Cost of Living Relief 2026: Every Government Payment and Rebate Available Now

There's been a lot of noise about cost of living relief over the past two years, and it can be hard to separate what's still active from what's expired. As of March 2026, the Australian Government (along with state and territory governments) has a range of measures in place designed to ease pressure on household budgets. Some are automatic, some require application, and some you might not even know you're eligible for.

The key federal measures currently in effect include energy bill rebates, increased Commonwealth Rent Assistance, expanded bulk billing incentives for Medicare, and various social security payment increases. State governments have their own additional rebates and concessions on top of these.

One of the biggest frustrations for Australians is that eligibility varies widely depending on your income, household composition, location, and whether you receive other government payments. There's no single portal that tells you everything you qualify for — you often have to check multiple agencies across federal and state levels.

This guide consolidates the major cost of living supports available right now, who qualifies, and how to access them. If you're not claiming everything you're entitled to, you could be leaving hundreds or even thousands of dollars on the table each year.

The federal Energy Bill Relief Fund has been one of the most widely accessed cost of living measures. Under the scheme, eligible households receive a rebate applied directly to their electricity bills. The rebate is typically applied in quarterly instalments rather than as a lump sum, so it reduces each bill rather than providing a one-off payment.

Eligibility for the federal energy rebate generally includes holders of a Commonwealth concession card (Pensioner Concession Card, Health Care Card, Commonwealth Seniors Health Card), as well as some small business customers. The exact amount varies by state and territory because state governments have topped up the federal rebate with their own additional amounts.

In New South Wales, eligible households can access both the federal rebate and the NSW Low Income Household Rebate, which provides additional savings on electricity bills. In Victoria, the Victorian Energy Compare program and the Victorian Default Offer provide further protection. Queensland has historically offered generous electricity rebates to all households, though the specifics change with each state budget.

South Australia, Western Australia, Tasmania, the ACT, and the Northern Territory all have their own energy concession schemes that stack on top of federal support. In WA, the Household Electricity Credit has been applied automatically to Synergy customer accounts.

Action step: If you hold any type of concession card, contact your electricity retailer to confirm the rebate is being applied. Many eligible households miss out simply because the rebate wasn't automatically linked to their account. You can also check your state government's cost of living website for additional rebates specific to your location.

Commonwealth Rent Assistance (CRA) is a non-taxable payment for people receiving certain Centrelink payments who rent in the private market. It's paid on top of your primary payment (such as JobSeeker, Parenting Payment, Age Pension, Youth Allowance, or Family Tax Benefit Part A at more than the base rate).

The government increased CRA by 15% in September 2023 and followed up with further increases as part of ongoing cost of living measures. As of March 2026, the maximum CRA rate for a single person with no children is approximately $188.20 per fortnight. For a couple with one or two children, it's approximately $222.44 per fortnight. These amounts are indexed and adjusted periodically.

CRA is calculated based on how much rent you pay, with a minimum rent threshold before it kicks in and a maximum rate cap. You receive 75 cents for every dollar of rent above the threshold, up to the maximum rate. If your rent is below the threshold, you get nothing. If your rent is very high, you still only get the maximum — CRA doesn't scale infinitely with rent costs.

To receive CRA, you must be receiving an eligible Centrelink payment, renting in the private market (not public housing), and paying more than the minimum rent threshold. If you're already receiving an eligible payment, CRA should be assessed automatically when you update your rent details through myGov or your Centrelink online account.

Common mistake: Many people don't update their rent amount when it increases, meaning their CRA stays at a lower level than they're entitled to. If your rent has gone up in the past 12 months, log into myGov and update your accommodation details immediately.

Healthcare costs are a significant budget item, and the government has invested heavily in expanding bulk billing to reduce out-of-pocket expenses for GP visits. The tripling of the Medicare bulk billing incentive — introduced in November 2023 — has had a measurable impact, with bulk billing rates for GP visits climbing back up after years of decline.

Under the enhanced incentive, GPs receive a substantially higher Medicare rebate for bulk-billed consultations with children under 16 and concession card holders. Many practices that had moved away from bulk billing have returned to it for these patient groups. For adults without concession cards, bulk billing availability varies by location and practice.

Beyond GP visits, the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) caps the cost of most prescription medications. The general patient co-payment is approximately $31.60 per script, while concession card holders pay approximately $7.70. Once you hit the PBS Safety Net threshold in a calendar year (approximately $1,637.20 for general patients or $262.80 for concession holders), your co-payment drops further or medications become free for the remainder of the year.

