As of this month, five million Australians will get more money from their welfare payments, and others will save money because Australia’s 60-day prescription scheme is being expanded. As part of the welfare payouts, both the old age pension and JobSeeker will go up by the same amount every year.
The government says this will immediately lower the cost of life. The Australian Council of Social Service (ACOSS), which is the country’s main welfare group, says that even with the rate hikes, many benefits still don’t pay enough.
Centrelink Payment Increase 2024: Payment For Jobseeker
Adults over 22 who are single and don’t have children will get an extra $15.30 every two weeks. This will bring their allowance up to $778 every two weeks. The cost of joining will go up 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
For single people, the highest rate will go up to $1,114.40 per two weeks, which is $28.10 per two weeks. Couples will get an extra $21.20 every two weeks. They will get a total of $1,725.20, which is $862.60 every two weeks. The disability income and payments for caregivers will also go up by the same amount.
Centrelink Payment Increase 2024: Rent Assistance
In the government budget, it was announced that rent support would go up by 10%. This increase will happen at the same time as indexation.
The highest amount of rent help for people who live alone and don’t have children will go up by $23 every two weeks, to $211.20. For couples without children, the total amount every two weeks will be $199, and it will go up by $21.80 every two weeks.
Along with the $27.02 raise every two weeks, single parents and couples with up to two children would now get a total of $248.22 every two weeks. When you add in the extra $30.52 that single parents and couples with at least three kids get every two weeks, the total comes to $248.22 per month.
Centrelink Payment Increase 2024: Parenting Payment
Every two weeks, the base rate for single people under 67 years old will go up to $978.60, which is a rise of $19.20. The base rate for married parents under this age would also go up by $14 every two weeks, bringing it to $712.30 every two weeks.
Centrelink Payment Increase 2024: New Medication Scheme
There are currently about 300 drugs on the list, and more will be added as the 60-day medication plan goes on. The newest set, which came out on September 1, has medicines for glaucoma, dry eyes, obstructive pulmonary disease, sadness, anxiety, asthma, constipation, acne, and gastroesophageal reflux disease.
The 60-day prescription program, which started in September 2023, lets people get two months’ worth of free medicines with just one order.