Approximately 210,000 South Australian households will this week receive the State Government's Cost of Living Concession (COLC) payment of $255.60 paid direct into their bank accounts.
The 2024-25 COLC payment provides immediate and targeted support to households on low or fixed incomes, as part of the State Government's commitment to help those most in need with cost-of-living support.
For the first time, payments made to tenants, and self-funded retirees who are Commonwealth Seniors Health Card holders, have been doubled to match the amount received by homeowner-occupiers.
Last year's amounts were $122 for tenant households and Commonwealth Seniors Health Card holders, and $243.90 for homeowner-occupier households.
It is expected approximately 56,000 tenant households and 14,000 households with a Commonwealth Seniors Health Card will benefit from this increased payment.
The State Budget handed down in June provided a $266.2 million cost of living relief package, which included a once-off additional payment of $243.90 paid automatically to all households which received the 2023-24 COLC payment.
The Budget package also included $36.6 million over four years to align the COLC for tenants and Commonwealth Seniors Health Card holders so all eligible households now receive the new standard amount of $255.60.
The payments, which total more than $53 million, should be cleared in bank accounts by the end of August.
The COLC is paid to one person per household. Assessment is based on an individual's circumstances on 1 July of the relevant financial year. Households don't need to reapply if they have received a COLC payment previously.
Applications can still be made for this financial year until 31 December 2024.
Recipients must:
- Live at the property
- Hold an eligible concession card, receive an eligible Centrelink payment, or meet low-income provisions.
Applications for the COLC can be made through the South Australian Government website sa.gov.au (type Cost of Living Concession into the search bar). Any new customers will receive payment as they apply (allowing for an approximate six-week processing time). The application form also includes the energy, water, sewerage and ESL concessions.
As put by Peter Malinauskas
In this year's State Budget, our government delivered the single largest cost-of-living assistance package in South Australia's history.
We know people are doing it tough and cost-of-living pressures are continuing to have an impact on many South Australians.
Our increased Cost of Living Concession payment, which for the first time will see tenants and eligible seniors receive the same amount as homeowner-occupiers, demonstrates our strong commitment to providing real cost-of-living relief to those who need it most.
In the past two months, our government will have issued more than $100 million in targeted cost-of-living relief to South Australian households.
AAs put by Nat Cook
When we came to Government in 2022, we made a commitment to review the concessions systems in South Australia to make it more equitable – and we are delivering.
I'm so pleased our 210,000 COLC payments will help people on low and fixed incomes with living expenses as the cost-of-living continues to bite.
All payments should be cleared in bank accounts by early next week. This includes everyone who received a payment last year and who is still eligible, as well as new applications which have been processed up to now.
Anyone who thinks they might be eligible for cost-of-living support should head to the sa.gov.au website to have a look at the eligibility criteria.
As put by Olivia Savvas, Member for Newland
We know that many people in our community are feeling the pinch with the cost of some essential items increasing significantly in recent times.
Every dollar counts and our government has shown that supporting South Australians with cost-of-living is a priority by doubling this COLC concession payment for both tenants and eligible seniors.
