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- Latest Age Pension rates (from 20 September 2021)
- How the Age Pension works
- What happens if only one member of a couple is eligible?
- When is the next Age Pension increase?
- How often is the Age Pension paid?
- Can you get an advance payment of the Age Pension?
- Can you also get rent assistance?
- Transitional Age Pension rates
- Age Pension rates for non-residents
Despite the growth in superannuation over the past three decades, the Age Pension is still a significant source income for most Australian retirees. According to Rice Warner, roughly 39% of Australians of Age Pension age receive the full Age Pension and a further 24% receive a part pension.
So how much income does the Age Pension provide?
Latest Age Pension rates (from 20 September 2021)
The rates for a full Age Pension for Australian residents for the period 20 September 2021 to 19 March 2022 are listed below:
- Single: $967.50 per fortnight (approximately $25,155 per year)
- Couple (each): $729.30 per fortnight (approximately $18,962 per year)
- Couple (combined): $1,458.60 per fortnight (approximately $37,924 per year)
- Couples separated due to illness each receive the Single rate (see above), which combined is $1,935.00 (approximately $50,310 per year)
Note: Annual amounts are approximate. The figures above include the pension and energy supplements.
From 20 September 2021 the maximum full Age Pension increases $14.80 per fortnight for a single person, and $11.20 per person per fortnight for a couple.
The tables below provide more detail in terms of the latest increase and how the Age Pension is broken down.
Age Pension rates for a single person
| Amount | Increase | |
|---|---|---|
| Maximum base rate | $882.20 | $13.90 |
| Maximum pension supplement | $71.20 | $0.90 |
| Energy supplement | $14.10 | – |
| Total (per fortnight) | $967.50 | $14.80 |
| Total (per year)* | $25,155 | $385 |
Age Pension rates for a couple (living together)
| Amount (each) | Increase (each) | Amount (combined) | Increase (combined) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maximum base rate | $665.00 | $10.50 | $1,330.00 | $21.00 |
| Maximum pension supplement | $53.70 | $0.70 | $107.40 | $1.40 |
| Energy supplement | $10.60 | – | $21.20 | – |
| Total (per fortnight) | $729.30 | $11.20 | $1,458.60 | $22.40 |
| Total (per year)* | $18,962 | $291 | $37,924 | $582 |
Source: Services Australia. Applicable 20 September 2021 to 19 March 2022
*Annual amounts are approximate.
See later in the article for transitional and non-resident Age Pension rates.
How the Age Pension works
To qualify for the Age Pension in Australia you must have reached Age Pension age (which depends on your date of birth but is currently 66 years and 6 months), satisfy Australian residency rules, and pass both an income test and an assets test. Depending on your level of income and the assets you own, you may qualify for either a full or part Age Pension.
Assets test
To qualify for a full Age Pension as a single person your assets must also be valued below $270,500 if you own your own home, or $487,000 if you don’t own your own home.
You can still be eligible for a part Age Pension if your assets are worth less than $593,000 if you own your own home, or $809,500 if you don’t own your own home.
For a couple to qualify for the full Age Pension, your combined assets must be below $405,000 if you own your own home, or $621,500 if you don’t own your own home.
You can still be eligible for a part Age Pension if your assets are worth less than $891,500 if you own your own home, or $1,108,000 if you don’t own your own home.
Income test
To qualify for a full Age Pension as a single person your income must be below $180 per fortnight (approximately $4,680 per year), but you can still be eligible for a part Age Pension if you earn less than $2,115.00 per fortnight (approximately $54,990 per year).
For a couple, to qualify for the full Age Pension your combined income must be below $320 per fortnight (approximately $8,320 per year), but you can still be eligible for a part Age Pension if you earn less than $3,237.20 per fortnight (approximately $84,167 per year).
It’s important to note that you can earn up to $300 per person per fortnight from working and this amount is not included in the Age Pension income test. This is known as the work bonus.
If you are over the threshold limits for a full Age Pension in either the assets or income tests (or both), your Age Pension will be based on the test that delivers the lower amount. For example, if you are eligible for $400 per fortnight according to the assets test, and $500 per fortnight through the income test, then the assets test ($400 per fortnight) will apply.
What happens if only one member of a couple is eligible?
