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4.7 million Aussies get Centrelink cash boost

Aussies on Jobseeker and the Age Pension, among others, will see payments increase.

The Centrelink logo on the exterior of a building and Australian cash.
Centrelink recipients will get a cash boost from today. (Source: Getty)

Around 4.7 million Aussies will see their Centrelink payments rise from today, as part of the government's regular indexation.

The twice-yearly indexation is made to ensure welfare payments keep pace with the rising cost of living.

Aussies receiving the Age Pension, Disability Support Pension and Carer Payment can expect an increase of $37.50 a fortnight for singles and $56.40 a fortnight for couples (or $28.20 each).

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The maximum fortnightly pension rate will increase to $1,064 for singles and $1,604 for couples, including the Pension Supplement and Energy Supplement.

Aussies receiving JobSeeker and ABSTUDY payments will also get a boost. Singles aged over 22 with no children will get an increase of $24.70 a fortnight. Couples will receive an increase of $22.50 each a fortnight.

The rate will increase to $701.90 per fortnight for singles and $639.10 for couples, including the Energy Supplement.

Single parents receiving the Parenting Payment will also receive an extra $33.90 a fortnight, with the rate increasing to $967.90 including the Pension Supplement, Pharmaceutical Allowance and Energy Supplement.

Commonwealth Rent Assistance for singles will increase $5.60 to $157.20 per fortnight.

Maximum rates for recipients with one or two children will rise $6.58 to $184.94 per fortnight. Rates for recipients with three or more children will increase $7.42 to $208.74 per fortnight.

Minister for Social Services Amanda Rishworth said the government knew Aussies were feeling the pinch.

“Indexation is a pillar of our social security system and we want more money in the pockets of everyday Australians so they can better afford essentials,” Rishworth said.

“The increase is an important part of the system and helps those doing it toughest.”

Not everyone happy with the increase

The Australian Unemployed Workers’ Union (AUWU) said the increase was “insignificant” and criticised the government for boasting about the indexation.

“This is regularly scheduled indexation, it’s baked into the social security law,” AUWU spokesman Jeremy Heywood told Yahoo Finance earlier this month.

“We feel like governments are putting focus on it to mask their refusal to raise the rate or meaningfully deal with the poverty crisis that is occurring.”

The AUWU is calling for an immediate increase to all income support payments to the Henderson Poverty Line, which would bring people up to roughly $88 per day.

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