Boost in allowances and pensions for over 17,000 local residents
19 March 2008 Over 17,000 local residents will benefit from increased and more regular financial payments from the Australian Government from this Thursday 20 March. As well, pensions are scheduled to go up with the rise in the Consumer Price Index (CPI).
This means local pensioners, carers, disability support pensioners and self-funded retirees would all be better off with increases in the Utilities Allowance, Seniors Concession Allowance and Telephone Allowance.
“During last year’s election, Labor promised to help make ends meet for seniors, people with disability and carers and I’m pleased to say that’s what we are delivering,” Ms Macklin said.
“On Thursday over 17,000 people in Banyule and Nillumbik will start receiving increased allowances.
“For local Utilities Allowance recipients, the payments will go up from $107.20 a year to $500 a year for singles or couples combined.
“And because bills arrive in the letterbox every three months that’s how often we’ll be paying the allowance - quarterly instalments to meet quarterly utilities bills.
“This will mean a $125 payment, every three months, for eligible carers, pensioners and people with disability.
“Over 11,000 local aged pensioners will begin receiving this payment in the fortnight starting Thursday, 20 March 2008.
“The Government is also extending the allowance to the nearly 500 local Carer Payment recipients and the over 3,000 local Disability Support Pension recipients under Age Pension age.
Ms Pam Welsh, a Disability Support Pension recipient from Heidelberg Heights, is very happy to be receiving an increase to the Utilities Allowance.
“We’ve been neglected for too long and I’m pleased to be getting an increase to my Utilities Allowance”, Ms Welsh said.
“Widow B Pension, Wife Pension, Bereavement Allowance and Veterans and their partners receiving Invalidity Service Pension, Partner Service Pension or an Income Support Supplement will also receive the payments of $125 each quarter”, said Ms Macklin.
“Telephone Allowance will also increase, from $88 to $132 a year, for those with a home internet connection. Recipients should contact Centrelink or the Department of Veterans’ Affairs with details of their home internet service provider.
Peter and Clarice Paterson of Lower Plenty who receive the Utilities Allowance and the Telephone Allowance think the increases are great.
“I use the internet a lot and it is great to have this increase when you are on a fixed income”, Mr Paterson said.
“The Seniors Concession Allowance will also rise, from $218 a year, to $500 a year for just over 2,000 local Commonwealth Seniors Health Care Card holders, and will also be paid quarterly”, said Ms Macklin.
And people receiving payments such as the Age Pension, Carer Payment, Special Benefit and Disability Support Pension will receive a 1.7 per cent boost to their pensions in line with the rise in the CPI.
“People on Newstart, Partner Allowance, Parenting Payment (partnered), Mature Age Allowance, Widow Allowance and Sickness Allowance, will also see a rise in payments through the CPI indexation.
“The maximum single rate of pension will rise by $9.10, to $546.80 a fortnight, while the maximum partnered pension will increase by $7.70 to $456.80 a fortnight for each member of a couple.
“This equates to annual increases of $236.60 for single pensioners and $200.20 for each member of a pensioner couple.
“This announcement will provide enhanced assistance to many Australians, including many in Banyule and Nillumbik, helping them better budget for regular bills throughout the year, through quarterly, increased payments,” Ms Macklin said.
Deeming rates for social security payments will rise by half of one per cent from 20 March.
The new deeming rates are: four per cent for the first $39,400 of a single pensioner’s financial investments ($65,400 for pensioner couples and $32,700 for each member of an allowee couple), and six per cent for financial investments above those amounts.
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