This graph shows the poverty rates for people in households whose reference person receives an income support payment.

2017-18: For all payments, poverty rates average 28% based on the 50% median income poverty line and 46% based on the 60% median income poverty line. The highest poverty rates are for Newstart Allowance recipients (57% based on 50% median income poverty line and 67% based on 60% median income poverty line) and for Parenting Payment (54% based on 50% median income poverty line and 72% based on 60% median income poverty line). Poverty rates in households where the reference person receives Youth Allowance are slightly lower but still substantial (at 43% based on both the 50% and 60% median income poverty lines). 41% of people in households whose reference person receives Disability Support Pension are in poverty (55% using 60% median income poverty line), while 20% of people in households whose reference person receives Carer Payment are below the poverty line (38% when the 60% of median income poverty line is used). Among people in households whose reference person receives the Age Pension, 15% are in poverty (35% using the 60% of median income poverty line).
2015-16: For all payments, poverty rates average 26% based on the 50% median income poverty line and 44% based on the 60% median income poverty line. The highest poverty rates are for Youth Allowance recipients (64% based on 50% median income poverty line and 70% based on 60% median income poverty line). These households would generally receive the “living away from home” rate of Youth Allowance, so the young person (aged up to 25 if a full-time student) would be living away from the parental home. A majority of households receiving Newstart Allowance or Parenting Payment are living in poverty. Those dependent on Newstart Allowance have a rate of 55% based on 50% median income and 67% based on 60% median income. Those dependent on Parenting Payment have a rate of 52% using 50% median income and 68% using 60% median income poverty line. More than one-third of people in households whose reference person receives Disability Support Pension is in poverty (36% using 50% median income and 56% using 50% median income poverty line), while 17% of people in households whose reference person receives Carer Payment are below the poverty line (42% when the 60% of median income poverty line is used). Among people in households whose reference person receives the Age Pension, 12% are in poverty (32% using the 60% of median income poverty line).