As someone on a Centrelink payment I am basically living on peanuts

Poor pension people the money doesn't really help them 😕

I feel for the people on the benefits, it's not a easy life for them

If only pensioners could have the same payrise that politicians give themselves. 😏

The governments only want to know you, when they are taking taxes from you. They consider you a liability for getting old, and don’t like giving back. I am almost at this point of my life and am not looking forward to dealing with the deadbeats within the welfare system. Will just have to go with it.

Government benefits are great and a nice benefits as people who apply for them because they need the help and it's great that Government has these benefits and people can apply that wonderful I think

Stephen, if you are paying $7.00 for a bottle of milk, then you are paying too much. I pay $1.50.

The current increase makes no difference. Prices goes up as well regardless! It depends on how you live your life. What is your priorities? We all have to make sacrifices towards things but never ever on basic necessities. That's a right for all.

I'm self funded and receive nothing but those on welfare always seem to be better off than me. They can always buy takeaway or eat out. Cafes and restaurants are always full at lunchtime with women with babies, and as no-one can afford to live on one income working women have their children in childcare so it can only be welfare recipients who are out and about.

The current cost of Living is becoming overwhelming. I'm on the age pension and don't expect too much but would like to think I could at least survive...and maybe I could if I didn't have a car or didn't want to have contact with my kids or grandkids and didn't care about any quality of life...I'm finding it hard...and I accept that I have made mistakes and not been as frugal as some would expect me to be..but what really gets me going is on pension day I go into my supermarket to buy stuff that I need to "live"...a kilo of tomatoes is $5.99 one week and a fortnight later is $12.90...how can that be justified..oh it's the cost of transport...it's fuel prices..it's the war in Ukraine..it's all BS.. it's not just one product.and it's not just supermarkets....Business generally rave about how they love us..relate to us..have the same values as us..everything they do is for us..customer service is all about us...BS...it's about the bottom line. Attitude by business has changed my attitude to everything. I trust less..I have become a lessor person in my own estimation...I once loved and appreciated and respected naturally...I do that much less now ...God help us all! Society is in a sad way. Bring back the old days where respect and appreciation and just common decency was genuinely the norm. Maybe I'll regret this comment but ...hey I'm a nice guy..I love people..I try and love life..but I am so over the BS ..the manipulation..the dishonesty..the disrespect..the contempt..

My day to day expenses are easily covered by Age Pension. However things like car rego car maintenance and car insurance has to come out of my Super which I hope sees me through.

In reality, when people or companies know that you receive more money they will ask for more money. So on both ends of your budget the price rises.

It didn’t make any difference as we still have a mortgage on a pension, money does not go far enough.

Its a hand out and it was never meant to be a life time committment . Pound the pavement ,knock on doors ,volunteer,there should be places where you turn up for a days stamp towards food like it was during the war and contacts like this may bring wealth to those that try for a job prospect .There is always something that someone can do like willing and able got along.Why worry about the amount only you can change it .

They gave out thousands of dollars during Covid, but have now slashed benefits to the bone here in AZ. Thankfully, I do not have to depend on them, but anything received is better than nothing.

At a $1.77 per day, one can at least buy a bottle of milk every four days.

we do ok we are in a big circle of people that help each other, I know we are lucky we live day by day but if a big expense came along we would be in trouble,

Welfare should only be a short term measure to address immediate needs. Not a long term “career” alternative for people who won’t work despite vacancies across all fields in New Zealand. It is absolutely ridiculous that able bodied, unencumbered people in this country can be paid a benefit while employers across the board are crying out for staff. Yes employers also have to be flexible re childcare etc but overall there are far too many New Zealanders who simply won’t work because they know they can get away with it. That is not good for either the country or unemployed individuals and certainly a terrible role model for children.

Without brnigits it's hard to buy food

March 20, I was expecting an increase in my pension. What happened? I didn't get it. What gives? Was the wrong date given?

