Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
AAP
AAP
Politics
Daniel McCulloch

Two more pension cash payments in budget

The federal budget will include two extra cash payments for pensioners and other welfare recipients. (AAP)

Pensioners struggling through the coronavirus pandemic will soon receive another two lump sum cash payments.

Tuesday night's federal budget has locked in an additional $250 payment for pensioners in December and another $250 cheque in March next year.

The money will go to aged and disability pensioners, veterans, people on carer payments and family tax benefit recipients.

Commonwealth seniors health card and pensioner concession card holders are also in line for the cash.

Pensioners usually receive an automatic indexation increase twice a year.

But because the coronavirus pandemic has plunged inflation into negative territory, the pension has been frozen for the first time since 1997.

Labor has been calling on the Morrison government to reverse the freeze, arguing it is the worst possible time to put the squeeze on the household budgets of seniors and the most vulnerable.

Treasurer Josh Frydenberg vowed to work through the issues facing pensioners in the lead-up to the federal budget, and made good on his promise Tuesday night.

Pensioners have already received two $750 cash payments since the virus swept the country.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.