Hopes rise for single parent payment increase as Labor aims to ‘support the most vulnerable’ in budget

Finance minister Katy Gallagher says government working through reports that recommend eligibility changes to payment

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The May federal budget will aim to support the most vulnerable Australians", the finance minister, Katy Gallagher has said, raising expectations the Albanese government will do more to help single parents amid calls for payments to be lifted.

Two advisory groups have recommended that the single parent payment be extended through eligibility changes. The women's economic equality taskforce and the economic inclusion advisory panel recommend raising the children's cutoff age above eight years old - the point at which single parents are shifted to the less generous jobseeker payment.

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