LOCAL SENIORS AND CARERS RECEIVE BUDGET BONUSES
Thousands of senior Australians and carers in my electorate of Berowra will start receiving their Federal Budget bonuses this week.
“The Howard Government is delivering on its commitment to provide one-off non-taxable bonus payments to eligible carers and senior Australians at a total cost of about $1.7 billion,” Mr Ruddock said.
“The one-off payments will allow more than two million senior Australians and carers nationally to directly benefit from the Howard Government’s record budget surplus and continued strong economic management.
“Benefits like these bonuses provided to senior Australians and carers would not have been possible if we had not cleared Labor’s $96 billion debt and restored to budget to surplus.”
Payments will be made from Wednesday, 20th June and be completed by Friday, 29th June”
Payments include:
· Carer Payment recipients receive $1,000.
· Department of Veterans’ Affairs (DVA) Carer Service Pension recipients receive $1,000.
· Carer Allowance recipients who also receive Wife Pension or the DVA Partner Service Pension will also receive $1,000.
· Carer Allowance recipients receive $600 for each eligible care receiver.
· Senior Australians in receipt of Utilities Allowance receive $500
· Senior Australians eligible for the Senior Concessions Allowance receive $500.
A small number of Commonwealth Seniors Health Card customers will receive their payments by cheque, as they have not provided bank account details to Centrelink.
“Carers and senior Australians play an important role in our society and it is appropriate that they share the benefit of strong economic management through these one-off payments,” Philip Ruddock said.