I live in second-hand clothes and eat poorly. I'm behind with my utility bills and my house is falling down. Things are getting worse... they were skyway bad before

LUCKILY I'M ON DSP, BUT AS TO PRICE INFLATION, IT'S DISGUSTING OR RUDE. PUTIN IS VERY MUCH TO BLAME HERE.

The growing welfare state is a growing disaster. Simplistically is more and bigger government means means greater expense and lower standard of living. so you give them eg. $5 in tax and you might get $1 back in services after all the hangers on get their cut.

I have to delve into my Super to make ends meet, but its going down rapidly and I wonder how much longer I will have any.

The lowest benefits are to the Aged who probably deserve it more because they have paid their taxes all their lives and Superannuation wasn't a given during their working lives. However, they are the list on the list to be looked after. The only way the elderly can cope is to wear more clothing during winter so they don't need to use their heaters and go to s supermarket during summer to stay cool. I never thought I would end up like this after 50m years of working hard and paying taxes, but there is no union to protect the elderly, is there?

Benefits should meet the minimum of what is required to live at the least.

Most people who receive benefits also get help with food

I am a pensioner, say no more

Its not getting Better. We know rich are getting richer and the poor are getting more poorer. I work part time 20 hours get the same money if i was unemployed payments each week. I question why work. Someone i meet said government owns me being divorced is unemployed and get more them me working.

With the way prices are raising It is possible more and more families will be applying for benefits. I only hope that they are given only to those who really need them and not those who are looking for a free ride

I have been self employed for over 30 years. I worked between 100 and 120 hours per week, until my heart attack at 40 years old. I reduced my work to between 60 and 80 hours per week. I had huge insurance costs and half my money was taken by the government as tax not including the gst. I dont smoke, dont gamble and rarely ever drink. I never waste money on junk food or things I dont need. I pay full price for dental and medical treatments, which i cant afford at the best of times. I am now 59, semi retired with destroyed shoulders, and currently unable to work until my shoulders heal. I have a small superannuation account that i cant access as yet, and not elligible for the age pension because i own my home. When i sit on my porch enjoying a coffee and look down the hill at the goverment housing development, I see 3 late model BMW's, 2 late model Mercedes, a HSV Commodore and plenty of SUV's etc parked in the driveways. These individuals are home most days when not at the club playing the pokies, drinking and smoking in their sun chairs. I look at my 16 year old work van that is also my transport, no A/C and rust spots surviving on about $150 to $300 per week taken from my personal savings and wonder if all my hard work was actually worth it. Regardless of that, I have self respect and have a personal satisfaction of my achievements. A raise in benefits makes no difference in my world. My personal oppinion is that benefits should be only for those who absolutely require it which should include other benefits based on individual needs. If you are able to work, then you should. Be an assett and not a financial drain.

It must be basic survival on govt;benefits .It will make those without work be prepared to do any type of work .

I can’t afford much thinking on that. My only thought is that there are countries where many people have to live in real poverty. Coping? Struggling.

Welfare benefits are very generous, considering compulsory super has been in existence for so many years. Maybe people need lessons in taking local holidays, not interstate or overseas, shopping at butchers and green grocers rather than supermarkets

Government benefits, what are they? Never had them and probably never will. No baby bonus's for us, or first home buyers grant, or anything else for that matter. It was only during the Covid lockdown when the PM stopped companies paying dividends that we got a health card. Sorry but I saved all my working life for my retirement so I'm not really interested in who gets what now.

We had a 1 bedroom flat which we bought as an investment. Over 10 years after we retired we found that we were worse off keeping it due to all the increased costs applied by the body corporate and the Government said we were too rich in assets to have any Government benefits. We have now been allowed the $24.78/fortnight by the Government. Not sure if that was an advantage but much less angst doing our Income Tax these days

It doesn't seem fair to those who desperately need a helping hand and I think it should be more.I don't receive any benefits but who knows,one day I may be in this position where I have no choice but to go on a benefit.Whoever is paying $7 for their milk is clearly getting ripped off.

