Welfare recipients skipping medication, meals and hot showers due to cost of living, Acoss survey finds

Peak welfare body and Greens recommend raise in income support payments but Albanese government rules out benefits increase in next month's budget

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Welfare recipients kept the heater off during winter and cannot afford medication or medical care as they struggle to meet the rising cost of living, a new survey has found.

An Australian Council of Social Service (Acoss) survey of 449 people living on the jobseeker, youth allowance and parenting payment included the dire" findings that those on Centrelink payments were skipping medication, meals and even having fewer hot showers.

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