Thousands of eligible Aussies to receive cost-of-living payments
Around 210,000 eligible South Australian households will receive a cost-of-living payment this week, including pensioners, Centrelink recipients and low-income earners.
A Cost of Living Concession of $255.60 will be paid to all eligible households, with the annual payments made to eligible tenants and self-funded retirees doubled to match the amount given to homeowners.
The payment is part of the state government's $266.2 million cost-of-living relief package announced in this year's state budget.
This included the one-off additional payment of $243.90 to households who received last year's cost-of-living payment in June.
South Australia's Premier Peter Malinsauskas said the government had delivered the “single largest cost-of-living assistance package in South Australia’s history”.
“We know people are doing it tough and cost-of-living pressures are continuing to have an impact on many South Australians,” he said.
“In the past two months, our government will have issued more than $100 million in targeted cost-of-living relief to South Australian households.”
Pensioners and other card holders including, the Pensioner Concession Card, Veteran Gold Card, Low Income Health Care Card and Commonwealth Seniors Health Card, as well as low-income households and those receiving Centrelink payments including JobSeeker, the Parenting Payment and Youth Allowance, are eligible to receive the SA Cost Of Living Concession.
Those who want to receive the concession for that financial year will need to apply online by December 31 and only one person per household can receive the payment and it will be based on your circumstances on July 1.
Those who have previously received the payment and whose circumstances haven't changed don't need to reapply.
The payments started rolling out this month, with Human Services Minister Nat Cook saying that all payments should come through by early next week.
“This includes everyone who received a payment last year and who is still eligible, as well as new applications which have been processed up to now,” Cook said.
"Anyone who thinks they might be eligible for cost-of-living support should head to the sa.gov.au website to have a look at the eligibility criteria."
Other states have also provided cost-of-living support, with eligible seniors in Western Australia able to receive a Cost of Living Rebate of $107.12 for singles and $160.68 for couples.
While in the ACT, apprentices and tradies in the state can get a one-off $250 Cost Of Living payment if they are employed by an ACT employer.
NSW has a few cost-of-living initiatives including up to $350 energy rebates for eligible households, and up to $4,220 early childhood fee relief for 3 to 5-year-olds attending eligible community and mobile preschools.
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