This report argues that poverty is growing in Australia, with an estimated 2.5 million people or 13.9% of all people living below the internationally accepted poverty line.

Summary of key findings

• Poverty line (50% of median income) - for a single adult was $400 per week, for a couple with 2 children it was $841 per week;
• Poverty rate - 2,548,496 people (13.9% of all people) living below the poverty line, after taking account of their housing costs;
• Child poverty - 602,604 children (17.7% of all children) living below the poverty line;
• Income support - 40.1% of people on social security payments living below the poverty line. Includes 55.1% of those on Newstart Allowance, 50.6% on Youth Allowance; 47.2% on Parenting Payment, 48% on Disability Support Pension, 24.8% on Carer Payment, and 15.7% of those on Age Pension;
• Unemployed - 61.2% of people who are unemployed were living below the poverty line;
• Working poor - 33.2% of people below the poverty line came from a household with wages as their main income;
• Overall growth in poverty - Poverty increased between 2010 and 2012 by nearly one per cent (from 13% to 13.9).