More than two-thirds of Australians support an increase to the Newstart allowance, which has not been raised in real terms for 24 years.
The Newstart allowance for a single person with no children is about $270 per week.
The federal government argues the vast majority of people on the jobless allowance receive other types of welfare payments, such as family and rental supports.
However, half of voters surveyed for an Essential poll at the weekend thought the unemployment benefit was too low.
Labor and Greens voters, as well as people earning less than $1000 a week, were most likely to share this view.
A quarter of the 1025 respondents thought the allowance was "about right" and nine per cent believed it was too high.
Young Liberal and National supporters, and people earning more than $2000 per week, were most likely to think the payment was about right or too generous.
Some 68 per cent of respondents supported an increase to the Newstart allowance, with 19 per cent opposed and 13 per cent unsure.
Cassandra Goldie, from the Australian Council of Social Services, urged parliament to take heed of the polling and raise the Newstart allowance by at least $75 per week.
