Billions of dollars worth of cost of living measures will come into effect this September to help Australians struggling with their finances.
Several measures put into place by the federal government will come into force later this month, in what is likely to be welcome news for millions of Australians.
Income support payments are receiving a boost, with the JobSeeker, Youth Allowance and partnered parenting rates rising by $40 a fortnight.
Around 782,000 Australians receive the vital JobSeeker payment and around 222,000 are on Youth Allowance, while 64,000 families get the partnered parenting payment.
Changes to single parenting payments are also due to come into force, with the sole parenting payment now available for single parents with children aged up to 14.
This will deliver an extra $176.90 to around 57,000 families across the country.
Previously, the payments were cut off after a single parent’s youngest child turned eight, but this was raised earlier in the year after being championed by several Labor ministers.
The maximum rate for Commonwealth rent assistance will also be raised by 15 per cent, which will assist over 1.1 million Australian households that access the payment.
It is the highest increase the payment has seen in over 30 years.
Australians with chronic health conditions will also be able to access 60-day dispensations for some medications, in a policy which came into force on September 1.
(SKY NEWS)
