Millions of Aussies to get cash boost

Millions of Australians will see their Centrelink payments increase this week, as an indexation increase to match cost of living pressure kicks in.

The payment increase is set to be the biggest in 30 years, and will benefit aged pensioners, disability support pensioners, carer payments and those on Jobseeker and Rent Assistance, among others.

The payment increase, which was announced earlier this month, will see the Aged Pension rise to $1025.50 for singles and $1547.60 for couples, while Jobseeker payments will rise to $677.20.

The increases are a result of a twice-yearly recalibration to ensure social welfare payments remain in-line with the Consumer Price Index.

Single parents will receive an extra $35.20, taking their total payment to $927.40, while Jobseeker recipients who are over 22 and without children will get an extra $25.70 per fortnight, taking their total payment to $677.

At the time, Treasurer Jim Chalmers said “this indexation will be particularly big this month, because inflation is particularly challenging.”

But Shadow Social Services Minister Michael Sukkar said the government’s attempts to take credit for the increase was laughable.

In a Twitter post from earlier in the month, Mr Sukkar wrote “Labor trying to claim credit for the automatic indexation of payments is laughable.”