I guess the Government looks at these benefits only on the large scale (not on the small scale and how it helps one person), so then the amount they are paying out in extra each day, mathematically with the amount that comes back to them with GST and cups of coffee bought, verse mathematelically with raising interests rates and deflation, versus the amount less coffee that might be bought, per year. So for starters it doesn't help at all. Is that really 24.78 per fortnight, it certainly must make a difference.

What rise in gov't benefits?

People are coping and adjusting to the situation. The responsible governments must take this matter seriously and address it

It;s is appalling and needs to be looked at by someone other then a bunch of idiot politicians and real cost of living is included.

$7 for milk, you must be joking 😃

It’s very difficult especially when you have power bills, rent etc. I like many others will be eating 2 minute noodles for the foreseeable future.

if they would freeze prices, goods andservices maybe we could manage.

It does not matter how much the government give or raise the dole, inflation will always exist because governments overspend on rubbish, such as the war in Afghanistan, subs their wages etc. Only governments cause inflation and can therefore stop inflation to boot.

We are on Age Pension, we are struggling as we are still paying a mortgage, and with interest rates rising, power rising and all the other essentials that need to be paid, we have nothing left for unnecessary things.

People are barely coping and I think the government should do more. Will politicians agree to a pay cut or a wage freeze? I highly doubt it.

We were self employed for 30 years, superannuation only became compulsory during the last 10 years so we had very little in super when my husband became very ill and we had to go on a disability/carer pension. We had worked very hard all of our working lives and therefore I can understand perfectly how hard it it to live on a pension, any increase is very welcome.

I lost my job in November. My back has multiple problems, and is causing nerve damage to my legs. I need physiotherapy. Unfortunately, Job seeker allowance isn't enough to afford physio. Most of my bills have gone up by $5- $10 a month, adding about $20 a month to my costs. My Jobseeker allowance just went up by $4 a fortnight. That doesn't even cover the amount my bills have gone up by. Plus now I need extra medications, and they have all gone up by $1 each. I live with my sister, who is on the DSP. Honestly, there's no way I could afford to survive if I was by myself.

Wages and benefits rarely rise as fast as the "cost of living" / "inflation" ... but no matter what wages / benefit rises there are, that just causes the price of everything to rise again. It's a never-ending, ever-growing snowball of greed. :-(

Ok.. I agree that recent increases are a joke as we are now paying our second rent increase in 12 months..it's all being taken by the real estate and that blows any increase in living allowance because people have gotten greedy over the covid period of no rent increases allowed by the government say so...(pity albanese did not listen to the greens party when he decided to allow wanten rent increases)...now we are in a make or break situation for many people on welfare..I forsee more homeless in the near future and people I know working are having problems too with exact same thing happening to them as well..everyone I speak to is saying same thing unless you are a higher earner then very little effects them in the respect of food buying..but most of us are on limited budgets even us working crew....but... of course we are also insanely lucky we have benefits at all..having worked and lived overseas for many many years I have seen first hand what a non welfare country is all about..people dont always eat let alone have choices of what food to eat and these governments don't even supply rice quotas for locals..so where does that leave us?...retirement won't be too much fun I spose but we eat most days of our lives...sometimes it's better too view the glass half full and not half empty....this mess is going to take some time to get back to level ground..for most of us...working or not...

I'm on Disability and m just not coping. I need a border just to pay the rent and healthy food??? That's a luxury

Raise in benefits? what country are you living in?

Well, you can pay me a small amount now or pay a whole lot to look after me in the future. You can't survive on government benefits. They make it that way. Once upon a time there were "deserving poor" in Canada and poverty was a tremendous stigma. The idea was if you wanted work it was there for the taking. We've progressed(?) to the point where modern people realize poverty is not only rampant,but necessary for the success of capitalism. When there are not enough poor people wages and inflation rises. The government makes sure that if you're poor you'll stay that way.

