6467.0 - Pensioner and Beneficiary Living Cost Index, Sep 2011 Quality Declaration 
ARCHIVED ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 14/11/2011   
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MAIN CONTRIBUTORS TO CHANGE

The PBLCI rose 0.6% for the September quarter 2011. Housing (+2.9%) made the largest contribution primarily due to increases in utilities, rents and property rates and charges.

Health (-2.6%) contributed the most significant offset due to a fall in pharmaceutical products. This was mainly due to a greater proportion of consumers exceeding the Pharmaceutical Benefit Scheme compared to the June quarter 2011.

The PBLCI (+0.6%) and the CPI (+0.6%) recorded the same movement in the September quarter 2011. Pensioner and beneficiary households have a relatively higher proportion (compared to the CPI population) of expenditure for utilities, which rose this quarter. This was offset by a higher weight for pharmaceutical products, which recorded a fall this quarter.

The PBLCI rose 4.1% through the year to the September quarter 2011. The PBLCI showed a larger rise compared to the CPI (+3.5%) through the year to the September quarter 2011.


GRAPHS

Graph 1: Percentage change from previous quarter for pensioner and beneficiary living cost index
Graph: Pensioner and Benificiary Living Cost Index and CPI, All groups - Percentage change (from previous quarter)


Graph 2: Index numbers for pensioner and beneficiary living cost index, June quarter 2007 = 100.0
Graph: Pensioner and Benificiary Living Cost Index and CPI (re-referenced), index numbers


Graph 3: Comparison of living cost index numbers, June quarter 2007 = 100.0
Graph: Comparison of PBLCI and analytical living cost indexes

Table 1: Pensioner and Beneficiary Living Cost Index, All Groups, Weighted average of eight capital cities - index numbers, percentage change and points change

Percentage change
Points change
Quarters
Index Numbers(a)
From previous quarter
From corresponding quarter of previous year
From previous quarter
From corresponding quarter of previous year

2009
March
107.0
0.9
3.5
1.0
3.6
June
107.1
0.1
2.3
0.1
2.4
September
108.2
1.0
2.0
1.1
2.1
December
108.8
0.6
2.6
0.6
2.8
2010
March
110.1
1.2
2.9
1.3
3.1
June
111.2
1.0
3.8
1.1
4.1
September
112.3
1.0
3.8
1.1
4.1
December
113.1
0.7
4.0
0.8
4.3
2011
March
115.2
1.9
4.6
2.1
5.1
June
116.2
0.9
4.5
1.0
5.0
September
116.9
0.6
4.1
0.7
4.6

(a) Reference base of index: June quarter 2007 = 100.0

Table 2: Percentage change in analytical living cost indexes, PBLCI and CPI, by commodity group - June Quarter 2011 to September Quarter 2011

Commodity group
Age pensioner ALCI(a)
Other government transfer recipient ALCI(a)
PBLCI
CPI(b)

Food and non-alcoholic beverages
-0.5
-0.4
-0.4
-0.2
Alcohol and tobacco
0.4
1.0
0.8
0.5
Clothing and footwear
1.6
1.2
1.3
1.5
Housing(c)
3.6
2.5
2.9
1.9
Furnishings, household equipment and services
0.3
0.4
0.3
0.2
Health
-2.4
-3.0
-2.6
-1.0
Transport
0.2
-0.1
0.0
0.1
Communication
0.1
0.0
0.0
0.0
Recreation and culture
0.9
0.4
0.6
0.9
Education
0.0
0.1
0.1
0.1
Insurance and financial services(d)
0.5
0.6
0.6
0.7
All groups
0.6
0.6
0.6
0.6

(a) As published in Analytical Living Cost Indexes for Selected Australian Household Types (cat. no. 6463.0)
(b) As published in Consumer Price Index, Australia (cat. no. 6401.0)
(c) House purchases are included in the CPI but excluded from the population subgroup indexes.
(d) Includes interest charges and general insurance, except for the CPI. Interest charges are excluded from the CPI and general insurance is calculated on a different basis.