This is a common question. If you’re in a living arrangement with your partner and only one of you is eligible for the Age Pension, do you receive the single rate or half of the combined couple rate?
The answer is you will be assessed under the income and assets tests as a couple and, if eligible, you will receive half the combined couple rate. This is best illustrated with an example.
If you receive the Age Pension, you’ll automatically be paid a pension supplement. You’ll receive the maximum rate if you’re eligible to receive the full pension, but if you’re only eligible for a part pension (for example if your income or assets exceed the thresholds in the Age Pension income or assets tests), your pension supplement will be reduced proportionally until it reaches the minimum amount.
The minimum and maximum pension supplement amounts per fortnight for single and couple part pensioners are provided in the table below.
| Situation | Minimum pension supplement | Maximum pension supplement |
|---|---|---|
| Single | $38.30 | $71.20 |
| Couple living together | $28.90 each (or $57.80 combined) | $53.70 each (or $107.40 combined) |
| Couple separated due to illness, respite or prison | $38.30 each (or $76.60 combined) | $71.20 each (or $142.40 combined) |
Source: Services Australia. Figures correct as at 20 September 2021.
You can arrange to have the pension supplement paid quarterly rather than fortnightly if you prefer, to help you budget for regular quarterly bills like electricity.
Unlike the Age Pension supplement, the energy supplement is only available to certain Age Pensioners. If you’re receiving the Age Pension, you aren’t eligible for the energy supplement if you have a Commonwealth Seniors Health Card (CSHC) issued after 20 September 2016. If you received your CSHC before this date, you’re still eligible to receive the energy supplement.
If you are eligible for the energy supplement, you’ll receive the same amount whether you’re on a full or part Age Pension. Payments differ only based on whether you’re single or part of a couple, as outlined in the table at the top of this article.
When is the next Age Pension increase?
The Age Pension rates will next potentially change on 20 March 2022. Increases are likely but not certain because the Australian Bureau of Statistics evaluates these increases based on changes in the Consumer Price Index (CPI), Male Total Average Weekly Earnings, and the Pensioner and Beneficiary Living Cost Index. In September 2020 the Age Pension rates did not increase, although that was for the first time since 1997.
Age Pension rates and the upper thresholds for the assets and income tests used to determine eligibility for a part Age Pension are adjusted in March and September each year. The lower limits used to determine eligibility for the full Age Pension change in July each year.
How often is the Age Pension paid?
The Age Pension is normally paid fortnightly, but you can apply to the Department of Human Services (via Centrelink) to receive weekly payments if you are:
- Homeless (or risk becoming homeless)
- Having trouble managing your money.
Can you get an advance payment of the Age Pension?
Yes. If you’ve been receiving the Age Pension for at least three months, you can apply to get one to three advance payments. If you’re approved, in any six-month period you’re entitled to receive the following amounts if you’re receiving a full pension:
| Living arrangement | Lowest amount (you can receive three of these payments) | Highest amount (one can receive one payment of this amount) |
|---|---|---|
| Single | $450.40 | $1,351.20 |
| Couple | $339.50 | $1,018.50 |
Source: Services Australia. Figures correct as at 1 July 2021.
If you’re receiving a part Age Pension, the amounts you can receive are adjusted proportionally.
Your future Age Pension entitlement will be adjusted for any advance payments you receive so you can repay amounts owing over time.
Can you also get rent assistance?
If you’re receiving the Age Pension, you may be entitled for rent assistance (including any fees you may be paying a retirement village, provided that the Australian government isn’t already paying a subsidy to the facility where you live).
To receive assistance, you must be paying a minimum amount of rent. These rates are adjusted in March and September each year based on movements in the CPI. Current rates for Age Pensioners without any dependent children are outlined in the table below. If you pay more than these amounts, you’re entitled to 75 cents of rent assistance for every dollar you pay over the threshold, up to the maximum amount.
| Living arrangement | Minimum fortnightly rent to qualify for assistance | Maximum fortnightly rent assistance payment |
|---|---|---|
| Single | $127.60 | $142.80 |
| Couple (combined) | $206.40 | $134.60 |
Source: Services Australia. Figures correct as at 20 September 2021.