BY THE TIME ONE RETIRES THEY SHOULD HAVE SAVED ENOUGH TO ENSURE THAT THEY DO NOT HAVE TO RELY FULLY ON THE PENSION ( YOU CANT HAVE A LIFE ON THAT) I LEFT SCHOOL AT 17 NO QULAFICATIONS HAD TWO MAJOR JOBS ONE FOR 21.5 YEARS AND ONE FOR 30 YEARS . FOR 15 YEARS WE WERE ON ONE SALARY AS MY WIFE WAS A STAY AT HOME MUM. MY MOTHER LIVED WITH US FOR 18 YEARS DUE TO BAD HEALTH . WE WORKED AND SAVED , PLANDED TO ENJOY OUR RETIREMENT AND HAD A GOOD LIFE TO, NOW WE ARE ENJOYING RETIREMENT . PEOPLE WE KNOW HAVE ENJOYED THE GOOD LIFE UP TO RETIREMENT AND THOUGHT THE GOVERMNENT SHOULD LOOK AFTER THEM WHEN THEY STOPED WORKING. IT DONT WORK LIKE THAT. YOU YES YOU HAVE TO BE RESPONSIBLE FOR YOUR SELF, AND THAT TAKES A LIFE TIME OF WORKING TOWARD THAT GOAL OF A GOOD LIFE IN RETIREMENT. ANY EXTRA PAYMENT SHOULD BE CONSIDERED A BONUS. WHERE DO YOU SHOP WHERE YOU PAY $7 FOR A BOTTLE OF MILK??????? WOULD CHANGE MY SHOP IF I WHERE YOU. TODAY!!!!!Edited 26-Mar-23 13:38pm

the majority of people on welfare are just lazy & feel entitled to receive those handouts. I take the bus to work & then I see people taking a cab to the grocery store. It's disgraceful

These are hard times for most. I’m on a pension with a mortgage and I found out from my bank manager, that if you are in financial mortgage stress you can stop the mortgage repayments and when you pass, the bank will take out what’s owing.

Years ago we had an unexpected Bill we were not earning good wages and went to Winz to see if they could assist us, The lady raised her head and said yes we can help you. I was so relieved until she said you are entitled to $2.18 cents a week I said are you serious and yes she was/ So I left my husband and went to Auckland to work for 3 months day and night in a supermaket nightfill and checkouts for 3 solid months to get the bill paid. We were devastated to be apart but it was all we could do. WINZ did not help us when we needed them most. We are still the working poor but doing it all under our own steam.

I am on a pension and am only just managing to stay on top of all my bills the rise just gives me a little over my bills I cant save any money but its better than nothing

I will work very hard and ensure I save 110% for me and my families retirement. At the end of this journey I particularly do not want any hand-outs or pity. I would rather give than receive.Edited 26-Mar-23 12:24pm

I left school aged 14 (my 15th birdy was after the summer break in the UK) & worked all my life. If I couldn't get a permanent job I would become a temporary typist & that was how I got paid. You can build a reputation & be asked back for another few weeks/month for a firm you had worked for previously. Even after we had migrated from the UK to Australia I found a job & started a work in the city. M husband started work in an underground bakery, taking the bread from the downstairs bakery upstairs to the shop at age 12 on a Friday after school on Saturdays. He then decided to take out an apprenticeship as a baker (4-year apprenticeship in England). I left my job because of family & my husband left his & we used our house as collateral & bought a deli/mixed business which we ran for r over 2 years. It was hard work even then my husband did another job which was driving for the Crippled Children's Association, picking up the children of a morning & taking them home at the end of the day. He then went back into the bakery business, & finally retired at the age of 75. One of the many jobs I had as a temp was for the old Uni of SA & had that job for over 11 years. I was 57. We are in public housing (not my choice) but due to bi-lateral Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, I lost my job & the firm I worked for at the time wouldn't accept my Worker's Comp claim so after using up all my sick leave & holiday pay, we were down to trying to pay the mortgage on one pay was extremely hard with the mortgage rate being at 17/12%, a lot different to what it is today. We paid taxes (sometimes very high because of the hours my husband worked) & we've always said that we would never rort the system & only claim for what we are entitled to. We are lucky that now we are out of debt but that has only been possible because we receive part of an English pension having worked over in England when we lived there, so we can now manage the bills etc. Living in public housing we pay no more than 25% of our income in rent & we do get that increase in our rent twice a year.

