News

• WA Student Assistance Payment for every student in Kindergarten to Year 12
• Families to receive payments of $250 for every secondary school student and $150 for primary and kindergarten students
• $103.5 million package to reduce pressure of school expenses for parents as part of 2024-25 State Budget
• Payments made on application via ServiceWA app from the start of Term 2 (15 April)
• Cook Government’s responsible financial management delivering continued cost of living support for Western Australians

The Cook Labor Government today announced important cost of living relief for every Western Australian family of school-age children – with WA families to receive hundreds of dollars of financial support.

The WA Student Assistance Payment will provide parents with payments of $250 for each secondary student, and $150 for each primary student and kindergartener.

The program will assist parents with the cost of school essentials – like books and IT equipment, sport and music costs, stationery, school shoes, uniforms, excursions and camps, plus other extra costs for families with school-aged children, including food and groceries.

The payments will be made available from the start of Term 2 (15 April) through the ServiceWA app.

Funded as part of the 2024-25 State Budget, the payments are available for all students from Kindergarten to Year 12 who are enrolled in a WA public or non-government school or registered for home schooling.

Eligibility will be validated through the student’s unique WA Student Number (WASN), which can be found on a student’s SmartRider, school report or NAPLAN results.

Parents and carers are encouraged to use the coming weeks to set up their ServiceWA account or check if an existing account is still active and linked with myGovID.

The existing Secondary Assistance Scheme (SAS) also remains available to eligible low-income families with secondary school children. It provides additional funding to support the student’s education and a $115 clothing allowance to families.

The latest cost of living measures come off the back of the two recent $200 electricity credits to every WA household, the free summer of public transport, free student travel for school children, targeted payments to grandcarers and foster carers, and more.

For more information on the new WA Student Assistance Payment visit: education.wa.edu.au/wasap

Comments attributed to Premier Roger Cook:

“Providing cost of living support to Western Australians is my number one priority.

“Raising my kids in Kwinana, I know it’s those extra costs during the school years that really have an impact – and I hope this support can alleviate some of those pressures.

“We know interest rates and higher day-to-day costs are putting pressure on WA families, and this initiative will help many families with the costs that come with having school-aged kids.

“It will provide that extra help to pay for a new backpack, school shoes, uniforms, calculators or even food in their kids’ lunchbox.”

Comments attributed to Treasurer Rita Saffioti:

“The Cook Government is committed to addressing cost-of-living issues that we know are affecting many families across WA.

“Our responsible financial management gives us the capacity to be able to help Western Australian parents with the extra costs associated with school children.

“We understand there are many cost-of-living pressures faced by school families, and we hope that this new support will go some way to helping parents get their children what they need.”

Comments attributed to Education Minister Dr Tony Buti:

“Nobody in Western Australia should be left behind in their education.

“We want to make sure all students have what they need for school, regardless of their family’s financial situation.

“The WA Student Assistance Payment is an effective way to pay for the essentials like books and uniforms and still be able to afford important extras like camps and excursions.

“It will reduce the pressure on parents to pay for everything and help every student focus on learning, so they can do well in and out of the classroom.

“It continues our major commitment to WA students and their families, following an historic $1.6 billion commitment with the Commonwealth Government to fully fund WA public schools, and our $1.5 billion infrastructure program to build and improve schools across the State.”