Aussie families are 'better off' on welfare than getting a job, according to new data

Thousands of parents on family benefits are financially better off not getting a job, and are taking home a higher annual income than many working Australians, according to new data.

Data obtained by The Australian shows the top 10 per cent of those on parenting benefits received at least $45,032 in 2014/15.

The benefits could even be higher if the parents have more than one child, or claim a range of government benefits, equating to more than a majority of Australian workers including teachers and nurses, the data revealed.

The data is ringing alarm bells for Social Services Minister Christian Porter, who said the payments could be providing a disincentive for parents to work, which demonstrates the need to rein in welfare spending.

New figures show some parents are claiming benefits and that they are financially better off not getting a job.

"We do have a generous safety net, but also, people need to be part of our society, part of our community, working and making a difference," Mr Pyne told reporters.

He said the government had a moral responsibility to encourage families back to the work force.

One of the government's first measures to change the system is a $96 million Try, Test, Learn fund for trials of intervention programs to help welfare dependent young families.

Mr Pyne, who is leading the welfare changes, said it was designed to help families, especially single parent households, to get back into the workforce with training.

"$96m million, I can tell you, to try and do that, is a drop in the ocean compared to the billions of dollars that we are trying to save by having welfare reform, which the Labor party is blocking in the Senate with the Greens," he said.

Social Services Minister Christian Porter believes family payments could be providing a disincentive for parents to work. Picture: 7 News

The nation's annual ­$160 billion welfare bill could reach $4.8 trillion for welfare recipients, Mr Porter said in a speech at the National Press Club last month.

Depriving people the incentive to work was in no one's interest, he told The Australian.

"It is morally incumbent upon us in that in developing policy ... and in making the welfare system fairer we look at mutual obligation and the requirement to prepare for, search for and accept work," he said.

"We need to find better ways to ensure parents retain current, work-ready skills or develop them, even when receiving welfare so they are prepared for and able to accept work when it becomes appropriate for them to do so."

Labor frontbencher Anthony Albanese said the opposition will examine the impact of proposed changes.

He pointed to the coalition government's planned wind back of paid parental leave to stop some women from "double-dipping".

"It is a disadvantage for them being in the workforce if these cuts to paid parental leave go through," he said.