This month, five million Australians will receive increases in their welfare payments, while others will realize cost savings due to the expansion of Australia’s 60 day prescription program. The age pension and JobSeeker will both rise in accordance with indexation as part of the welfare payments. The government claims that this will promptly alleviate the expense of living. However, the Australian Council of Social Service (ACOSS), the country’s leading welfare organization, claims that many benefits still have insufficient rates even with the indexation hikes.
Centrelink Payment Increase 2024: Payment For Jobseeker
An increase of $15.30 per fortnight will be given to single adults over 22 who are childless, making their allowance grow to $778 per fortnight. In the meanwhile, the partnering cost will increase by $14 every two weeks, for a total of $712.30 per person, or $1424.60, every two weeks.
Centrelink Payment Increase 2024: Age Pension
The maximum rate will rise to $1,114.40 per fortnight for singles, or $28.10 per fortnight. A fortnightly rise of $21,20 will be given to couples. As a result, they will get a total of $1,725.20, or $862.60 per fortnight. Carer payments and the disability assistance pension will also see a rise of the same magnitude.
Centrelink Payment Increase 2024: Rent Assistance
The federal budget disclosed a ten percent increase in rent support, which will take effect concurrently with indexation. For single adults without children, the highest value rent assistance payment will increase to $211.20 every two weeks by a total of $23. The overall fortnightly payment for couples without children will be $199, with an increase of $21.80 each fortnight.
In addition to the $27.02 fortnightly increase, single parents including couples with up to two children would now receive $248.22 per fortnight in total payout. The figure comes to $248.22 per fortnight when you include the additional $30.52 that single parents and couples with a minimum of three kids receive each fortnight.
Centrelink Payment Increase 2024: Parenting Payment
The base rate for singles below the age pension age (67) will increase to $978.60 every two weeks, an increase of $19.20 per two weeks. Additionally, following a $14 fortnightly increase, the base rate for coupled parents under this age would rise to $712.30 per fortnight.
Centrelink Payment Increase 2024: New Medication Scheme
About 300 drugs are currently listed, with more drugs becoming available on the 60 day prescription plan. The most recent set, which was unveiled on September 1st, consists of medications for glaucoma, dry eyes, obstructive lung disease, depression, anxiety, asthma, constipation, acne, and gastro-oesophageal reflux illness. Launched in September 2023, the 60 day prescription program enables individuals to obtain two months’ worth of subsidized medications with a single prescription.
