About five millions Aussies to receive boost to social security payments as indexation takes effect
About five million Aussies are in line for a big boost to their regular payments in just a matter of weeks.   :)


News.com.au
February 21, 2026

More than five million Australians will benefit from a boost to their social security payments.   :)

Aged pensioners, disability support pensioners and carers will receive about $22.20 extra in their fortnightly payments from March 20.

Parenting, ABSTUDY recipients aged 22 years and over and rent assistance payment recipients will also see an increase to their payments.

The boost to payments will make annual pensions $5545 better off since 2022.

Aged pensioners, disability support pensioners and carers will receive about $22.20 extra in their fortnightly payments from March 20. 
The tentative indexation rates are based on data and will be officially confirmed in the coming weeks.

Deeming rate changes also come into effect next month, which allows the government to assess how much income can be earned based on a person’s financial assets.

It is the first time the Australian Government Actuary (AGA) has assessed and recommended that deeming rates should be lifted.

The lower deeming rate will be updated to 1.25 per cent for financial assets under $64,200 for singles and $106,200 for couples combined, and the upper rate will be 3.25 per cent for financial assets over these amounts.

Social Services Minister Tanya Plibersek said the increase was to help recipients make ends meet and ensure no one is left behind. 

Social Services Minister Tanya Plibersek said Australia’s social security system must be “grounded in fairness” to deliver value for taxpayers.

“We’ll continue to make sure the system is there to support those who need it most, ensuring that everyone can make ends meet and no one gets left behind,” she said.

whiteknight wrote on Feb 21^st, 2026 at 11:19am:

"Social Services Minister Tanya Plibersek said the increase was to help recipients make ends meet and ensure no one is left behind. Social Services Minister Tanya Plibersek said Australia’s social security system must be “grounded in fairness” to deliver value for taxpayers."

Trouble is too many people are experiencing a worsening cost of living crisis which $22/ fortnight will do little to ease the pain. 

Hence Labor's dismal primary vote won't improve.

Chalmers - who is a 'doctor' (PhD) of political science, not economics - should look to  responsible deficit spending (while avoiding inflation), to improve government services, rather than trying to compensate people trying to access inadequate government services.

Oh, goody. Another pension rise.

People like aquascoot will be so thrilled, I'm sure.  :)

Meanwhile, this letter was in Thursday's The West Australian (and I'm pretty sure it should be titled threshold too "low" not "high").  ::)

Someone should let Mark know that if he can just hold on for a few more weeks until the next pension rise he should be able to lodge his application even with his extra $20 a week because the WA government is going to have to (reluctantly, I'm sure) raise the income limit otherwise every age pensioner in public housing in WA is going to be over the (lowest in Australia for many years) limit.

I think they last (reluctantly) raised it from $480 to $540 a week about 5, 6 or 7 years ago because the age pension must have 'caught up to and passed' the $480 a week limit.

That's what they seem to do, they only increase the income limit when the age pension 'catches up' and then they only increase it by a small amount so it stays ahead of the age pension for a few years then rinse and repeat.

Seems like WA hates poor people more than the other States and Territories. That idiot Roger Cook probably believes that because we're (allegedly) the 'richest' State with mining then no one should be poor.

Disgraceful stuff.

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Nothing new - for every rise there is an equal or greater rise in costs of living...