If you're paying for multiple prescriptions, ask your pharmacist about the PBS Safety Net and ensure you're tracking your expenditure. Many pharmacies can check your Safety Net balance and let you know when you're approaching the threshold.

Other healthcare savings to check: your private health insurance extras cover (are you using all your included benefits like dental, optical, and physio before your annual limit resets?), and whether you qualify for the Commonwealth Seniors Health Card if you're of Age Pension age but don't receive the pension.

The Stage 3 tax cuts that took effect from 1 July 2024 are now delivering ongoing savings for all taxpayers. If you earn $80,000, you're paying approximately $1,429 less in tax compared to 2023-24 rates. At $120,000, the saving is approximately $2,679. At $150,000, it's approximately $3,729. These savings are already reflected in your take-home pay through adjusted PAYG withholding.

Family Tax Benefit (FTB) Parts A and B provide ongoing support for families with children. FTB Part A is income-tested and paid per child, with rates varying by age. FTB Part B provides additional support for single-parent families and families with one main income. Both are adjusted for inflation annually. If your income has decreased this year, your FTB entitlement may have increased — update your income estimate through myGov.

The Child Care Subsidy (CCS) was significantly increased from July 2023, with families earning under $80,000 receiving a 90% subsidy and the subsidy tapering more gradually for higher incomes. Families with multiple children in care receive a higher subsidy for their second and subsequent children. If you haven't reviewed your CCS rate recently, it's worth checking whether changes to your income or care arrangements mean you qualify for a higher subsidy.

Low-income earners may also qualify for the Low Income Tax Offset (LITO), which provides up to $700 in tax offset for taxable incomes below $66,668. This is applied automatically when you lodge your tax return — you don't need to claim it separately. Combined with the Stage 3 cuts, many low-to-middle income earners are seeing meaningful tax relief.

Each state and territory government operates its own concession and rebate schemes, and these are frequently overlooked. Here's a snapshot of what's available beyond the federal programs.

NSW: Active & Creative Kids Vouchers ($50 per child per year for sport or creative activities), Toll Relief program (cashback on toll spending above $60/week), Energy Accounts Payment Assistance (EAPA) vouchers for hardship, and water and council rate concessions for pensioners and low-income earners.

Victoria: Power Saving Bonus payments (periodic one-off payments to eligible households), Victorian Patient Transport Assistance Scheme, school camps and excursions fund for concession card holders, and the Utility Relief Grant Scheme for those experiencing hardship paying utility bills.

Queensland: Electricity rebates historically among the most generous in the country, Cost of Living Rebate for concession holders, water and sewerage subsidies, and school transport assistance. South Australia: Cost of Living Concession for eligible residents, Emergency Electricity Payment Scheme, and council rate concessions.

Western Australia: Energy Assistance Payment, Hardship Utility Grant Scheme (HUGS), Patient Assisted Travel Scheme, and various concessions administered through the WA Seniors Card. Tasmania: Energy rebate through Aurora Energy, rate remission schemes, and the Tasmanian Government Concession Card.

The common thread: you usually need to hold a concession card (Pensioner Concession Card, Health Care Card, Low Income Health Care Card, or Commonwealth Seniors Health Card) to access state concessions. If you think you might qualify for a concession card but don't currently hold one, check your eligibility through Services Australia — the card itself unlocks discounts across transport, utilities, council rates, and more.

The single best starting point is the Services Australia Payment and Service Finder at servicesaustralia.gov.au. This tool asks a series of questions about your situation and generates a list of payments and concessions you may be eligible for. It takes about 10 minutes and covers federal payments comprehensively.

For state-level concessions, search for your state government's cost of living or concessions page. Most states have consolidated directories: NSW has the Service NSW Cost of Living page, Victoria has the Victorian Government's Savings Finder tool, and Queensland has the Queensland Government concessions portal.

If you're in financial hardship, contact the National Debt Helpline on 1800 007 007. It's free, confidential, and staffed by qualified financial counsellors who can assess your full situation and identify supports you might not be aware of. They can also negotiate with creditors and utility providers on your behalf.

For mortgage holders under stress, speak to your lender about hardship provisions. Under the Banking Code of Practice, banks are required to work with customers experiencing financial difficulty. Options can include temporary reduced repayments, interest-only periods, or payment pauses. Accessing hardship doesn't affect your credit score if managed through the formal hardship process.

Final thought: Many Australians leave money on the table because the system is fragmented and confusing. Spending an afternoon checking your eligibility across federal and state programs is one of the highest-return uses of your time. Even finding one or two rebates you weren't claiming could put $500-$2,000 back in your pocket annually.