Transitional Age Pension rates
Some Age Pensioners in Australia are on transitional pensions. Transitional pension rates are paid to people who would otherwise be getting a lower payment after changes to the income test were introduced in 2009.
- Single: $807.30 per fortnight (approximately $20,990 per year) – an increase of $11.00 per fortnight
- Couple (each): $651.20 per fortnight (approximately $16,931 per year) – an increase of $8.80 per fortnight
- Couple (combined): $13,02.40 per fortnight (approximately $33,862 per year) – an increase of $17.60 per fortnight
- Couples separated due to illness each receive the Single rate, which combined is $1,614.60 (approximately $41,980 per year) – an increase of $22.00 per fortnight
If you’re being paid a transitional rate of pension, you’re not eligible for the pension supplement but you can potentially get the energy supplement (provided you received your CSHC, if you have one, prior to 20 September 2016).
The tables below give more detail of how the transitional Age Pension is broken down:
| Single | Amount | Increase |
|---|---|---|
| Maximum transitional pension rate | $793.20 | $11.00 |
| Energy supplement | $14.10 | – |
| Total (per fortnight) | $807.30 | $11.00 |
| Couple (living together) | Amount each | Increase | Amount combined | Increase |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maximum transitional pension rate | $640.60 | $8.80 | $1,281.20 | $17.60 |
| Energy supplement | $10.60 | – | $21.20 | – |
| Total (per fortnight) | $651.20 | $8.80 | $1,302.40 | $17.60 |
Source: Services Australia
Age Pension rates for non-residents
If you live outside Australia and qualify for the Age Pension, the rates are as follows:
- Single: $727.40 per fortnight (approximately $18,912 per year) – an increase of $10.00 per fortnight
- Couple (each): $608.00 per fortnight (approximately $15,808 per year) – an increase of $8.40 per fortnight
- Couple (combined): $1,216.00 per fortnight (approximately $31,616 per year) – an increase of $16.80 per fortnight
- Couples separated due to illness each receive the Single rate (see above), which combined is $1,454.80 (approximately $37,825 per year) – an increase of $20.00 per fortnight
Note: Annual amounts are estimated by multiplying fortnight amounts by 26.
The information contained in this article is general in nature.
Why should you get government support just because you have reached a certain age? A lot of people say that they have paid taxes, so they are “owed something” by society.
What about the pensioner that did not pay taxes through their lives. Why should they get any pension?
Why should pensioners in multi-million dollar houses, with no living expenses, be supported by young families struggling with childhood poverty?
The pension us/was the world’s greatest vote grabbing pyramid scheme that needs to be slowly ground to a halt.
You obviously have never had to live on a pension, I have $324 dollars a week to pay for everything.
Food, medication, power, phone, petrol, insurance, registration, presents for grandchildren, hair cut, clothes, personal items like makeup, hair dye, and it goes on and on. See how you would survive on $324 a week, I can’t remember when I could afford to buy clothes. So until you have to live on a pension, DONT COMMENT
It is sad to read the multiple comments here saying “won’t have to deal with this for much longer” from those who are seeing the light at the end of the tunnel being their nearing mortality.
As with previous comments here, I have contributed with taxes over the decades, and did not benefit from “first home buyers grant” or have child care payments covered by government, or family benefits payments when raising family, and don’t have superannuation – Compulsory superannuation only started later in my working life, and was patchy for me, was only a small amount put aside, and then used up when required during financial hardship It seems expected that we all have superannuation to supplement pensions which is not the case.
I also still have a mortgage. Due to previous financial difficulties I didn’t have the benefit of getting the mortgage paid off. The pension is not enough for basic living expenses, and it certainly doesn’t stretch for those of us who still have mortgage payments. Which leaves no scope for food, electricity, rates etc. My only conclusion is that I just cannot afford to live – it is difficult to feel worthless!
There is not much in the way of work opportunities to find some employment for some extra income – ageism!
And now with Covid, our age group isn’t supposed to be out mixing, which would be happening in jobs such as retail and hospitality. (The more mature cashiers at the supermarkets have been replaced by younger ones now) So there would be pensioners who have been able to supplement their income with some part time work but now can’t.
