This research summary brings together the findings from a Brotherhood of St Laurence study exploring how Australia’s jobactive employment services might better assist mature age jobseekers to get work.

Analysis of interviews with mature age jobseekers showed that there is disjunction between what these jobseekers say they need from employment services and what they get.

Analysis of interviews with jobactive staff showed that employment services staff face considerable challenges and competing demands.

To understand why people on low incomes do or do not take out insurance we need to understand their overall financial circumstances and the multiple risks they face.

In a changing employment and budgetary context, there is renewed interest in the concept of a basic income.