Federal Budget 2022: One-off payment gives relief to older Australians

Older Australians struggling to stretch their household budgets further will be among the main beneficiaries of a one-off $250 payment.

While not aimed at seniors alone, the cost-of-living payment will benefit many older Aussies, mostly pensioners, but also carers, veterans, eligible self-funded retirees and concession card holders.

Treasurer Josh Frydenberg said that coupled with existing indexation arrangements, the payment would see a single pensioner receive more than $500 in additional support in the next six months.

A $525.3 million investment to lower safety-net thresholds for the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme by the equivalent of 12 fully priced scripts for concession card holders will also provide some relief for eligible older Australians.

The Government will inject another $522m into aged care in the second year of its five-year plan to reform the system.

Mr Frydenberg said under the plan 40,000 new home care packages to enable seniors to live in their own homes for longer, 34,000 additional training places, 7000 new personal care workers and 8400 respite services would be rolled out this calendar year.

An additional $5.4m will allow consultation and development of the new Support at Home program.

The Budget also provides more than $340m to embed pharmacy services within residential aged care facilities.

And a $22.1m trial of multidisciplinary outreach services will offer hospital-led access to health specialists for people living in residential aged care facilities.