The number of long-term JobSeeker recipients has almost tripled since 2012, despite hundreds of millions of dollars being paid to private firms to find people jobs.

Those looking for work say the fortnightly rate is too low, making it hard to pay for basic needs.

About 900,000 people are on JobSeeker, but how do they make ends meet?

A single person on JobSeeker can get a maximum of $808.70 a fortnight, plus some extra for rent and energy.

With rent help, they get $146.27 more a fortnight, and $8.80 for energy, making a total of $963.75 a fortnight.

This works out to $68 a day, which is not much, so let's see how far it goes.

The biggest expense is housing.

Renting a one-bedroom unit can cost $400 to $600 a week, which is a lot.

A share house is cheaper, at $350 a week for a two-bedroom unit, which is $700 a fortnight.

This takes up more than 72% of the JobSeeker payment, leaving little for other things.

After rent, there's $263.75 left for everything else.

A phone for job interviews costs $22 a fortnight.

This leaves $241.75, and internet for job hunting costs $15 a fortnight.

There's now $226.75, but food and groceries cost at least $320 a fortnight.

This means there's not enough money for food, and the account is in the red.

The electricity bill is $64.50 a fortnight, making the debt even bigger.

It's impossible to afford transport, and medical costs are also a problem.

The total debt is now $423.75, and it's hard to see how to pay it off.

Many people on JobSeeker struggle to pay for basic needs, and some even go without meals.

ACOSS says the JobSeeker payment is too low and should be increased to at least $600 a week.

The current payment is 'woefully inadequate' and forces people into impossible choices.

Some people on JobSeeker have to go into debt or go without essentials.

One woman, Billie-Jean, relies on AfterPay for her fortnightly shop and struggles to make ends meet.

She works security and customer service jobs, but shifts are inconsistent, and she can't afford medical bills.

Another woman, Raye, had to live in her car because she couldn't afford rent, and she feels grateful to now have community housing.

She says if the JobSeeker payment was higher, she could survive every day without going without meals.

The JobSeeker base rate did get a lift in 2021 and 2023, but it's still not enough.

Australia's Economic Inclusion Advisory Committee recommends increasing the JobSeeker payment as a top priority.

The committee says the payment is only 42% of the minimum wage and 19% of average weekly earnings.

The report says the payments are 'financially inadequate' and cause unnecessary suffering and harm.

The committee recommends increasing unemployment benefits to 90% of the aged pension.

A researcher says even with an increase, it will still be difficult to live on the payment.

The government says the single JobSeeker payment has increased by $4,300 a year since 2022.

But some people on JobSeeker are still struggling, and one woman, Sylvia, had to tap into her superannuation to cover car costs.

Sylvia fears she will soon face a rent increase and has no savings to speak of.

She says the financial stress doesn't go away, and she won't be able to retire for a long time.

The for-profit employment services system has been criticized for failing to help people find work.

About one in five people on JobSeeker have been on it for more than five years, and the number was about 49,000 in 2012.

A researcher says changes to disability support payments and the lifting of the pension age have contributed to the rises.

The current employment services system has failed, and corporate empires have been built on lucrative government contracts.

The Minister for Employment promised an overhaul of employment services to tackle long-term unemployment.

But contracted for-profit service providers will still play a major role in the new system.

Sylvia wants people to know that many on JobSeeker are trying to make their lives better.

Billie-Jean hopes to one day work in youth justice but says it's hard to plan for the future with day-to-day expenses on her mind.

She says people should understand that circumstances can be tough, and it's not always easy to get a job.

The reporting for this story used data from various sources, including the Services Australia website.

Living costs were estimated from flatmates.com.au listings and other comparisons.

The story is part of a series on the cost of living in Australia.

Related topics include unemployment, wages, and benefits.

The story is about welfare and the struggles of people on JobSeeker.

The cost of living is a major issue in Australia, and many people are struggling to make ends meet.

Unemployment is a significant problem, and the JobSeeker payment is not enough to cover basic needs.

Wages and benefits are also important issues, and many people are struggling to get by.

Welfare is a critical issue, and the government needs to do more to support people in need.