More than one million recipients of youth, student and carer support will have their payments increased as part of a regular indexation in January but advocates say the high cost of living, including soaring rent, far outpaces the extra money. Source: The Guardian.
The rate increases are automatically linked to price changes in the consumer price index, with youth allowance, Austudy, youth disability support pension and carer allowance all going up.
From January 1 single recipients on youth allowance who are over 18 years old and living at home will have their payment increase $17.30 a fortnight, from $459.80 to $477.10. Those living away from home will receive $670.30 instead of $646.
Austudy payments will increase between $24.30 and $26.30 to up to $845.80, so recipients with no dependent children will receive $670.30 a fortnight, while those with children will get $845.80.
More than 660,000 people on carer allowance will see an extra $5.80 in their fortnightly payment, increasing it to $159.30 a fortnight.
And single recipients of youth allowance with children will have their payment increase by $30.60 to a maximum rate of $845.80 a fortnight, including the energy supplement.
But anti-poverty activists have said it will do little to help people living below the poverty line, calling for the Government to bring payments above the Henderson poverty line of $612.10 a week for a single person.
Those on JobSeeker, the age pension and disability support pension will not receive an increase because it is indexed twice a year in March and September.
Social Services Minister Amanda Rishworth said the Albanese Government remained deeply committed to helping Australians manage the cost-of-living pressures and assisting them with a strong social security safety net when they need it.
Antipoverty Centre spokesperson Jay Coonan said those on welfare payments were struggling so much the indexation would do little to alleviate the pressures the cost-of-living and housing crises were putting on people with lower incomes.
FULL STORY
Welfare payments to increase for 1 million Australians but advocates say it’s not enough (By Cait Kelly, The Guardian)
