Treasury Laws Amendment (Cost of Living Support and Other Measures) Act 2022 (14 of 2022)

Schedule 8   2022 cost of living payment

Social Security Act 1991

12   After Part 2.6C

Insert:

Part 2.6D - 2022 cost of living payment

Division 1 - 2022 cost of living payment

314 2022 cost of living payment

Qualification for payment

(1) A person is qualified for a 2022 cost of living payment if:

(a) subsection 316(2), (3) or (4) applies to the person on 29 March 2022; and

(b) the person is residing in Australia on 29 March 2022.

More than one entitlement

(2) A person may receive one payment only under this Division, regardless of how many times the person qualifies under this section.

(3) If:

(a) a 2022 cost of living payment under the ABSTUDY Scheme; or

(b) a 2022 cost of living payment under Division 1 of Part IIIK of the Veterans' Entitlements Act;

is paid to a person, no payment under this section can be paid to the person.

315 Amount of 2022 cost of living payment

The amount of a person's 2022 cost of living payment under this Division is $250.

Division 2 - Eligibility

316 Eligibility

(1) This section applies for the purposes of subsection 314(1).

Receipt of certain benefits

(2) This subsection applies to a person on a day if the person receives one of the following benefits in respect of that day:

(a) age pension;

(b) disability support pension;

(c) carer payment;

(d) parenting payment;

(e) youth allowance;

(f) austudy payment;

(g) jobseeker payment;

(h) special benefit;

(i) carer allowance;

(j) double orphan pension.

Note: References to youth allowance and jobseeker payment include references to farm household allowance: see section 93 of the Farm Household Support Act 2014.

Qualified for seniors health card

(3) This subsection applies to a person on a day if:

(a) the person makes a claim for a seniors health card under Division 1 of Part 3 of the Administration Act on or before that day; and

(b) the person does not withdraw that claim on or before that day; and

(c) the person is qualified for the card on that day.

Qualified for pensioner concession card

(4) This subsection applies to a person on a day if the person is qualified for a pensioner concession card on that day.