upside down. Beans and Peas do wonders. PVC pipe for Strawberries. Don't forget the spuds and check uTube
The ideas are endless.

Thankyou so much for these great ideas.

 

[lionelsadlier68 @gmail.com]

They promise you everything and give you nothing. It is disgraceful in this day and age that us pensioners get f***all Money. They should be ashamed of themselves. So much for looking after the Aussies first

They have to pay for those nuke submarines so how. Which has painted a big target on Australia.

 

[June E]

I drop in the ocean is all it is for me. I appreciate that we have a welfare system in this country I really do. I worked for many years to support it. But I am a single pensioner in my 70’s and I rent. The unit I have been renting at has been sold and the only places at a similar price in the town I live are unsafe for a woman my age and on her own to live in. We have a drug and alcohol and crime rate that is high like so many other towns in Australia. I am an ex service woman and have my name down for one of their units but there is a waiting list… so
I have just signed a lease to put a roof over my head for $1020 a fortnight! I have a tiny, tiny bit of savings and the rental assistance is set to go up by ?10% which equals $18. Don’t get me wrong I’m grateful for every cent. But the anxiety and stress is overwhelming the bond alone is $2040 and I don’t have a bond where I am as it was through family. And I know I’m not the only one out there in this situation. I also realise the cost of home ownership. There doesn’t seem to be an answer does there? Accommodation 6 foot under pushing up daisies is even going to cost more than I have!

 

[June E]

I feel for you Lelly the Government doesn’t treat its veterans any better than its age pensioners. I’m a war widow, living in private rentals, my lease runs out in January I probably will be offered a new lease but at an increased rent. So I’m stressed now as to if I will be able to afford it. There are no rentals in the area that are affordable and at 77 they don’t want to rent to us anyway no matter how good a tenant you have been. I’m in this area because my family are all here. I know they wouldn’t see me on street but the last thing I want is to give up my independence.

 

[Franno]

Firstly, the government likes to trumpet these increases as something they're "doing" to address cost of living pressures, when in reality it is simply the twice yearly indexed increases. In addition, it is simply another bandaid over a gaping wound and does nothing to address what is causing inflation and the cost of living crisis. They're running out of people (other than themselves) to blame. Economic illiterates.

 

[Cribbagemaster]

SDC, where are you getting these figures from? I am on an Aged Pension, and since April of last year, I have been receiving $1116.30 per fortnight. With an increase of $28.10, that will put the total up to $1144.40 per fortnight for single pensioners, not $1,047.10 as you say. Please explain!

 

[macca4949]

Those in power (pretend) politicians stopped wasting taxpayer dollars by sending billions overseas and put the money back into the country and it's people, we would not be in the position we are in.

 

[erickendall]

You people never disappoint. As soon as I saw it was pension adjustment time I didn’t need to wait long for the whining to start. It doesn’t matter what the Government does it is never enough. Be happy you actually got an increase. From some of the comments it’s no wonder you can’t manage on the amount of money you receive as you are obviously financial illiterate and can’t even work out why you are getting less than the standard pension

Ain't that the truth. Well said.

 

[wendell]

Disability Support Pension or Carer Allowance only goes up once a year in or around Feb. The increase is only a few dollars per year. No were near the true cost of being a carer. I've be getting the carers allowance now for my wife for over 18 yrs and in all that time it has only gone up by about $50 to $60 . This is one allowance that the Government has forgotten about. Some people getting this allowance are not even on any pension and they have to use their own money to cover the cost. This allowance has to increase by at least a $100 per fortnight to make any difference. Right now it is at $153.50 per fortnight.

You lucky you still got your wife ., hate to see you complaining , I lost my husband to COVID caught in hospital I would give back the carer pension any day. To have him here