Overview
In response to rising living costs, Centrelink has implemented substantial changes in 2025. Over five million Australians are benefiting from payment increases and updated support policies aimed at improving financial stability.
Centrelink Key Payment Increases (Effective March 2025)
Age Pension
- Singles: +$4.60 → Total: $1,149/fortnight
- Couples: +$3.50 each → Total: $1,732.20 combined/fortnight
JobSeeker Payment
- Singles (no children): +$3.10 → $789.90/fortnight
- Singles (with children): +$3.30
- Partnered recipients: +$2.80 each
Commonwealth Rent Assistance
- Singles: +$0.80 → $212/fortnight
- Couples: +$0.80 combined → $199.80/fortnight
- Single sharers: +$0.53 → $141.33/fortnight
Parenting Payments
- Single parents: +$4
- Partnered parents: +$2.80
How much will JobSeeker increase by?
For a single recipient of JobSeeker payment aged 22 and over without children, indexation will deliver a $3.10 increase to their fortnightly payments, bringing the payment to $789.90 including the energy supplement.
For a single recipient aged 22 or over with children, the payment will increase by $3.30 per fortnight.
A single person 55 or over, after 9 months and a single person who is 22 or over with assessed partial capacity to work, the payment will also go up by $3.30.
For partnered JobSeekers, the rate will go up by $2.80 each per fortnight.
What is Centrelink indexation?
The indexation increases are a change that takes place four times a year, designed to offset the increasing cost of living.
Because indexation is tied to inflation numbers, the rise in payment levels allow recipients to maintain the same buying power as costs rise.
That’s why increases over the past few years, when inflation was higher, increases to payments were larger than seen in the latest figures.
Updated Policies for JobSeekers and Carers Centrelink
JobSeeker Compliance
- No penalties for first non-compliance for new Workforce Australia registrants
- 30-hour minimum work exemption from penalties
- Penalties assessed case-by-case
Centrelink Carer Payment Work Flexibility
- Work limit increased to 100 hours every 4 weeks
- Only paid work hours count toward the limit
- Respite days available to maintain payment status
Upcoming Centrelink Payment Dates – May 2025
Parenting Payment: May 17
JobSeeker: May 12
Youth Allowance / Austudy: May 14
