Is There a Cost of Living Payment in 2026?
No. There is no Commonwealth cost of living payment in 2026. Services Australia says the Cost of Living Payment stopped from 30 June 2023, and the federal Energy Bill Relief Fund ended on 31 December 2025. What does happen is the regular indexation of existing payments — most recently on 20 September 2026 — plus state and territory concessions.
What Stopped
| Payment | Status | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Cost of Living Payment (Commonwealth) | Stopped from 30 June 2023. It was not taxable. | Services Australia |
| Energy Bill Relief Fund — 2025 extension | Up to $150 per household, two $75 instalments, 1 July – 31 December 2025. Ended 31 December 2025. | energy.gov.au |
| Energy Bill Relief Fund — 2024-25 | Up to $300 per household | energy.gov.au |
What Does Exist in 2026
1. Indexation of Centrelink payments
Pensions and most allowances rise on 20 March and 20 September. The 20 September 2026 increase is already being paid:
| Maximum per fortnight | To 19 Sep 2026 | From 20 Sep 2026 | Increase |
|---|---|---|---|
| JobSeeker, single no children | $808.70 | $824.90 | +$16.20 |
| JobSeeker, partnered (each) | $740.30 | $755.10 | +$14.80 |
| Age Pension / Carer Payment, single (total) | $1,200.90 | $1,237.70 | +$36.80 |
| Age Pension / Carer Payment, couple each (total) | $905.20 | $933.00 | +$27.80 |
From the DSS rates list for the 20 September 2026 indexation and Services Australia's rate pages. Parenting Payment Single is $1,068.20 from 20 September 2026. Austudy and Youth Allowance index on 1 January; Family Tax Benefit on 1 July.
2. Rent Assistance
If you pay rent and get an eligible payment, Rent Assistance adds up to $223.80 a fortnight for a single person with no children (from 20 September 2026).
3. State and territory concessions
States run their own rebates for concession card holders. One that is paid as cash: South Australia's Cost of Living Concession — $270.60 for 2026-27, paid between August and December to eligible tenants and homeowners on low or fixed incomes (apply by 31 December). For your state's energy rebates, use the energy.gov.au rebates finder.
4. One-off help if something goes wrong
A Crisis Payment (one week of your payment's basic rate) after an extreme circumstance, or an advance of part of your payment, repaid over 13 fortnights.
Related Calculators and Guides
- Centrelink income test guide — free areas, tapers and cut-offs for every payment
- Carer Payment calculator — the pension-rate payment with the 100-hour work rule
- Carer Allowance — the fortnightly supplement and its $250,000 income limit
- Centrelink advance payment calculator — how much you can borrow and what comes off each fortnight
- Crisis Payment — the one-off payment after an extreme circumstance
- Centrelink debt — overpayments, refunds and the income apportionment scheme
- Paid Parental Leave calculator — 26 weeks from 1 July 2026, days, split and super
- JobSeeker payment calculator — what you keep when you work part-time
- Age Pension calculator — rates from 20 September 2026 and the income test, with the Work Bonus
- Age Pension assets test calculator — limits, the $3-per-$1,000 taper and which test applies
- Deeming rates and calculator — 1.75% and 3.75% from 20 September 2026
- Disability Support Pension calculator — rates, the income test and the 29-hour work rule
- Commonwealth Seniors Health Card — the income limit, deeming and a quick eligibility check
- Child Care Subsidy calculator — your CCS % on family income and the gap fee
- Parenting Payment calculator — single and partnered
- Fortnightly pay calculator — the gross fortnightly figure Centrelink asks for
How this calculator works▼
- Checked on 23 September 2026: Services Australia's Cost of Living Payment page, energy.gov.au's Energy Bill Relief Fund page, and the SA Cost of Living Concession page. We will update this page if a new payment is announced.
- Rates come from lib constants verified against the DSS 20 September 2026 rates list and Services Australia. Pay Calculator Australia is not a government site.
Frequently Asked Questions
Cost of living payment 2026 questions and answers
Is there a cost of living payment in 2026?
No Commonwealth cost of living payment exists in 2026. Services Australia says the Cost of Living Payment stopped from 30 June 2023, and the federal Energy Bill Relief Fund ended on 31 December 2025. Posts promising a "$2,200" or similar 2026 Centrelink cost of living payment are not backed by any Services Australia announcement.
Is the $2,200 Centrelink cost of living payment real?
There is no such payment on servicesaustralia.gov.au. The regular increases that do happen are indexation of existing payments on 20 March and 20 September (and 1 January or 1 July for some payments). If a site, message or caller asks for your myGov or bank details to receive a cost of living payment, check with Services Australia before giving anything — it is not how real payments are made.
What help with the cost of living is actually available?
Indexation of pensions and allowances (20 September 2026 was the latest), Rent Assistance with an eligible payment, concession cards, and state and territory rebates and concessions — for example South Australia's Cost of Living Concession of $270.60 for 2026-27. energy.gov.au lists the state and territory energy rebates you may be eligible for.
Did the energy bill rebate continue into 2026?
No. The final extension paid up to $150 per household in two $75 instalments from 1 July to 31 December 2025, after up to $300 in 2024-25. energy.gov.au says the Energy Bill Relief Fund ended on 31 December 2025.
No Commonwealth cost of living payment exists in 2026. Services Australia says the Cost of Living Payment stopped from 30 June 2023, and the federal Energy Bill Relief Fund ended on 31 December 2025. Posts promising a "$2,200" or similar 2026 Centrelink cost of living payment are not backed by any Services Australia announcement.
There is no such payment on servicesaustralia.gov.au. The regular increases that do happen are indexation of existing payments on 20 March and 20 September (and 1 January or 1 July for some payments). If a site, message or caller asks for your myGov or bank details to receive a cost of living payment, check with Services Australia before giving anything — it is not how real payments are made.
Indexation of pensions and allowances (20 September 2026 was the latest), Rent Assistance with an eligible payment, concession cards, and state and territory rebates and concessions — for example South Australia's Cost of Living Concession of $270.60 for 2026-27. energy.gov.au lists the state and territory energy rebates you may be eligible for.
No. The final extension paid up to $150 per household in two $75 instalments from 1 July to 31 December 2025, after up to $300 in 2024-25. energy.gov.au says the Energy Bill Relief Fund ended on 31 December 2025.
Sources & References
- 1Cost of Living Payment— Services Australia
- 2Energy Bill Relief Fund— energy.gov.au (DCCEEW)
- 3Rebates and assistance— energy.gov.au (DCCEEW)
- 4Cost of living concession— Government of South Australia
- 5Social Security Payment Parameters — 20 September 2026 indexation— Department of Social Services
- 6How much JobSeeker Payment you can get— Services Australia
- 7How much Age Pension you can get— Services Australia
Last verified: 23 September 2026. Our content is based on the latest information from official Australian government sources.
Anita Bell
AuthorFounder & Senior Bookkeeper
Accountancy degree (2015); certified in Xero, QuickBooks Online, MYOB, Saasu, Zoho and Reckon One
Anita Bell earned her accountancy degree in 2015 and has worked as a senior bookkeeper with Prime Bookkeeping for over 5 years. This built her skills in Australian and New Zealand tax legislation and industry regulations. She is certified in Xero, QuickBooks Online, MYOB, Saasu, Zoho and Reckon One, and works with payroll and rostering software including Gusto, Deputy, Tsheets and KeyPay. She has strong experience in hospitality, building and construction, financial services, real estate, ecommerce, and medical and health services.
Areas of Expertise
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