Why are benefit numbers still high, relative to the low unemployment rate?

There was rapid growth in both the unemployment rate and the number of people receiving Jobseeker Support – Work Ready (JS – WR) at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, followed by decreases throughout 2021.

By the September 2021 quarter, the Household Labour Force Survey (HLFS) unemployment rate had fallen below pre-COVID-19 levels to record lows, and has remained low since. However, JS – WR numbers have not yet returned to pre-COVID-19 levels.

This report seeks to answer the question: Why are benefit numbers still high, relative to the low unemployment rate? This report uses data up to March 2021.