Ten week, not four, wait for dole: inquiry

Thousands of unemployed young people face a 10-week wait for the dole under measures proposed by the government.

Legislation before federal parliament imposes a four-week pause on welfare payments for those under 25.

But the social services department estimates the wait could actually be stretched out to 10 weeks for 10,000 people, a Senate inquiry hearing in Canberra was told on Wednesday.

The figures are based on a briefing from the department to Mission Australia.

David Piggot, an official from the charity group, said the four-week wait stretches to five when an existing mandatory one-week wait for welfare is taken into account.

Those who worked in the first six months of the year but then became jobless because of casual or short-term work were affected.

"In fact DSS in their briefings to us estimate that some 10,000 young job seekers will face a second wait period that will in effect mean a 10-week wait period in any one year without benefits," he said.