Table 3: Points contribution to quarterly change, index points - June Quarter 2011 to September Quarter 2011

Commodity group
Age pensioner ALCI(a)
Other government transfer recipient ALCI(a)
PBLCI(b)
CPI(a)

Food and non-alcoholic beverages
-0.12
-0.08
-0.10
-0.05
Alcohol and tobacco
0.04
0.12
0.08
0.04
Clothing and footwear
0.09
0.07
0.08
0.06
Housing(c)
0.73
0.67
0.68
0.47
Furnishings, household equipment and services
0.05
0.03
0.03
0.03
Health
-0.24
-0.12
-0.16
-0.06
Transport
0.02
-0.01
0.00
0.02
Communication
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
Recreation and culture
0.11
0.04
0.08
0.13
Education
0.00
0.01
0.00
0.00
Insurance and financial services(d)
0.02
0.05
0.04
0.04
All groups
0.7
0.8
0.7
0.7

(a) Re-referenced to base of June quarter 2007 = 100.0
(b) Reference base of index: June quarter 2007 = 100.0
(c) House purchases are included in the CPI but excluded from the population subgroup indexes.
(d) Includes interest charges and general insurance, except for the CPI. Interest charges are excluded from the CPI and general insurance is calculated on a different basis.

Table 4: Contribution to total index, by commodity group, index points - June Quarter 2011 to September Quarter 2011

Age pensioner ALCI(a)
Other government transfer recipient ALCI(a)
PBLCI(b)
CPI(a)
Commodity group
Jun Qtr 2011(c)
Sep Qtr 2011
Jun Qtr 2011(c)
Sep Qtr 2011
Jun Qtr 2011(c)
Sep Qtr 2011
Jun Qtr 2011(c)
Sep Qtr 2011

Food and non-alcoholic beverages
25.88
25.76
22.52
22.44
23.89
23.79
19.06
19.01
Alcohol and tobacco
7.74
7.78
11.34
11.46
9.88
9.96
8.00
8.04
Clothing and footwear
5.64
5.73
5.69
5.76
5.67
5.75
4.51
4.57
Housing(d)
19.81
20.54
26.67
27.34
23.89
24.57
25.24
25.71
Furnishings, household equipment and services
12.82
12.87
8.99
9.02
10.55
10.58
10.30
10.33
Health
10.22
9.98
3.64
3.52
6.31
6.15
5.99
5.93
Transport
10.86
10.88
11.30
11.29
11.12
11.12
13.07
13.09
Communication
4.25
4.25
4.87
4.87
4.62
4.62
3.45
3.45
Recreation and culture
13.28
13.39
11.02
11.06
11.93
12.01
14.22
14.35
Education
0.33
0.33
2.75
2.76
1.77
1.77
3.61
3.61
Insurance and financial services(e)
4.76
4.78
7.83
7.88
6.58
6.62
5.75
5.79
All groups
115.6
116.3
116.6
117.4
116.2
116.9
113.2
113.9

(a) Re-referenced to base of June quarter 2007 = 100.0
(b) Reference base of index: June quarter 2007 = 100.0
(c) Differs from previously published June quarter 2011 due to reweighting.
(d) House purchases are included in the CPI but excluded from the population subgroup indexes.
(e) Includes interest charges and general insurance, except for the CPI. Interest charges are excluded from the CPI and general insurance is calculated on a different basis.

Table 5: Percentage change in analytical living cost indexes, PBLCI and CPI, Commodity group - September Quarter 2010 to September Quarter 2011

Commodity group
Age pensioner ALCI(a)
Other government transfer recipient ALCI(a)
PBLCI
CPI(b)

Food and non-alcoholic beverages
7.8
6.3
7.0
6.4
Alcohol and tobacco
2.9
4.5
4.0
3.0
Clothing and footwear
0.6
0.5
0.5
1.2
Housing(c)
6.2
5.5
5.7
4.2
Furnishings, household equipment and services
-0.7
-0.6
-0.7
-0.5
Health
3.5
2.7
3.2
3.7
Transport
5.7
6.2
6.0
4.3
Communication
0.8
0.6
0.6
0.6
Recreation and culture
0.5
-0.6
-0.2
-0.1
Education
5.8
5.5
5.6
5.8
Insurance and financial services(d)
5.0
6.0
5.7
4.5
All groups
4.1
4.1
4.1
3.5

(a) As published in Analytical Living Cost Indexes for Selected Australian Household Types (cat. no. 6463.0)
(b) As published in Consumer Price Index, Australia (cat. no. 6401.0)
(c) House purchases are included in the CPI but excluded from the population subgroup indexes.
(d) Includes interest charges and general insurance, except for the CPI. Interest charges are excluded from the CPI and general insurance is calculated on a different basis.


The following tables have been temporarily suspended, until data becomes available to calculate through the year estimates of points contributions and contributions to All Groups:
  • Table 6: Points contribution to annual change, index points
  • Table 7: Contribution to total index, Commodity group, index points