Figure 6: Weekly Household Income, 2010 to 2014
30.0%
25.0%
2014
2010
20.0%
15.0%
10.0%
5.0%
0.0%
<$200 $200-299$300-399$400-499$500-599$600-699$700-799 $800+
The majority of survey respondents indicated they had access to all of this income (84%). However, this is significantly lower
compared to the results from the 2010 survey where 96% indicated they had access to all of this income.
Respondents were also asked if they were paying back a Centrelink loan or debt: 54.9% were paying a loan/debt, 26.6% were not
and 18.5% indicated this was not applicable to their circumstances. This is consistent with findings from the 2010 survey where
55% of respondents indicated they were paying back a Centrelink loan or debt.
Interruptions to Inco mes
Survey respondents were also asked whether they had experienced an interruption or reduction to their Centrelink payments
within the previous 12 months: 34%, or more than 1 in 3, had experienced an interruption or reduction, 48.1% had not and 17.9%
of respondents indicated this was not applicable for them. This is a considerably higher proportion of clients experiencing
Centrelink disruptions compared to the 2010 survey where 15% reported interruption over the previous 12 months. However, the
2014 results are comparable to the results recorded in 2006 (40%).
The period of interruption experienced by the survey respondents varied widely. One respondent indicated the interruption had
only started that week, however for the majority of respondents the payment interruptions had been long-term over several
months or remained ongoing. The results recorded for clients who participated in the 2014 survey were significantly different
from the 2010 survey. Almost two-thirds of the 2014 survey clients (64.8%) reported the period of interruption to their Centrelink
payments had been greater than 40 days compared to only 16.7% of the clients in 2010.
For those who had experienced a reduction to their Centrelink payments, one of the main reasons nominated by survey
respondents was due to the need to pay loan/debt repayments. Change in family circumstances was also identified by a number
of respondents.
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