There were 290,414 social security assistance cases with 499,952 recipients in October, down 0.3% on the previous month, the Social Welfare Department says.

The number of jobless receiving comprehensive social security assistance continued to fall, to 34,171, down 1.3% on September.

The low-earning and single-parent groups also fell 0.7% and 0.6%, to 17,508 and 37,595 in October.

Total government spending on welfare payments was about $17.6 billion for 2006-07.