Reporting and data
About data and evaluations
Income Management helps people use their income support payments to benefit children and families and help ease financial stress. Data and evaluations allow us to understand how the policy is working or not working and can help us to continue to enhance the management of the program.
Costs and data
The total estimated cost of delivering enhanced Income Management for the period 4 September 2023 to 3 March 2024 was approximately $30.2 million.
For a summary of the participant data, refer to Income Management (IM) and enhanced IM – Participant Data.
Visit data.gov.au for any other data related to income management.
Complete the data request form if you can’t find what you need on data.gov.au and we will try and help.
Evaluations
Income management evaluations
There have been a number of evaluations undertaken by the Government on the Income Management program.
Evaluation of Place-Based Income Management
The Future of Employment and Skills (FES) research centre of the University of Adelaide conducted a study to understand the effects of the Cashless Debit Card in Bundaberg and Hervey Bay. They wanted to create a baseline of before the card was introduced in 2019 to help compare and evaluate the impact of the initiative. The studies involved interviews and data analysis.
Read the reports:
- Consolidated Place-Based Income Management Evaluation Report Summary
- Baseline Report
- Process and Short-Term Outcomes Report
- Place Based Income Management – Medium Term Outcomes Evaluation Report
- Consolidated Place Based Income Management Evaluation Report 2012–2015.
Evaluation of Voluntary Income Management in the Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara (APY) Lands
The Evaluation of Voluntary Income Management in the Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara (APY) Lands looks at how Voluntary Income Management (VIM) is working in the Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara (APY) Lands since 2012. The evaluation report was written by the Social Policy Research Centre from the University of New South Wales.
Evaluation of Income Management trials in Western Australia
Two studies have been conducted.
In 2010, ORIMA Research conducted a study. They talked to people on income management, surveyed staff, held workshops with community leaders and used existing data. They found that income management was helping lots of people and generally people thought it was a good thing.
Read the 2010 report - Evaluation of the Child Protection Scheme of Income Management and Voluntary Income Management Measures in Western Australia.
Building on the 2010 report, in 2014, a study in Western Australia looked at how income management helps protect children. They used case files and interviews to see how well it is working. The study found that it’s helping families and children by making sure money is used for the right things.
Read A review of Child Protection Income Management in Western Australia.
Evaluation of New Income Management in the Northern Territory
The Australian Government and the Northern Territory Department of Children and Families conducted a review of income management in the Northern Territory. They did this over 4 years with the help of experts from different universities. They used the Evaluation Framework for new Income Management to guide them.
Read the November 2012 Interim report - Evaluating New Income Management in the Northern Territory: First Evaluation Report.
Read the December 2014 final report.
Evaluation of Cape York Welfare Reform
The reform aims to help people take better care of their families and community. It’s main goal is to make sure children kids are safe, fed and in school.
The Family Responsibilities Commission (FRC) is part of the reform and can sometimes decide to have part of a person’s income support payments to ensure their family’s needs are met.
Read the June 2017 final report - Evaluation of Cape York Welfare Reform.
Strategic Review of Cape York Income Management
In 2018, the Australian Government asked researchers from Queensland University of Technology to review Cape York Income Management (CYIM) They wanted to understand its impact on communities from 2008 – 2018. The review analysed data to see how income management has been used and how it might be used in the future.
Read Strategic Review of Cape York Income Management.
Cashless Debit Card evaluations
There have been a number of evaluations undertaken by the Government on the Cashless Debit Card program.
Independent baseline data collection in the Bundaberg and Hervey Bay region
Deloitte Access Economics conducted a mixed method, independent evaluation of the 5 place-based trial sites of income management. This evaluation began in January 2012 and concluded in November 2014 with 4 reports.
Read the reports:
Independent impact evaluation of the Cashless Debit Card
The University of Adelaide conducted a review of the Cashless Debit Card in 3 locations – Ceduna, East Kimberley and the Goldfields to see how well the initiative was working.
The evaluation involved:
- a quantitative survey of participants.
- qualitative interviews with participants and stakeholders across all 3 sites.
- use of relevant Australian Government and state government data.
Cashless Debit Card Baseline Data Collection in the Goldfields Region: Qualitative Findings
The Future of Employment and Skills (FES) Research Centre at the University of Adelaide conducted a baseline data collection for the Goldfields Cashless Debit Card (CDC) site. They wanted to understand the socio-economic conditions when the CDC was introduced and learn about the communities first opinions about the card.
Read the Cashless Debit Card Baseline Data Collection in the Goldfields Region: Qualitative Findings report.
Independent evaluation of the Cashless Debit Card trial in the Ceduna and East Kimberley regions
ORIMA Research conducted a study to evaluate the Cashless Debit Card trial in Ceduna and the East Kimberley regions. The evaluation was done in 3 stages and compared data from April 2016 to July 2017. They used different research methods and involved experts and community leaders. The evaluation found that many participants reporting drinking, gambling and drug use less often after the program.
Read the Cashless Debit Card – Evaluation Framework and Reports.