Welfare Mums

These Aussie mums are raking in thousands of dollars of welfare with an expert warning it could have dire consequences on our economy.

A Current Affair contacted the Department of Social Services who said the policy for single parent payments defines a person who is a member of a couple as:

Legally married, in a registered relationship, in a de facto relationship.

"A person does not have to live under the same roof as the other party to be considered in a relationship," a department spokeswoman said.

"Financial aspects, nature of the household, social aspects of the relationship and sexual relationships are all considered."

For this reason, the department were unable to comment on tonight's mothers.