South Australians eligible for the State Government's Cost of Living Concession (COLC) are encouraged to apply to receive their annual $261.90 payment this festive season.
The Malinauskas government has already paid out over $58 million through the COLC in the 2025-26 financial year, helping more than 222,000 tenants and homeowners on low or fixed incomes to afford general living expenses such as council rates and electricity.
New customers must apply by 31 December to receive the concession for this financial year. Previous customers do not need to reapply if their living and income circumstances have not changed. If you have already signed up, you would have received your payment earlier this year. Please note: the concession is paid once per year.
In January 2025, the scope of the COLC was extended to include renters and landlords living in shared accommodation settings by removing the co-resident income assessment.
The change was introduced because of the 2023 Concessions Review, which found some people couldn't access the payment because their housemates earned more than the fixed income limits, or they were holding a different type of tenancy agreement.
For example, two women aged in their 50s are share house tenants:
Sarah receives the JobSeeker payment and is looking for work.
Kelly earns $50,000 per year as a care worker.
Kelly's income previously meant that Sarah was ineligible for the COLC, even though she is responsible for her share of the household costs.
Under the changes, Sarah is now eligible for the Cost of Living Concession.
Another example is an older single parent living with their adult child:
Denise receives the Disability Support Pension, while her son Brad earns $47,000 per year working in hospitality.
Denise was previously ineligible for the COLC because of Brad's income, even though she is the head tenant and responsible for household costs.
Under the changes, Denise can now apply for the Cost of Living Concession.
For more information, call the Concessions Hotline on 1800 307 758 or visit: https://www.sa.gov.au/topics/care-and-support/concessions.
As put by Nat Cook
The festive season can be a tough time for many people who are already struggling to afford day-to-day living expenses.
By filling out just one form, low-income earners can apply for all four household concessions: Cost of Living, energy, water and sewerage, and emergency services.
This $261.90 payment can make a big difference when money is tight.
We're encouraging anyone who is eligible and hasn't lodged their application yet to get in before the year ends so they can pay for the essentials every South Australian needs to get by.
Attributable COTA SA Chief Executive Miranda Starke
Cost of living pressures continue to be the number one concern for older South Australians and have been for a long time.
COTA SA has warmly welcomed improvements to concessions over recent years, particularly the increase in payments for renters and for older people living in shared households. There are now more older renters than ever before and making concessions more equitable is an important step forward.
Some older people may not be aware that they are eligible for certain concessions. If you have recently become eligible, it's important to apply so you don't miss out on a payment at a time of year when the extra support could make a real difference. No one should miss out on supports that they're entitled to.
If you're an older person struggling to keep up with rising costs, we encourage you to call the concessions hotline to check what assistance you may be able to receive.