It is very hard as the Government does not care at all for the people Every best wish Robert

It’s slowly falling behind inflation, just as well that I have a bit squirreled away

It depends on the situation

Its not only Queensland and the Olympics, Victoria is hosting the Commonwealth games when nobody else wanted them and we are leaning towards becoming a republic, far too much money is wasted on sports.

My husband and I have been paying taxes for 0ver 120 years together and we get nothing on our retirement except a " FEW for everyone concessions" and we would be very grateful if we had what you are talking about.

In Queensland we have a Premier who is obsessed with the 2032 Olympic Games. The money that is being wasted on two weeks of sport is obscene. Meanwhile families are living in their cars and tents, people cant afford the basic necessities of life and hospitals cant keep up with the needs of sick people. Something is very wrong here. I don't get a pension but I feel very sorry for many people on welfare especially if they still have debts to service.

I receive an age pension and I barely manage to make ends meet, after paying the mortgage, utilities, meds and groceries (just essentials only) there is not much left. I pay the mortgage and utilities fortnightly otherwise I wouldn't be able to manages, so it makes very little difference as everything goes up 15-30% higher with every increase

It all helps...

For the desable one it s not alot...for the ones able to work it s plenty...everyone is looking for employees

I can't get any benefits because I can't prove I'll never be able to work again. I'm not entitled to the age pension until next year and if my late husband hadn't left me anything then I don't know where I'd be now. I've had to organise an allotted pension through my super so that's not going to last forever but if I was a politician I'd only have to be one for 2 years then I'd get a full pension with all the benefits plus I could still earn money and not have to declare it. I think we all need to become politicians for 2 years then we won't have to worry about anything else. Also if you're an illegal immigrant you automatically get benefits and housing.

We have a very simple life, we manage on 1 aged pension as my hubby gets penalised for being with some one younger. It has gone up a little yes but that is to help with the increasingly high prices of every thing and every thing has gone up. No we aren't all on $60'000 try halving that and that would be closer to the mark, we don't live on credit either and not every one is in debt. The younger ones are crying about interest rates going up and 1 man said he was having trouble with his mortgages and he had to put the rents up but hold on he had 8 houses. I am not kidding 8. How greedy to say the least and boo hoo to him. Try living in house that was 50 years old and the rates were 18%. Hubby left his career job because of it came up to QLD and couldn't get a full time job. No I do not feel sorry for any one who has over invested and they certainly live in housing a lot newer than what we did. We have a housing shortage here in Australia and I read recently a man brought a beach shack in Byron Bay for a whooping $1 billion dollars so it is because of that moron that some people can get that sort of money for a shack no less and makes all other places that much more expensive. No wonder our youth are having problems getting into the property market.

Never received a government benefit in my life, but those on a pension are doing it tough.

I do not think a rise for unemployment should rise. Why not work for the dole, get some experience and get a job. Look after our elderly first

Sorry to bring up Politics however this catastrophe for Canadians has been solely Justin Trudeau‘s horrific lack of a business mind and has wasted and continues to waste our money. He has done nothing to help Canadians!!!! Please think about who you vote for when there is an election 💁‍♀️

$7 for milk???? I'd moooove if i was you 🤣

I really depends on which country you are from. Some countries pay seniors extremely well, however, they did pay for it during their working lives so they are entitled to a good aged pension. I worked and paid taxes for 55 years, retiring at 72. I also paid extra into my superannuation so I would have a comfortable life in retirement. This, however, stops me from getting a full aged pension. We do live comfortably at the moment. Having a Labor government means I may not be living comfortably for very long. I have watched this happen over many years, get a conservative government live well, get a labor government and don't live as well. People get what they vote for.

