Single people with personal savings of $18,000 or more will have to wait six months before they can apply for unemployment benefits under changes the Morrison government is trying to get through Parliament to increase welfare applicants' "self-reliance".

The Coalition is reviving plans to double the maximum time people with liquid assets have to wait before they can access Newstart and other allowances from 13 to 26 weeks, a move that would save more than $100 million over four years.

Social Services Minister Anne Ruston says "Australians expect people to use their own financial resources to support themselves before they call on taxpayer-funded welfare". Credit:Alex Ellinghausen

As the government continues to resist widespread calls to increase Newstart, a spokesperson for Social Services Minister Anne Ruston said "Australians expect people to use their own financial resources to support themselves before they call on taxpayer-funded welfare".

Minister for Government Services Stuart Robert, who introduced the payment integrity bill to the lower house last week, also said the measure would "increase self-reliance". The government tried the extend the waiting period in 2017 but it never came to a vote.