Superannuitants to receive CPI increase - no-one will be cut

  • Roger Sowry
Social Services, Work and Income

"We don't know exactly how much the increase to married couples superannuation will be on April 1 yet, because we are only working on forecast CPI," Mr Sowry said. "That figure will not be be available until March."

Every year on April 1 the married couples rate is increased by CPI. Then the single sharing and the single living alone rates are adjusted so they remain at 60% and 65.57% of that new married rate respectively.

"There's nothing new in this formula for adjusting the rates, in fact it's been done this way for many years. It's all about keeping all superannuitants and veterans' payments in proportion to each other - as we're required to do by law."

Tax cuts earlier this year resulted in changes to the rates of superannuation where single superannuitants benefited more from tax cuts, said the Minster of Social Services, Work and Income the Hon Roger Sowry.

"Because single superannuitants and veterans got more back from the tax cuts, it's been marginally unfair to married people, but that's expected to come back into line on April 1 next year."