As someone who is totally reliant on a pension with 70% going on rent, we have to run a finely tuned budget. Even a few dollars a week can make the difference between going for a drive or staying home or having a meal with meat. We appreciate anything we get!

@Stephen S 945123 people here are from all over the world. Would help if you had the country, the benefit etc. I what you are talking about HOW AM I COPING, we were raised to not live on credit, so i have no debt, we live simply, we dont buy rubbish in packets, and we have local market to buy food etc. BUT we are not paying $7 for any size milk YOU ALSO FORGOT to mention are you talking about 1 or 3 litre milk. skinny or not.

It helped some,but not much

Nothing is never enough as prices keep increasing higher than what is returned

Did work for 38 years so paid my fare share ot tax

I think they should take a good look at the benefits. It is an all or nothing thing, my husband and I are on fixed incomes but do not qualify for any help. We have to heat our house and put food on the table. We are both on special diets because of our health which costs more. So do we eat the wrong food and heat our house in the Northeast, or end up in the hospital like I just did. We need to get inflation under control so we can all afford to live comfortably.

Welfare, Pensions etc. were announced as going to be Indexed in line with the Consumer Price Index (CPI), currently running at over7% in Australia. The Federal Socialist Government, remember them? The Chanpions of the Working Masses, the down-trodden! has announced an Increase to that support BUT instead of keeping pac with the CPI the Increase is just 3.7% about HALF the CPI! A couple on months ago the Major Media outlets announced that Prices in Three of the Four Supermarket Groups (Aldi, Coles and Woolworths) had on average been put up be each of them by a whopping 21.9% - the public can prove this themselves by just looking at how the prices have gone up on food they buy regularly, those increases start at 15% and go all the way up to 24.5%. Just to rub salt into the already deep wound Federal, State, Territory and Local Governments have, or are about to, Increased their Fees, Charges, Rates etc. by anything up to 3 times the CPI. Of course the Politicians, bless'em, have fully protected themselves from any hardship for they simply go to the Politician Owned and Appointed Remuneration Commission and conveniently arrange for themselves to be give a Pay and benefits increase at the Full CPI Rate!

Maybe lowering the price of general foods might have been more appropriate. Prices are going up and the extra money, really makes it worse.

Every little bit helps but as a pensioner it really is inadequate due to the rise in cost of living.

When I was made redundant in 2018 I went on the dole. Since I own my own apartment & share day to day expenses with my brother I was able to live ok. I am now on the pension, which is more than the dole, I am ok & can even afford to go on holidays. I am not sure how anyone can get by if they have to pay rent or a mortgage or if they live alone. I guess I am lucky.

Have been reading a lot of comments that say that benefits should be time restricted, I disagree. People should be able to access benefits if there is a need too. Benefits do need to rise as does the minimum wage and wages in general so that people are able to afford the basics of life. Being on a benefit is not living the life of riley. It is a daily struggle and narrow minded people stigmatise those on welfare. Living on a benefit is existing not living, those that blatter on about getting work are easy to judge but not willing to step into the shoes of those that find themselves living on benefits. If Landlords were to charge reasonable rents , not exorbitant rents perhaps the money paid out to beneficiares wouldn't be so high and they could live with dignity. expensive rents tend to be dictated by wealthy, greedy people

All that is happening, is that we, on the age pension, are still behind, this increase is welcome, but it doesn't give us a real boost. Can't afford to use as much energy that I would like, use the car as little as possible, no doubt won't have it much longer. Especially with the ever increasing cost of owning and maintaining it

The problem is who pays for the inflation. Once it is paid off the economy will go up.

