Welfare increase for age pensioners, disability support pensioners and ­people on carer payment

At least a million Queenslanders, including pensioners and carers, are set to receive the largest boost to their welfare payments in decades later this month amid skyrocketing inflation, the government has announced. See who’s set to benefit.

At least a million Queenslanders, including pensioners and carers, are set to receive the largest boost to their welfare payments in decades later this month amid skyrocketing inflation, the government has announced.

Age pensioners, disability support pensioners and ­people who are on the carer payment can expect a rise of $38.90 a fortnight for singles, and $58.80 for couples from September.

The boost – of almost 4 per cent – is the largest for allowances and pensions in 30 years and 12 years, respectively.

The increase, as part of the six-monthly standard indexation, comes amid skyrocketing cost-of-living costs, with the consumer price index increasing by a staggering 6.1 per cent in the year to the June quarter.

Combined with the boost to the basic age ­pension by $20.20 at the last indexation, the upcoming bump represents an increase in line with ­inflation.

Allowances, including JobSeeker, parenting payment, ABSTUDY and Rent Assistance will also increase.

There were 205,000 Queenslanders on JobSeeker as of the latest data, and those single without children can expect a $25.70 a fortnight boost, including the energy supplement, while the 60,477 Queenslanders on the single parent payment will get a boost of $35.20 per fortnight.

Age pensioners, disability support pensioners and ­people who are on the carer payment can expect a rise. (Photo by William WEST / AFP)

“We want to ensure Australia has a strong social security safety net to protect our most disadvantaged,” Social Services Minister Amanda Rishworth said.

The increases come after the federal government, at the recent Jobs and Skills Summit, announced those on age pensions and veteran pensions will be allowed to earn more money working without their payments being affected.

The government has since confirmed this change includes disability pensioners who are 66 years of age or up – meaning they would be old enough for the age pension.

Under the changes, eligible pensioners would receive a one-off income credit to earn an extra $4000 in this financial year without losing their benefits.

There were more than 513,000 age pensioners in Queensland, according to the latest Services Australia data.

“When we’ve got a tight labour market, we have an opportunity here to make sure that people can access the labour market who have been locked out for years. That includes people with disability,” Skills and Training Minister Brendan O’Connor said on Sunday.

Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk, during the Jobs Summit, signalled she wanted retired nurses to be allowed to work full-time while earning a pension.

“In regional Queensland, healthcare is a really big issue, trying to attract our nurses and doctors to go out to more rural and regional areas,” she said.

“We could have an extra 2000 healthcare professionals across Queensland tomorrow,” she said.