The recent boost to Jobseeker demonstrates that the government does know that the original rate is not viable. And the age pension is not much more than that – and has not benefited from the recent jobseeker supplement.
Pensioners have contributed for decades and should not be forsaken, especially at a time when their needs are greater, often with medical conditions and also other areas of need. Why is the aged sector of the community forgotten and overlooked. And apparently expected, despite not having large incomes during working life, to have accrued a large pot of funds to live on in the “golden years”.
Why are pensioners forgotten and “invisible” !
When is there going to be a decent increase in the pension rate?
I have 2 complaints re pensions. 1. Rate of increase compared to rate of increase in cost of living. We have discussed this amongst ourselves and all agree that since Oct/Nov 2019, our grocery costs have increased app $25-$50 per fortnight. It has become much harder to make ends meet and for those of us who have to live from pension to pension, it is depressing and draining, and now with the virus, we have to wait till pension day to afford to get stocks (if we can). 2. I live in a retirement village and paid $135k for my unit at a time when the cut off was $135k. I had some plumbing and electrical work done ie extra electrical outlets and taps which was my expense. I didn’t realise at the time but the contract stated $139k and I was given a letter to explain unit cost was $135k as I was assured that I was eligible for Rent Assistance. Imagine my distress when told that it was declined. I had nothing and had borrowed money from family to pay for unit. I appealed decision – declined. I went to tribunal – declined. It seemed straightforward to me. Cutoff was price of unit, and price of unit was $135k. Even though I had proof (letter/invoices), they only look at contract. Many tears followed and even to this day, it is upsetting to discuss. Anyway, thanks to the Govt for our payment but personally, I would have preferred extra $100 or so fortnightly. But thanks, I appreciate it
It is so hard and stressful to manage life with pension wages. We pay tax all our life and then when we become tired, weak and vulnerable, we have to beg the gov to get back a little bit of what we already have given to them. Unfortunately, there is no one to advocate for pensioner and we are the last priority!!!
What I can’t understand is the government gave all new start people $1,150 a fn that is $200 more than the aged, disability pensions. Not only that where I live every 2nd person was on new start, even generations of them. Now all they are doing is filling the drug dealers with more money. Morrison made a big mistake with this decision, it should have only been given to the people that had lost their jobs because of covid 19. They live in housing dept homes and they were paying only $65 a week rent, rent is calculated on the amount you get, but their rent stayed the same. Do you think that is fair!! Food has risen so much and all the places are blaming the Virus, I just think they are taking advantage of the virus by increasing food. Just remember us pensioners still pay tax the GST on everything.
We need a rise
How do Pensioners live with the cost of Electricity, Gas Water, food medication etc I would like our Prime Minister and pollies to live as the pensioner does wake up Morrisson on his half a million per year I feel sorry for him maybe we should open a charity page for him Pollies make me sick through and through
May I suggest that recipients of a Full or Part Age Pension (thus limiting asset size) be permitted to invest in the Federal Government’s Future Fund. It’s solid, has good backing and research, and pays a sensible steady dividend. Fees would bbe minimal and we wouldn’t get caught up in the Mortgage Trust mess that cost so many of us lotsa dollars, we’d avoid the various Income Trusts/Funds that effectively pay sweet bugger all ….. and the Superannuation Industry would get a kick in the pants.
since 1998 the pension has doubled but everything else has tripled or more .
Electricity alone has gone up %300 plus $350 supply charge each year plus G.S.T.
the politicians have given themselves more in the bank in the last 12 months with 2 tax cuts and a %2,5 pay rise than the total ammount a married person gets as a carer or disabled for the year
I received a $1.50 per week pay rise in benefits
MR PALMER SAID AT THE ELECTION THAT PENSIONERS SHOULD GET A $150 pay increase and it would be nice
why is it 100million dollars can be found for farmers who have many choices like doing something different for a job.selling up and move to where work is .put something away for the bad years and plan for them
Can the aged stop aging.can the disabled cure themselves.Who will look after them and why would you want to when you have to be there 24/7to care for them and for this i receive$75 /week more than the unemployed
and get rewarded for my efforts with%.004 of a pension increase.
Electricity has gone up 300% plus $360 for supply charges since 1998. Gas, water, food, rego, insurances, council rates, petrol, licences, in fact every thing govt related has gone up well above the pension rate which has increased by %100 in 1998 .for a married person from $9,000 to about $18,000.
