As a result of the regular twice-yearly indexation, pension payments including Age Pension and Disability Support Pension will rise by $6.10 a fortnight to $894.40 for singles and $4.60 a fortnight to $674.20 for each member of a couple.

People receiving Newstart Allowance while they look for work will also benefit from the increases of $3.20 per fortnight for singles with no children and $2.90 a fortnight each for members of a couple.

Recipients of Parenting Payment Single will receive an increase of $4.50 a fortnight.

Payment rates for pensions are allowances are adjusted twice a year, in March and September. Pension increases are linked to prices and wages, whilst allowances are linked to the Consumer Price Index.

These increases help pensioners and allowance recipients keep up with increases in living costs.

Rent Assistance rates also increase from next week and a range of income and assets limits for pensions and allowances will also increase as a result of indexation.

This includes higher to the income and assets test limits for age pensioners before their payments are affected. Details of new rates visit www.dss.gov.au/benefits-payments/indexation-rates-september-2017

The Nationals-Liberal Government is undertaking a concerted effort to make 1800RESPECT the best service of its type in the world. We completely turned around a system that was failing to help victims of domestic and family abuse and sexual assault. We are now continuing our process of improvement for 1800RESPECT and putting an extra $5 million a year into the service for until December 2019. In 2017-18 this will see $19.568 million in total provided to 1800RESPECT.