Submission: Inquiry into the purpose, intent and adequacy of the Disability Support Pension

ACTCOSS has highlighted the additional costs of disability and costs of living in Canberra, barriers to obtaining payments, the lack of employment opportunities and powerful personal stories in our submission to the Inquiry into the purpose, intent and adequacy of the Disability Support Pension (DSP) to the Senate Community Affairs References Committee.

Our submission supports the position outlined by the Australian Council of Social Service (ACOSS) which is that if someone has a disability or chronic ill-health that prevents them from gaining or maintaining sufficient paid work, they should have access to DSP. We have joined calls for a Cost of Disability and Illness Supplement of at least $50 a week as well as reforms to remove traumatic and inappropriate barriers to accessing the payment.