Politicians received more than that in there bank this year alone with there 2 tax cuts plus a pay rise.At least $20,000. The next rise should be a minimum of 1.5% as the last payment in March was 0.08% and according to the prime minister indexation was at 2.3% but that is a lie.I can name plenty that has gone up more than 2.3% in fact I would say everything has gone up more than that in the last 12 months.
I wonder if the $804 given to certain recipients includes the annual payment that is due in September%1.5 and if so then it is misleading as they will get an extra approximate amount of around $540 there has not been a substantial increase for nearly 10 years and the govt should be ashamed as most retirees, disabled, carers and the elderly certainly deserve to be looked after ,After all post war people and there children built this country .what has the generation done. We fought for the 38 hour week, penalty rates, holidays and just about every thing else this generation benefits from and now we are the forgotten. When I go I will be proud of my achievements. How many politicians can say that without lying.
who got this $804 deeming and why ‘
i did not ,and i have no savings or super, my wife has no savings or no other income and not enough super to mention.As a married couple we have though about divorce as singles you can share a place .share cost and get $250 each more/fortnight .Due to my wives illness we live now like single people, except i do everything for her and the govt penelises me for being married. would 2 or 3 people living together and sharing expences be better off.OFFcourse
WHY spend any money on space when the govt cannot find money for the people here.who need it more than space travel
why not give the farmers what you give the other australians i.e.a job or centrelinc payments and told to get a job after all if they cannot grow anything due to a drought then what are they doing .
Wonderful comments everyone. Those of us who lived and worked through the 60’s remember so much and can educate those who arrived later. I started work on four pounds a week ($8) and we had to budget: board, bus and stockings! We had very little left to enjoy. I spent anything I could on doing extra studies.
Today, as a pensioner (over 70) I am appalled at the way our government calculate the pension. I am not an accountant but have done basic accounting at vocational college.
There is no accounting system in the world that has only a lop-sided budget. (Assets without liabilities) We were taught these principles at school and they must be applied for a real outcome. The ratio would probably be around 30% Every one of us knows that our items wear out. If we buy a car it loses at least 10% value immediately we leave the shop.
As part of the assets test we are asked to include all our assets. However, most personal assets last a very short time, so this figure is flawed for accounting purposes. Assets of e.g $572,000 should have a liability component of $190,000 (one third liability). This would take the asset down to $382,000. In this way the estimate would be more realistic. Has anyone noticed this glitch in the figures previously? Even if you sell your old piano, people will barter for it for 0 if possible, so if we sell our assets we always lose some value we imagined was there.
Another issue is Superannuation.
In the Paul Keating era, (1980’s) this was introduced having previously been a privilege for those with a salary, not PAYG persons. It seemed like a good idea at the time.
Now folk have to make sure their superannuation is growing at a rapid rate in order to survive into retirement. I hear many falsehoods about how much folk will need for those golden years. I heard someone from NZ mention that we would need $1,000,000 (one million) to retire a few years ago. (I was shocked at the time, therefore I remember this) Reality check:
Wages rate:
Since 1960 the wage rate has increased x 125 times (59 years to 2019).
E.G: Today’s income of $1000 ($50,000 p.a) would bring the weekly wage rate in 2078 to $125,000 pw! At that point on the scale you will need $650,000,000 per year for as long you you live… How many people have this realism of their future?
So, that is why the pension should be growing at the same rate as wages to keep our heads above water.
Or we will all sink like a stone.
I sit here and shake my head wondering why do a few people keep on insisting that the pension the over 65 receive is not an entitlement, but a handout as they try telling us it is a social security benefit we receive from the Government. How wrong are those who keep on telling us, we who are retired, that it is as follows >>>>> The Pension is social security and is not related to how hard you have worked or for how long.
