Yahoo Finance Centrelink cash boost for millions of Aussies but some aren't happy
Payments like the aged pension, disability support, carer, JobSeeker and others will go up on March 20.
Millions of Australians on Centrelink payments will see more money come into their accounts from next week to help with the rising cost of living, however many believe it doesn't come close to giving them relief.
From March 20, single people on the aged pension, disability support pension and the carer payment will get an additional $19.60 every fortnight, taking the maximum amount to $1,116.30 per person.
Couples on those payments will receive $29.40 per fortnight extra and the maximum will be $1,682.80.
These payments are indexed with inflation twice a year - in March and September - to ensure they keep up with the rising cost of living.
But one welfare recipient told Yahoo Finance that it won't even make a dent.
"I don’t look forward to this, as soon as it is higher than $10 the department of housing then reevaluates your rent and the money you receive to help with cost of living and it makes you go back to square one, struggling again," they said.
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Another said living on the disability support pension was like "living in poverty" and that they're "disappointed" in the rate increase.
Australians who receive rent assistance, JobSeeker, single parenting payments or ABSTUDY will also benefit from the March payment increase.
You can find out about other Centrelink increases that came into effect this year - including youth allowance and for carers - here.
Social Services Minister Amanda Rishworth said the government would be increasing the income and assets limits because the “number one priority is addressing inflation and cost-of-living pressures”. The minister said increasing these limits would ensure Centrelink recipients would be able to have more money in their accounts.
“Pension recipients are some of the most vulnerable members of our communities, many having worked all their lives contributing to our society or caring for a loved one," she said.
This comes at a time the welfare agency faces significant criticism over extremely long hold times, with this Australian telling Yahoo Finance how they resulted in her payments ended up getting cut off.
Single parents, Jobseekers and ABSTUDY payment increases
The single parenting payment will increase by $17.50 per fortnight, while single people with no children on JobSeeker will have an additional $13.50 per fortnight. Those over the age of 22 who are receiving ABSTUDY payments will also get $13.50 more.
The government has also changed the eligibility criteria for parents seeking welfare payments. The last budget revealed mums and dads would receive benefits for children up to the age of 14 instead of eight. This will add 77,000 parents to the system.
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The Australian Council of Social Services (ACOSS) has been calling on the Labor government to do more when increasing welfare payments.
When Youth Allowance and Austudy were adjusted for inflation at the beginning of the year, ACOSS said they were “grossly inadequate”.
CEO Cassandra Goldie said: “The soaring cost of rent and other essentials is pushing people relying on JobSeeker, Youth Allowance and other income support payments deeper into poverty.
“The routine indexation of payments barely scratches the sides of what people living below the poverty line desperately need.
“These payments were already too low for people to afford the bare essentials of life before the cost of food, rent, medicines and energy began to soar, and they will be completely inadequate after indexation.”
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