Centrelink payments to increase: jobseekers, rental assistance and pensions

Around 5.1 million Australians receiving social assistance will see an increase in their fortnightly social security payments as the Commonwealth Superannuation, JobSeeker and Rental Assistance will increase from 20 September.

The increase in half-yearly indexation will result in an increase in the old-age pension, disability support pension and carer’s payment by $28.10 per fortnight for singles and $42.40 per fortnight for couples.

Commonwealth rental assistance will also be increased by 10 percent: $23 per fortnight for single recipients and $27.02 for families with up to two children.

Payments for single parents will also increase by $19.80 to $1,026.30 per fortnight.

JobSeeker will also increase by $15.30, and recipients who have an assessed partial ability to work between 0 and 14 hours will also move to a higher rate of JobSeeker, which will increase their payments by $71.20 every fortnight.

These changes will come into effect on September 20.

Social Services Minister Amanda Rishworth said the changes would not increase inflation and were necessary to support low-income Australians struggling to meet the cost of living.

“Our changes… particularly to rental assistance, are actually putting downward pressure on inflation,” he said.

‘The widespread impact on rent, had it not been for our Commonwealth Rental Assistance, means that rents would actually have been higher.

‘Further indexation increases are really important to support people, but we’re talking about a small group overall in our economy.’