Covering the cost of weekly necessities leaves Australians behind on Job Seeker and other benefits, leaving little to pay bills or other incidental costs.
An unemployed single person living in a shared house would have just $127 in income each week after paying for the three main weekly expenses: rent, transportation and food.
The latest edition of Anglicare Australia’s cost of living index, published on Thursday, also shows a single-parent household on parental benefits is left with just $24 after covering basic living costs.
Anglicare’s analysis of the index does not take into account quarterly or monthly expenses, meaning any remaining income would be needed to cover utility and internet bills, as well as incidental expenses for repairs and the like.
“It has never been harder to live on Jobseeker and other Centrelink payments, with the cost of living rising and rents higher than ever,” Anglicare Australia executive director Kasy Chambers said.
A cost of living index shows that benefit recipients barely have enough money to cover basic expenses
Community and welfare groups such as Anglicare have long called for a substantial increase in Jobseeker and Youth Allowance to lift people out of poverty, as has a government advisory committee.
Despite one-off increases in the basic amount of payments in 2021 and 2023, income support for job seekers and some other groups remains low, leaving people vulnerable to post-pandemic inflationary pressures.
Food and gasoline prices remain high, while rental costs remain high and rising as demand for housing exceeds supply and vacancy rates remain low.
“People are being forced to skip meals, avoid medical care and cram their families into crowded homes,” Ms Chambers said.
A single person who is unemployed and living in a shared house would have just $127 in income each week, after covering three major weekly expenses: rent, transportation and food.
The latest edition of the cost of living index shows that a family of four with two adults without work in a three-bedroom rental property would not be able to meet basic needs on their income, spending an additional $17 per week should try to find.
All calculations include the highest Commonwealth rental assistance rates for which households may be eligible and which were increased in the latest federal budget.
Ms Chambers said the Government should increase the rate of payments.
“Without action, people will be pushed deeper into hardship, poverty and homelessness.”