It is insurance, like Medicare, you pay into it may rarely use it. It is not welfare, but available to everyone who does not have sufficient to live on in the later years. <<>> When in The Netherlands, no matter how well off you are, you do not even have to pay any taxes, all you have to do, is to prove you lived in the Netherlands, for every year you lived in the Netherlands, when you reach retirement age you receive 2% of the full pension for every year after your 16th birthday, you lived in the Netherlands, I am a good example, I never worked in the Netherlands, I did study and lived in the Netherlands. I do receive 12% of the Dutch pension known as AOW and by the way I live in Australia >>> The question is >>> Who can receive an AOW pension? AOW is the Dutch word for the pension
If you have lived or worked in the Netherlands, after you reached 16 <<< you do not even have to work in the Netherlands to receive a pension, most people who do not live in the Netherlands, does not realise that the retired Queen of the Netherland ( one of the richest woman in the world) receives a Dutch pension.) Yes people of Australia we do pay for our social security benefits, although no where does it state it. Part of our taxes is placed into social security.
My husband has been on a disability pension for the past 15 year and I on a Carers Pension, I have always supplemented our pension with part time work (15 hours per week and declared this to centrelink). My husband has now turned 65yrs old and still on the same pension. So now my pension is classed as taxable income, and I have to work more hours to pay the extra tax on the combined income amounts, when I should be spending more time caring for my husband who is getting more frail. I don’t receive any of the work bonuses because I am under Age Pension age. Why do they make things so hard for the older Australian. I have worked since I was 16 years old.
I too care for my older husband and receive the carer’s allowance. Before I reached old age pension age my carers pension was tax exempt and I only paid tax on the part time work I did. When I reached pension age my pension became taxable because I still do a little part time work. About 5 years ago the Govt. took away the mature age allowance (if you worked after retirement age) approx. $3,500 then it halved the spouse rebate eg from $1500 to $750 and now it looks like they are making the Carers supplement taxable where as before it was exempt.
In Cairns we don’t have a choice of electricity companies so we pay through the nose.
Pensioners are screwed every which way
I am 80 Years old I left school at the start of Christmas holidays and I started my apprenticeship on fifth December 1955. I worked till I was 70yrs. I like others have paid my taxes all my life, saved hard for a brighter future, (superannuation did not start till halfway through my working life) and now because I didn’t lean on the Government during my working life they are penalizing me for what I have rightfully and legally earned the hard way and saved. Aged pension is not insurance, it is our pensioners combined funds which should have been invested by the Government over the years and paid back to the pensioners in later life when they no longer have alert Brains or strong Brawn to obtain a living. The Politicians can vote themselves an increase anytime they wish (like the recent 2.5% they gave themselves) yet our pensions are calculated by formula and savings penalized with deeming. Thank God I will not be seeing much more of their greedy behaviour.
Its time for pensioners to educate themselves when 70% believed they were going to lose their franking credits when in fact only 7% had franking credits
Brian, I, too am 80 years old, and I 110% agree with you, we have done it so hard that this generation can’t even comprehend it, I too will not have to tolerate it for much longer
PM. Barton? introduced the Retirement Benefit Fund with Mr.Menzies being a signatory?.When Mr Menzies became PM. he reversed the Legislation,put it into general revenue,broke into it and used the moneys.Politicians have been using the money setup and meant for people who were retired with no income,are still using it today AND a part of the taxes working people pay today are still going into that fund.
I wonder if the parents of todays politicians are proud of the way their “children” for the way they consider aged pensioners now.
You are so correct…. seems the Govt won’t acknowledge this
As I Remember many years ago the government of the day passed a law, every working person would pay more extra tax to cover there retirement.And I still believe this is still the case on there books. So if this is the case every person is eligible for a pension who ever you are. Another situation is every government changes the goal post. You work all your life under a set of rules then they change the rules. An example is when they dropped the asset from one plus million to eight hundred fifty three thousand. Did not scale it down over a number of years just one big bang. Did this so they can pay the lazy b******s who would not work in a fit.
The Pension is social security and is not related to how hard you have worked or for how long.
It is insurance, like Medicare, you pay into it may rarely use it. It is not welfare, but available to everyone who does not have sufficient to live on in the later years.
It seems there is a majority of pensioners now finding out who matters in this society – and it is NOT us! My electricity supply rate has increased by 20% in 2 years, gas by 14%, insurances average 13%, and so it goes on. Fortunately, my landlord is not greedy! But all the same, in the past 12 months, average living exps have increased by approx $25 per fortnight. Pension increase – well we all know about that. Unfortunately, I am not a politician receiving an annual pay increase which is similar to my total annual pension. Anyone remember the Combined Pensioners Party of the 1960’s?
