Katy Gallagher says government still considering boosts to single parenting payment, Commonwealth Rent Assistance

A report released by the Women's Economic Equality Taskforce last week called for the parenting payment for single women to be expanded to those with children over the age of eight.

Currently, eligible single women whose children are older than eight would need to apply for JobSeeker instead, meaning they receive less money and are classified as unemployed rather than doing parenting work.

"This is the issue that's been raised by the Women's Economic Equality Taskforce and others, and we're having a look at it," Minister Gallagher told the ABC's Insiders program on Sunday.

"We don't set up these taskforces to then not seriously consider the recommendations that they come forward with.

"The budget will look to do as much as it can, within the responsible fiscal environment that we are in, to deal with addressing disadvantage and inequality where we can."

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The report has also called for a boost to Commonwealth Rent Assistance. The finance minister said the government is "serious about looking at what we can do around housing".

"In terms of the recommendations from the Women's Economic Equality Taskforce, there were six recommendations of which ... parenting payments single, and Commonwealth Rent Assistance were two," she said.

"We are looking at those ... through the ERC (Expenditure Review Committee) process, haven't concluded a view and people will see the results of it on budget night."