People anxious about having JobKeeper payments reduced or withdrawn are being urged to check their eligibility for the dole.
JobKeeper wage subsidies are being cut in two steps from Sept. 28.
Payments for full-time staff are being slashed from $1500 to $1200 per fortnight, while people who usually worked less than 20 hours a week before the coronavirus pandemic will receive $750 every two weeks.
Social Services Minister Anne Ruston encouraged anyone concerned about having their income reduced to investigate JobSeeker unemployment benefits.
“We have temporarily put arrangements in place so that our social security safety net is not just for people who have lost their jobs,” Senator Ruston said on Sept. 21.
“It is able to provide a cushion for people who have had or fear their hours or income will be reduced.”
JobKeeper recipients on $1200 per fortnight may be eligible for a partial JobSeeker payment, lifting their total income to $1476.
People receiving JobKeeper at the part-time rate of $750 per fortnight could receive another $546 in unemployment benefits, boosting their incomes to $1295.
Families with children who receive JobSeeker payments automatically qualify for the full family tax benefit rate and may be eligible for rent assistance and other supports.