It's so dang hard but we manage

I am on disability and right now my boyfriend hasn't been working. Hasn't since we had a wreck almost a year ago. Luckily, our rent is cheap, but nothing else is. Our electric is always getting cut off because we pay up front and I swear it seems they charge us what they want because they can. We have a tiny place and while it is poorly insulated among other things, we hole up in our bedroom and just keep it and our bathroom warm to save warming up the whole place. When I get into an argument with my boyfriend though I will head to the living room which can be colder than outside at times! I used the oven to heat it up quickly so I don't freeze to death and it seemed to charge the same amount whether we heat up the living room and kitchen or not. I thought maybe it was something else sucking up our energy (which I do believe we have an entity in the place, too) but that's neither here nor there. I sleep in the living room more than I sometimes care to admit, but I also decided to study up on what could be draining it all. I made some changes and I will see pretty soon. As far as food, we barely make it for 3 weeks most months. I do get food stamps every month, but without a vehicle I shop mostly online and it just doesn't always stretch it. I was surprised though because they told me last time I had to turn in my rent and electric again even though I did last time and I didn't get it in time and I thought they would either cut us off or cut them way down. They didn't which was good. I was going to send the info then it got too late and my man had to go to court so I told him to take my papers with him and drop it off. He didn't and I knew it wouldn't reach them by deadline.

Not my fault i can't work so i should be able to get the mimium wage

The $40 per fortnight increase makes a huge difference when you are living on a really tight budget. Unfortunately our welfare system can only afford to pay people the bare minimum to survive ( yes age pensioners included), it is not sustainable to be able to pay an ever increasing aging population enough money to live a particularly comfortable lifestyle. Unfortunately, that is something that we need to provide for ourselves during our working lives. It’s going to be even more difficult for the current generations that cannot even buy a home to live in.

Who is paying $7.00 for a bottle of milk? I'm asking . . .

The government gives with one hand and takes it with the other hand. If you are in if you are in social housing the rent is income related, so your rent goes up and then you are further behind the eight ball with the cost of living.

it's never enough. The moment supermarkets etc get word, they hike prices

We all just lost the additional food benefits the first of March. I was abandoned by my husband of almost 19 years now in June of 2013. I went back to work at age 66 after retiring at 62, but it wasn't enough, so I had to ask for government aid. I retired at 72 when COVID-19 hit us, as I finally received Section 8 housing. I pay $70 a month, 10% of my Social Security income, receive $189 a month for food, my electric is paid with Opportunity Counsel's help, and Comcast pays $30 toward my internet services. I am very grateful there are agencies that provide assistance with living expenses for those who cannot afford to live. Also Medicare Advantage helps. My husband gets almost $4000 a month, because of my help, but I can't get a penny because $3300 is VA Disability for an injury, and my SS is higher than his. Yes, SS got a raise...then they lowered my food allowance! Go Figure!?! ;-D Edited 26-Mar-23 07:19am

Agree with Lyn. I do however think that 'work for the dole' should be brought back, as I know many, many people (on unemployment benefits) making excuses and abusing the system so they can sit on their fat arses and not work. I have also always worked and only used centrelink a couple of times in between work for a short period and it is hard but I was grateful. If the work for the dole was bought back, I believe more people would get out and get a 'real' job and leave the benefits for those who truly need it, like the disable and our elders, and there would be more money to perhaps give towards them!

Every little helps, how ever I would like to see the increase keep up with inflation. Most benefits should be short term, however there are some [eg disability, aged] that are long term. I have worked most of my life since age 16 [only time off was when I had kids and for short time when I left my abusive husband] I feel I have given a lot to the communities I have worked in. Now at 70 to still be 'pinching pennies' is not right. So young people make sure you have a job that can give money to save and save it. Owning your own home is not enough.