Cost of Living payments arriving

The annual Cost of Living Concession Payment of $261.90 will begin automatically arriving in the bank accounts of pensioners and other eligible recipients from this week.

It is expected a record number of South Australians will receive this support due to the State Government expanding eligibility with the abolishment of the co-resident income test. 

This change will mean that thousands of low-income renters who used to miss out on this payment because they had a housemate or co-tenant will now receive the concession.

The State Government also recently permanently doubled the Cost of Living Concession for renters and self-funded retirees and also announced around the clock free public transport for Seniors Card Holders as added support. 

The Cost of Living Concession this year is expected to deliver an estimated $60 million of direct assistance. 

The range of other measures to support low income South Australians include: 

• Reducing the cost of student MetroCards from $28 to $10;
• Increasing access to and the level of support available under the Emergency Electricity Payment Scheme, assisting an additional 1300 households experiencing bill hardship;
• Expanding access to the funeral assistance scheme by increasing the current asset threshold from $3000 to $4000;
• Improving access to Changing Places facilities for around 10,000 Companion Card holders;
• Improving the Home Dialysis Concession

You don't need to do anything if you received the COLC in your name before or were recently approved.

You'll automatically receive the next payment if you were eligible on 1 July this year.

Further payments will be made weekly to any new applicants who successfully apply after today, but before the cut-off for the 2025/26 payment on 31 December 2025.

For more information visit Concessions

or call the Concessions Hotline on 1800 307 758.