Budget 2023: Albanese raises Centrelink single parenting payment age cut off from 8 to 14

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has confirmed he will increase the single parental benefit page in the 2023 budget.

Single parents are now entitled to parental benefit (single) financial assistance until their child is 14 years old in a $1.9 billion budget commitment.

The decision has been highly tipped in recent weeks and has been described as an opportunity for Mr Albanese to reflect on decisions made by his party in the past, after they cut household income for single parents by $200 every fortnight in 2012 .

The Prime Minister said in 2013 ‘the single parent payment is an area where we have made a mistake’.

Under the previous policy, single parents were taken off the plan and transferred to JobSeeker when their child was just eight.

Mr Albanese said: ‘Many single parents – mostly women – struggle to balance caring responsibilities and work.

“Those difficulties don’t stop when their child turns eight.”

The updated plan will take effect on September 20 of this year.

Under the new policy, single parents currently on JobSeeker will receive an additional $176.90 every two weeks.

In total, about 57,000 single parents (90 percent of whom are women) will benefit. Payment is $922.10 every two weeks.

Single parents are now entitled to parental benefit (single) financial support until their child is 14 years old in a $1.9 billion budget commitment

“By the age of 14, children are typically used to secondary school and need less parental supervision, and single parents are in a much stronger position to take on paid work,” the prime minister said.

Historically, the single parent’s benefit was for single people with children up to age 16.

But former Prime Minister John Howard, later supported by Julia Gillard, lowered the age to eight in a bid to get parents back to work.

Two advisory bodies have urged the government to extend the fee and eligibility criteria.

It is clear that reciprocal obligation requirements will still remain in place to encourage parents to return to work.

Speaking about the decision on Nova radio in Perth on Monday morning, the Prime Minister said he knew ‘first hand what it is like growing up with a struggling single mother’.

“We want to care for single parents because we know the role they play in raising their children is such a priority for them and they deserve more support,” he said.

Click here to read more about what to expect in Tuesday’s budget