Cost of living relief

Families

In July 2023, we lifted the maximum childcare subsidy for the first child in child care to 90%, making child care cheaper for more than one million families and reducing barriers for parents to work. Find out if you’re eligible to claim the subsidy and how much your family will save with cheaper child care.

On 20 September 2023, we expanded access to the single parent payment so it covers families until the youngest turns 14, up from 8. Find out if your family is eligible for the single parent payment.

We’re making the biggest boost to paid parental leave since the scheme was introduced. Starting from 2024, we’ll increase paid parental leave by two weeks every year until it reaches a full 6 months. And we’re making the leave more flexible, so parents have more choice on how and when they take their leave. Find out about how your family can access paid parental leave.

Energy bill relief

We’re shielding Australians from the worst impacts of energy price increases. We’re working with state and territory governments to provide up to $500 of energy bill relief for more than 5 million households, and up to $650 for eligible small businesses. Find out what support is available in your state and territory for energy bill relief.

We’re also providing incentives to help small and medium sized businesses save energy and save on their bills. Find out how your business can access the Small Business Energy Incentive.

Health and Medicare

We’re making medicine cheaper. On 1 January 2023, we reduced the maximum amount you’ll pay for PBS medicines. Find out more and check if your medicine is on the PBS.

We've cut medicine costs further with 60-day prescriptions. Since 1 September 2023, Australians with eligible prescriptions are able to collect twice the medication for the cost of a single prescription. Find out if your prescription is eligible.

We’re opening more than 50 Medicare Urgent Care Clinics around the country, so that more Australians can better access the care they need. These new bulk-billed clinics will be open 7 days a week with extended hours, and all you’ll need is your Medicare card. Find a Medicare Urgent Care Clinic near you.

We’re making the biggest-ever investment in bulk billing. It will help more than 11 million Australians see the doctor for free. Find out more about bulk-billed GP appointments. Find out more about bulk-billed GP appointments.

Income support

From 20 September 2023, we're increasing income support for more than 1 million Australians receiving JobSeeker, Austudy, Youth Allowance and other income support payments. Find out more about eligibility for income support and whether your payment is increasing.

Housing

We’re providing the largest increase to rent assistance in 30 years. We’re delivering a better deal for renters through National Cabinet. And we’re building more affordable and social rental homes, with an additional $2 billion in financing for community housing providers, on top of the $2 billion Social Housing Accelerator. Find out more about how to apply for Commonwealth Rent Assistance.

We’ve expanded Home Guarantee Scheme eligibility with 50,000 new places available, helping more Australians into their own home. Find out if you’re eligible and how to apply through the Eligibility tool.

And we’re increasing supply of housing. We’re providing incentives to increase build-to-rent accommodation, we’ve made up to $575 million available for social and affordable homes by widening the remit of the National Housing Infrastructure Facility, and our $10 billion Housing Australia Future Fund will build 30,000 affordable and social homes.

Wages and employment

Since 1 July 2023, 2.7 million workers on awards have received a pay rise. Minimum wage workers got an 8.6% total boost, the largest increase they have ever been awarded. And 250,000 aged care workers received an historic 15% pay rise. Check your pay rate and find out what changes apply to your pay this financial year.

If you are currently unemployed and looking for work, you may be eligible for income support payments. We are increasing the rate of JobSeeker and other income support payments by $40 per fortnight. Find out more about eligibility for income support and whether your payment is increasing.

We know mature-aged Australians on Jobseeker face additional barriers to work. That’s why we're providing additional support for unemployed Australians aged 55 to 59 who have been on the payment for nine continuous months. Find out if you are eligible and how to access JobSeeker payment.

We’re also making it easier for older Australians to work if they choose to do so, by making the Work Bonus permanent. It means that if pensioners choose to return to work, or work more their earning will have less of an impact on their pension.

Education

We're delivering 480,000 fee-free TAFE places to help get Australians into secure, well-paid jobs. 180,000 fee-free TAFE places were available from 1 January 2023, with an additional 300,000 places from January 2024. Find out more about which TAFE courses are fee-free and enrol now.

We increased the rate of Austudy, Youth Allowance and other similar income support payments on 20 September 2023. These have also increased with indexation on 1 January 2024. Find out more about eligibility for income support and whether your payment is increasing.

Small business

We’re supporting small businesses with our energy relief plan that provides up to $3 billion in electricity relief to eligible small businesses. Find out if your business is eligible for energy relief.

We’re also introducing a Small Business Energy Incentive to support small businesses to upgrade their facilities and save on their energy bills. Find out how your business can access the Small Business Energy Incentive.

And we’re improving small business cash flows and reducing compliance by temporarily increasing the instant asset write off threshold to $20,000 for businesses with up to $10 million for one year. Find out if your business can claim the instant asset write-off.