Anglicare Australia has released the Cost of Living Index, an analysis which compares the incomes against essential living costs such as rent, food, and transport. This edition covers households on income support payments.
The Index shows that:
- A family of four with two parents on payments can’t afford essential expenses, falling short by $386 a week
- A single parent on the Parenting Payment falls behind by $262 a week
- A person on JobSeeker living in a sharehouse falls behind by $69. They could not afford to move out of shared accommodation.
- Housing is the biggest living cost facing households, with average rents rising by more than 50% since 2020. All calculations include the highest rates of Commonwealth Rent Assistance.