JobSeeker will reportedly be increased for those over the age of 55, according to media reports that have circulated ahead of the federal budget.
On Monday night, 7 News reported that the budget, due next week, would include a boost in payments to older JobSeeker recipients above the age of 55. There are about 227,000 people in this group, with the majority being women. As yet, there has been official confirmation by the government.
As we have noted previously at Women’s Agenda, women over the age of 55 are among the most financially vulnerable people in Australia, and make up the fastest growing group of people experiencing homelessness.
There has been some swift backlash to reports that the government is looking to boost payments for older Australians, potentially leaving out younger people living on JobSeeker or Youth Allowance, which is the payment for young people aged 16 to 21 looking for work.
Advocacy group The Antipoverty Centre has criticised the idea that only those over the age of 55 will receive help.
“684,360 people who rely on an unemployment payment are under 55,” the Antipoverty Centre said in a statement.
“Rent is not cheaper for people under 55. Groceries are not cheaper for people under 55. Electricity, phone bill, fuel, clothes – none of the essentials cost us less based on age.”
Federal Treasurer Jim Chalmers told the ABC’s RN program that there was already an existing distinction in terms of age when it comes to unemployment payments.
“Without pre-empting what may or may not be in the budget in a week’s time…the JobSeeker payment already makes a distinction between workers closer to the age pension, older worker, it already pays a different rate at the moment for people over 60 and that’s in recognition that it’s harder to find a new job at that end of your working life,” Chalmers told RN on Tuesday.
“The group that is most likely to be long-term unemployed are people over 55. That group is dominated by women, the most vulnerable part of the unemployed population in Australia is women over 55.
“No government can satisfy all of the calls for more spending in the budget, even from people and groups whose views we respect.”
The reports come after an open letter to Prime Minister Anthony Albanese circulated last week, urging the government to increase support to those on Job Seeker. The letter, which was signed by a handful of Labor MPs, said it is impossible to live with dignity on JobSeeker, which amounts to about $50 a day.
The open letter highlighted that recent figures from ACOSS suggest 7 in 10 people on income support are eating less, or reporting difficulty accessing medicine and care.
The federal budget is due to be handed down next week, on Tuesday, May 9.