May be time to start again!!!!!!!!!!
im a pensioner and i didnt have super in my day and started work on one pound a week ( $2 ) when i retired i recieved the old aged pension which is below the recognised poverty line and what i would like to see is a prime minister or treasure live on it for a year and keep his head above water.
Great comment Brian, totally agree with everything you said. The youth of today haven’t got a clue what it is to struggle. We never had child care, dole etc, we had to do it on our own. Struggle to buy an old home and renovate over many years but we were happy to have a home. These days everything has to be new and they wonder why they are in financial debt. Its tough living on a pension especially with a very ill husband who needs around the clock care but we do it. Not many luxuries are had in this house, no coffee mornings out, no movie days, no new cars or a night out for a meal. But I suppose the tiny increase is better than nothing . But when medications cost over $75 month the measly $7 fortnight is an insult. Unfortunately Brian I will probably have to put up with this crap a bit longer but I just try and go one day at a time.
The pension in real terms is significantly higher than in 2000. How’d you have gone then?
Costs have always traditionally bettered pensions increases …
cost of living has gone up a lot more than pensions how ever so has the politicians wages
The prime minister stated in the election that the cost of living has gone up %2.3 yet pensions went up less than %1.5 his wages and all politicians with the tax cuts receive a 8 to 9%increase in there bank accounts .
maybe pensions should be linked to there increases after all if they require such large increases for taking lessons in lying then surely the aged, disabled.and carers should get the same for putting up with there lies$1.50 A JOKE that pensioners are paying for.I am one of them aged 67
Aren’t we being fooled about the CPI? All pension increases are based on the Quarterly CPI Index increase.
The list of items by which the CPI is measured does not include cost increases of utilities such as, electricity, gas, telephone, water and council rates etc.
How is this ever going to be a fair measure of the increased cost of living?
That’s why aged pensioners never get a fair go on the cost of living.
AND the Aged Pension is NEVER, EVER A ‘WELFARE’ PAYMENT.
Save what money you can for the funeral as the bereavement allowance has been canned too!
As both myself and my wife and thousands of other aged pensioners who are children of the 40’s, the majority did not have employment where we had the opportunity to accumulate wealth via Superannuation. Whilst we do not expect to receive a pension equal to the employed in the workforce we are still expected to pay for every increase in the cost of living e.g. Car registration & insurance/maintenance (those that are lucky enough to still have one) building & contents insurance for a house (those lucky enough to still have one) Private Medical Insurance (those lucky enough to still be in one) Power Bills (those lucky enough to still have it connected) cost of food ( now that dog food is becoming more expensive than human food) that continues to spiral ever upwards, you see where I’m going with this, and we are cast a few crumbs twice a year that now barely buys a cup of coffee (and you don’t see many pensions frequenting up market Coffee venues) while many pensioners struggle to keep their heads above water. The present generation think that aged pensioners are a burden on the economy but forget who wiped their backsides, fed and educated them with out all the present Social Benefits available to them today, they need dose of reality fed to them and get some respect for those that did it without all the hand-outs available to them today, while paying 18% interest on our home loans. Thank God I’m 80yr old and won’t have to put up with crap for too much longer!
Well said ! Totally agree with you !
We should get Shannon Noll to sing “What about us, it isn’t fair, they took our money, now we want our share” Brian I totally agree with you, I’m older & had the same struggles. But at least we can hold our heads high & say we didn’t bludge or get handouts. We raised our kids with little money & plenty of love & discipline.
P Clayton we grew up in the 40,s married in the 60,s
Reared our children gave them a good education all on my husbands hard earned wages whilst I stayed home and cared for the house and children..wouldn’t want it any other way, as we were proud to achieve our modest home.
We paid our taxes and there was no super back in the day..
we appreciate what we worked hard for.
I agree with all the comments except that from Amber. She obviously has no idea of the escalating cost of living or understands anything about budgets. I hope she gets a big inheritance when her time comes because I doubt she would be able to cope in view of the limited insight she has displayed regarding the plight of aged pensioners and what they have to do and go without just to stay afloat.