Thought this article might be of interest, seeing there is so much being posted on pensions.

[quote] An OECD report on pensions has found Australia has one of the highest rates of poverty for people aged over 65.

The report welcomed the increase to the aged pension in the Budget.

But welfare groups have raised concerns that more low-income families will fall into poverty because of budget changes that will see smaller annual increases to some family tax benefit arrangements.

Community Services Minister Jenny Macklin says the benefits will keep pace with inflation.

"It will be slightly less than it would otherwise have been, but I do emphasise again that the maximum rates will still increase and they will still maintain their value in real terms compared to the consumer price index," she said.

"We are increasing the single rate of the age pension by $32.49 a week for single pensioners, $10.14 a week for pensioner couples combined.

"That will happen in September and it's one of the largest increases for single pensioners that we've seen for a very, very long time."


[/quote]

[url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/06/24/2606874.htm?section=justin]Source[/url]


[url=http://www.oecd.org/dataoecd/8/61/43071222.pdf]OECD Report[/url]