CONTENTS Page Introduction 1 Statistical Highlights 2 Tables 1. Labour Market Payments - Time Series 3 2. Newstart Allowees - Derivation of the job seeker population 4 3. Youth Allowees (other) - Derivation of the job seeker population 5 4. Job seekers receiving Newstart Allowance and Youth Allowance (other) - Time Series 6 5. Job seekers receiving Newstart Allowance and Youth Allowance (other) by State 7 6. Job seekers receiving Newstart Allowance and Youth Allowance (other) by Age and Sex 8 7. Job seekers receiving Newstart Allowance and Youth Allowance (other) by Service Zone and Service Centre 9 8. Job seekers receiving Newstart Allowance and Youth Allowance (other) by Fortnightly Earnings and Sex 23 Explanatory Notes 24 Glossary 30 Appendix 33 For More Information 36
From 1 July 1995 Partner Allowance has only been granted to persons who are dependent partners of pensioners and allowees and who were born before 1 July 1955, have no dependent children and have little or no recent workforce experience. Other dependent partners have to qualify for an income support payment in their own right, such as Newstart Allowance. Partner Allowance was introduced in October 1994, and was paid to partners of persons receiving Job Search Allowance, Newstart Allowance, Sickness Allowance or Special Benefit if certain eligibility criteria were satisfied. Youth Training Youth Training Allowance was replaced by Youth Allowance Allowance on 1 July 1998 (see Youth Allowance). Widow Allowance From 1 July 2005 Widow Allowance new grants may only be made to women born on or before 1 July 1955. Widow Allowance, introduced on 1 January 1995, is payable to females aged 50 years or over who have become widowed, divorced or separated since turning 40 years (50 prior to 20 March 1997), if they meet a number of other criteria relating to current marital status and recent work experience. Mature Age Allowance From 20 October 2003, Mature Age Allowance was closed to new claimants. The payment ceased by October 2008 . Mature Age Allowance was introduced on 24 March 1994, and was paid to long-term unemployed persons aged 60 years and over (but below Age Pension age) who had been receiving income support for 9 months or more and who were eligible for Newstart Allowance. The introduction of Mature Age Allowance had a downwards effect on Newstart Allowance numbers from April 1994 until October 2003. Comparability of Data There have been significant changes to the data presented in this publication due to a number of events. The main changes are: the method of counting recipients; the inclusion of some CDEP recipients in the total recipient numbers; the introduction of Youth Allowance in July 1998; the way ‘job seeker’ is defined; the way duration is calculated; and the eligibility for Newstart Allowance and Youth Allowance (other) from July 2012. the cessation of grandfathered Parenting Payment provisions, which saw an increase in the number of Newstart recipients in January 2013. People using this data to construct time series should note the following comments. Definition of Recipients From July 2002, the number of people receiving labour market and related payments reports recipients who are both eligible and entitled to receive a payment. These recipients are otherwise known as ‘current’ recipients.