The Australian government has released the social security indexation for September 2024 increasing many welfare and age pension payments for the Aussies. The Job seeker recipients can check their upcoming raise in payment effective from 20 September 2024 here.
Jobseeker Payment Increase 2024 Australia
The Australian government supports Australian citizens who can’t work due to some injury or sickness or are still looking for a job through Job Seeker assistance to help them manage their expenses with the rising cost of living. Earlier this year, the government didn’t hike the jobseeker payment in budget 2024-25 except for the recipients capable of partial work.
Now, with the September indexation 2024, the Jobseeker recipients can expect a hike in their payments. The Department of Social Sciences usually adjusts or indexes the social security and benefits payments to ensure financial assistance matches the rising inflation and cost of living.
The Social Services Department has indexed the Centrelink payments for September 2024 raising the hopes of the Aussies who depend on their Jobseeker allowances.
According to the 2024 September indexation rates, the Jobseeker allowances have increased from the current fortnightly payment of $816.90 to $833.20. The September 2024 indexation increase will be effective from the coming 20 September.
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Jobseeker Payment Increase through indexation 2024 Australia
The Jobseeker recipients can check the full increase in their Jobseeker payments based on the September indexation according to their circumstances:
| Family circumstances | Current amount | Increase | From 20 Sep 2024 |
| Single, age 22 or over, and have no children | $762.70 | $15.30 | $778.00 |
| Single, age 22 or over, with children | $816.90 | $16.30 | $833.20 |
| Single, age 55 or over, after 9 months | $816.90 | $16.30 | $833.20 |
| Single, exempt from activity test, and a principal carer of a child | $987.70 | $19.80 | $1007.50 |
| Each partner | $698.30 | $14.00 | $712.30 |
However, with the increase in allowances, the energy supplement recipients will receive the same previous payment as it is not increased in the Indexation. Here’s the energy supplement payment for Jobseekers recipient:
| Family circumstances | Current amount |
| Under Age Pension age | |
| Single, age 22 or over, and have no children | $8.80 |
| Single, age 22 or over, with children | $9.50 |
| Single, age 55 or over, after 9 months | $9.50 |
| Single, exempt from activity test, and a principal carer of a child | $12 |
| Each partner | $7.90 |
| Over Age Pension Age | |
| Single | $14.10 |
| Couple or legal partner (Each) | $10.60 |
No increase for Jobseeker recipients with a partial capacity to work up to 0-14 hours
The Jobseeker’s recipients who work and have assessed their partial capacity of work up to 0-14 hours per week will not see any hike through the September 2024 indexation. However, the single recipients can still expect the increase from their usual $816.90 bi-weekly payment.
Earlier this year, the Australian government increased the jobseeker’s payment for single recipients who seek jobseeker allowance under the partial work capacity of 0-14 hours per week in Budget 2024-25.
According to the Budget 2024-25 measure, the partial capacity jobseeker recipients will receive the higher jobseeker payment, which is effective from 20 September 2024. So, the single jobseeker recipients with a 0-14 hours per week work capability will receive $833.20 from the effective date.
The jobseeker recipients of this group will also receive the higher rate of Energy supplement, $9.50 from the designated date. Services Australia will support the above measures through $21.5 million.
Australia 2024 Jobseeker Payment Increase in Income Limit
With the current indexation to match the benefits with the ongoing cost of living crisis, the income limit for the jobseeker payment has also increased leading to more recipients under the jobseeker payments.
The recipients can check the following income limit because if their per fortnight income reaches this limit, their jobseeker payment will be reduced to zero based on their family circumstances:
| Family circumstances | Current | Increase | Income Limit from 20 Sep 2024 |
| Single, age 22 or over, and have no children | $1453.50 | $ | $ |
| Single, age 22 or over, with children | $1545.00 | $ | $ |
| Single, age 55 or over, after 9 months | $1556.34 | $ | $ |
| Single, exempt from activity test, and a principal carer of a child | $2666.25 | $ | $ |
| Single, age 22 or over, partial capacity to work (0-14 hours per week) | – | – | $1583.50 |
| Single, age 22 or over, principal carer with children | $2233.00 | $40.75 | $2273.75 |
| Each partner | $1344.67 | $23.22 | $1368.00 |
| Single income couple | $2522.00 | $46.34 | $2568.34 |
The jobseekers recipients must check their fortnight income limit based on their family situations as their payments will be reduced, your payments will also be reduced based on your and your partner’s value & type of assets excluding your principal residence.
Is Jobseeker Payment taxable?
The jobseeker recipients should know that the allowance is indeed taxable, it is not a means-tested government benefit. The Jobseeker recipients should mention their jobseeker’s payment in Australian Government payments when they file their tax return.
The taxable income for the Jobseekers receipts may increase from the income threshold leading you to pay taxes on the allowances. Generally, taxpayers will find their taxes when they file their tax return to the Australian Taxation Office, however, the recipients can also calculate their taxes on the benefit.
The Jobseeker allowances help financially Aussies age between 22 and age pension age who can’t work for a short time due to sickness or injury or are looking for work, so eligible Australian who needs the financial assistance should claim the Jobseeker’s allowances as it will increase from 20 September 2024.
The increase in payments may reflect your second payment of September as it will be calculated based on your previous income limit in the first Jobseeker payment.