ACOSS urges government to increase JobSeeker rate in line with aged pension payments

The federal government is being urged to use the next budget to raise the JobSeeker rate by $26 a day to help people afford “the basic essentials of life”. The call comes as new report from the Australian Council of Social Service shows the current JobKeeper payments are “woefully low” with recipients choosing which of the 23 basic essentials in life to do without. These include skipping meals, paying for clothes or basic medical treatments. According to the report, Aussies on Jobseeker are 14 times more likely to lack a substantial meal at least once a day; almost nine times more likely to lack a mobile phone or a motor vehicle, and eight times more likely to lack access to the internet at home or a washing machine. ACOSS chief executive Cassandra Goldie said the current Jobseeker and Youth Allowance payments were so “woefully low that people can’t afford the basic essentials of life”. “People receiving income support are experiencing multiple material deprivation at rates that far exceed the general population,” she said. Ms Goldie has urged the government to raise JobSeeker payments in line with the current pension. Jobseeker recipients currently receive $56 a day, while the aged pension rate is $82 per day. “In its upcoming budget, the federal government must raise income support payments to liveable levels, fix employment services, boost social housing and enact a jobs, services and training plan to reduce long-term unemployment,” she said. “These policies will go a long way to reducing poverty and material deprivation across Australia.” One example is Lake Macquarie resident Melika who has put off essential medical appointments for more than a year as she “simply can’t afford them.” “I need these tests due to the toll poverty has taken on my health. Medicare doesn’t cover the costs and without support, I have no way to access the care I need,” Melika said. “Living in social housing has brought new challenges … I can’t afford to stay connected with friends and I ignore my electricity bills. “This isn’t just financial deprivation, it’s an ongoing struggle that affects every part of my life.” The Jobseeker payment is financial help from the government. Aussies can qualify for the payment if they are over 22, haven’t reached pension age and are looking for work. In September, Jobseeker rates for singles over the age of 22 with no children increases by $15.30 to a total of $778 per fortnight. Meanwhile, the partnered rate rose by $14 a fortnight totalling $712.30 each per fortnight, or $1424.60 combined. Around five million Australians receive some sort of income support, although the share of the population receiving payments fell from 24.6 per cent to 23.4 per cent between 2018 and 2023.