Work Participation Issues for Single Parents
Dealing with Centrelink
Most single
parents who are not working full-time (and some who are) would be
eligible for some income support and family payments from
Centrelink www.centrelink.gov.au Getting your correct payments
from Centrelink requires patience, care and attention to detail.
Make sure you have all the documents requested for each claim.
Make sure you report:
- changes in income
- changes in child care usage
- changes in post-separation parenting care arrangements
- changes in child support circumstances
Gaining access to payments from Centrelink is becoming increasingly complex as new requirements are being developed under the government's Australians Working Together project. Parents will have to attend a compulsory annual interview once their youngest child turns six, and they will have to undertake a participation program once their child attends high school. For details on these changes see: http://www.together.gov.au
Parents who receive parenting payments have to ensure that they accurately declare earned income within the specified time and report any changes to their partnership status. In order to receive Family Tax Benefit payments, parents have to take action to gain child support, report their care arrangements and declare their earnings. Information on the rules applying to calculating family payments can be found at http://www.facs.gov.au/faguide/index.htm
Successfully navigating the system can become almost a full-time activity. Sometimes taking a knowledgeable friend or advocate along as back-up can be critical to getting your needs met.
I took a young woman to visit Centrelink. She had unsuccessfully tried four times to have her situation reviewed. She had a two year old son and had been the sole parent. She was training to be a beautician. She had no car, yet needed to travel via babysitters to and from her course. She was untrained so supplemented her income with stripping. The father would take the child interstate, where he now lived, for a weekend here and there until one week he didn't return. He applied for the parenting payment and went for residency. The court temporarily allowed half time each, two weeks on , two off. He kept the parenting payment, she had to agree to the court to only work two nights per week (and had to sign a formal agreement). Centrelink paid her around $40 per week half rent relief. She deferred her course, the emotional upheaval was too much to study. She was put on job-search allowance, and had to attend training and workshops, which she did when her son was with the father. She could not meet the requirements of job search, so became dependant solely on half rent relief and two nights work. Her solicitor required $500 down payment to get organised for family court and another $500 before court proceedings could go ahead. She was behind in her rent, her car was unregistered, and she possibly had a debt to Centrelink. When I asked about her entitlements we were shown computer screens filled with all the entitlements she was possibly eligible for and, oh yes she should be getting half this and half that, and oh yes there had been that error "You will back pay?" I queried. More smiles, oh yes back to September......She said to me on our way out, 'I never know what to say to them'.(Social Worker and single mother of three children).
Taking a friend with you when you visit Centrelink to talk about your payment can help you feel more confident about getting your needs met. It is useful to have a friend observing who can help you go over what was said and the outcome. Any decision of Centrelink is open to an appeal process. Clients can first seek a review of the decision by the 'Original Decision Maker'. If there is no change the client can then seek a review of the decision by an 'Authorised Review Officer'. Further appeals can be made through the Social Security Appeals Tribunal and the Administrative Appeals Tribunal although it is perhaps best to check in with a Welfare Rights Centre if you wish to appeal.
Welfare Rights Agencies around Australia act as advocates for people who have some difficulty accessing their payments or services from Centrelink. Welfare Rights Centres can provide advice on your rights, reviews, appeals and legal action. See the following sites.
http://www.welfarerights.com.au/ Australia wide
http://www.welfarerights.com.au/about/contact/#melbourne
Victoria
http://www.wrcsa.org.au/ South Australia
http://www.welfarerights.org.au/about/contacts.htm#hobartTasmania
http://www.slnsw.gov.au/liac/pamphlet/pub00238.htm New South Wales
http://www.welfarerights.org.au/about/contacts.htm Queensland
http://www.welfarerights.org.au/
Australia wide
Meeting the requirements of Centrelink can be difficult for some claimants, however it is important to remember that the workers are only following the rules set for them by policy makers. If you believe a policy should be changed it is important to express your views to your Member of Parliament and the Federal Minister for Family and Community Services.
Funded under the National Women's Non-Government Organisation's Funding Programme, by the Office of the Status of Women, Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet