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CENTRAL COAST
REGIONAL SNAPSHOT
2016
Income Support
Analysis of the Department of Social Services (March, 2016) data
indicates that 27.53% of the population in the Central Coast were
in receipt of an income support payment. This was larger than
the state and national figures (both approximately 23% per cent).
The Wyong area had the largest proportion of its population
(30.33%) in receipt of an income support payment.
The percentage of the Central Coast population receiving
unemployment benefits (Newstart) was 3.54% compared with
NSW (2.91%) and Australia (3.23%). Similarly, the Working Age
Population (15-64 year age range) of the
Central Coast had a larger percentage of its population receiving
unemployment benefits (5.80%) compared with NSW (4.44%) and
Australia (4.88%).
The department of human services defines an income support
payment as any of the following payments: ABSTUDY, Age
Pension, Austudy, Bereavement Allowance, Carer Payment,
Disability Support Pension, Farm Household Allowance, Newstart
Allowance, Parenting Payment, Partner Allowance, Sickness
Allowance, Special Benefit, Widow Allowance, Widow B Pension,
Wife Pension, Youth Allowance.
Sustainable Communities and Population Growth
INCOME SUPPORT
SEIFA INDEX OF DISADVANTAGE
Centrelink Income Support
Payment
Newstart Allowance
Population (15-64) on a
Newstart Allowance
Area
% of area population
% of area Working Age
Gosford
24.93%
2.98%
4.84%
Wyong
30.33%
4.15%
6.85%
Central Coast
27.53%
3.54%
5.80%
New South Wales
22.20%
2.91%
4.44%
Australia
22.91%
3.23%
4.88%
SEIFA Index of Disadvantage
SEIFA Index of Disadvantage measures the relative level
of socio-economic disadvantage based on a range of
Census characteristics. A higher score on the index means
a lower level of disadvantage. A lower score on the index means
a higher level of disadvantage.
Analysis of the SEIFA Index shows that the Central Coast region
has pockets of extreme disadvantage particularly in
the north of the region with the former Wyong LGA scoring 942
for a rank of 191 out of the 564 Australian LGA and 56 out of
the 153. This equates to Wyong LGA being in the top third most
disadvantaged areas of the country.
Whilst the former Gosford LGA ranks higher with a score of
1001, infrastructure upgrades are required to benefit the entire
NSW Central Coast region by encouraging economic growth
and job opportunities.
LGA
SEIFA Index of Disadvantage
Rank out of 153 NSW LGAs
Former Gosford LGA
1006.3
39
Former Wyong LGA
951.7
99
Central Coast
980.1
SOURCE:
income support - (DSS 2016)
SOURCE:
SEIFA - NIEIR (ABS 2011)