Interactive: Winners and losers under youth welfare changes

Bills introduced today have proposed an overhaul of government allowances for young people and the unemployed, as announced in the Budget in May. Here's a look at which electorates will be most affected by the changes.

(File: AAP)

Welfare payments have been significantly changed under the Abbott Government’s first federal budget, handed down in May.

Bills introduced by Minister for Social Services Kevin Andrews today (Jume 18) outlined proposed requirements for young people, stating applicants under 30 years of age will face a six month wait before receiving payments such as Newstart or Youth Allowance.

After the wait, eligable applicants will then be required to "participate in 25 hours a week of Work for the Dole" during the first six month period receiving the benefit. Then might then need to re-apply.

Applicants will also have to register as a jobseeker and "comply with their activity test and participation requirements... These requirements are to look for work, attend appointments with employment services providers and accept any offers of suitable work".

Media reports have listed these requirements as including applying for 40 jobs each month.

The bills can be read in full on the Parliament of Australia's website or at the end of this article.

Data provided by the Australian government shows that the seat of Melbourne may be among the hardest hit by thte changes as is records the highest number of people receiving Austudy and student Youth Allowances payments.

The Victorian seat had approximately 13,150 recipients of various Abstudy, Austudy, Newstart and Youth Allowance payments as of March.

The Northern Territory seat of Lingiari also reports high levels of young people on welfare, recording the most recipients on non-student Youth Allowance payments and the second highest number of people receiving the Newstart Allowance.

The seat however has the lowest number of recipients of Austudy and student rates of Youth Allowance, bringing the total number of recipients on various Abstudy, Austudy, Newstart and Youth Allowance payments to 14,455.

The proposed changes have been defended by Mr Andrews, who last week told the ACOSS National Conference that he aimed to streamline welfare payments.

“The reality of our welfare system in Australia is that we've got dozens of payments, supplements and allowances,” Mr Andrews said.

“If you draw a diagram of the welfare system it looks like a bird's nest and it's difficult to understand from that and it must be difficult to understand for lots of people who are participants in the welfare system.”