Rising food prices, rent and medical costs are putting increasing pressure on people on Newstart, leading the nation's peak welfare body to urge the payment to unemployed Australians be lifted by $95 a week.

The Australian Council of Social Service has updated the central demand of its rate rise campaign from $75 a week to $95, saying the need to increase Newstart "only grows in urgency".

ACOSS CEO Cassandra Goldie wants the Morrison government to boost payments to Newstart recipients by $95 a week. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen

ACOSS chief executive Cassandra Goldie said the $95 raise was the "absolute minimum" needed to pay for essentials like food, medications and accomodation, describing it as a "modest ask".

"We have to make sure that people have enough money to feed themselves, to be able to keep a roof over their head," Dr Goldie said.