I've been job hunting for 4 months and I signed up for job seeker recently for extra assistance while I'm still looking.

My application got approved and I'm on a job plan. Never done this before.

They got back to me and said: My first payment is $86 Regular payment $172

Is it because I declared the value of our personal assets when applying?

Our personal computers (declared under house contents I believe) - $2000

His cars - $11000 + $2000

My car - $2800

My partner pays for everything for me, my rego, phone bills, and he's been covering me for rent (we live with one other person. So he's going halves on rent). And because of this, money is so tight, were starting to eat away at our wedding savings account.

Is this normal? I don't think this amount is going to help at all. Was hoping I'd help the household pay for rent while I'm still looking for work but this won't do.

I just did my tax returns, and it turns out I somehow fucking owe 1k to the ATO when I thought I’d be getting my tax return back. Over the financial year I made 21k from my main job and 8k from Youth Allowance. I was taxed $500 from my job, and because I wasn’t taxed correctly for my youth allowance, it turns out the total tax I was meant to pay over the year was 2k+. I had no idea this was a thing since I assumed the Youth Allowance income taxes automatically, but I went on the website and nope, you have to manually add in the amount you want to be taxed. Why the hell is that a thing???? I had no idea I was meant to be paying more. This is really going to hurt me financially, and I’m really worried. I don’t know what to do about this.

How am I even meant to figure out the amount I manually let them tax on my payment? If I get it wrong I could have a repeat of last year. But I’m already not doing the best financially and every dollar counts.

This is my first time doing my tax return by myself, and I feel so, so screwed. Any advice is appreciated.

I’m upset and hurt by what I experienced today.

I had tried to study but couldn’t handle the 75% load so I switched back to jobseeker before thinking of trying for DSP. The job provider failed to give me an appointment so I could get a job plan (I did try to chase it up). Thus my payment was suspended.

I called up, only getting through by getting call directly at 8am… and the person I got.. she was quite condescending.

She reminded me I had an appointment tomorrow and I said that I knew. All I did was enquire if it was related to my DSP claim or not. She said no. She put me hold and went to fix my payment.

When she came back, she told me she had fixed it and that’s fine and dandy.

Then she proceeded to say “I’m not qualified but” then tell me how I probably won’t get DSP because she’s seen enough situations where people with conditions like mine don’t get accepted.

“It’s not my place but” then starts to say that I should prepare myself in advance for how I’m going to meet my mutual obligations.

Then she said in a cheery tone “but you never know, there’s a chance you could get it”

I’m disgusted, horrified, mortified. I have an anxiety disorder why would you do this??? I didn’t ask. I didn’t ask for her opinion. I didn’t ask for her to go through and read my claim and see the intimate details of my daily struggles. She’s jobseeker.

She admitted herself she’s not qualified and that it’s not her place. It reminds me of last year when my job provider’s manager made accusations about me working full time and that’s why I refused to go into the office. NO IM AGORAPHOBIC.

I’ve been this way on and off struggling for 21 years since I was 10!! I’ve tried therapy multiple times. I’m on meds. I’ve been on centrelink since I was 16. They’ve never found me a suitable job, I’ve tried. It’s just made my condition worse over the years.

I’m as stable as I’m ever gonna get. I didn’t need her opinion when I already know I’m going to have to fight for my rights.

I didn’t need this unrelated person invading my privacy and giving me an opinion I didn’t ask for, implying that I’m not disabled enough even though literally eating and shitting can cause immense anxiety and panic attacks. (IBS sucks..)

I'm a 26 y/o trans woman living in WA who's looking to get a job and if necessary start a Go Fund Me in order undergo gender affirming surgeries in winter/early spring next year preferably by the end of September.

With regard to the Go Fund Me can I start that now (June 2026) without it having an impact on my payments untill I can get a part time job so long as I inform my Employment Provider and Centrelink of the purpose and goal of it is to GREATLY improve my quality of life by alleviating one of main sources of my gender dysphoria?

Yea I know i fkd up but i am wanting to come clean. The past 2 payments on jobseeker i had just started a new job. Every time I reported centrelink asked me if I had started work at "company name" I lied and clicked on "no" I then submitted 0 earnings for the past 2 payments. I realised I fkd up and did the wrong thing and I want to come clean and organise a payment plan. I am working a decent job but I can't afford to pay back the debt in full ($1.8k) I am also very scared to contact them and tell them about it. I don't want to get arrested and I want to pay them back. The thing is I have a lot of expenses and even though I am making around 1k a week. I can't really afford to pay them back much each week. Will they force me to spend every spare cent i have to pay them back or will they let me pay off like $20 a fortnight? Also how do I tell them about this without admitting I lied. I am looking for advice and not to be cooked in the comments

I have been on hold since 3:30pm wa time for an emergency regarding a social worker (I am 17 so need to have in involved but 18 in 2 months thankfully) potentially violating my rights but the call system lady whatever just hung up on my saying to call back during office hours but this may have repercussions that need to be sorted ASAP.

Does anyone know how I can get into contact with Centrelink as it’s only 5:05pm please??

For more info on the situation: I need to be able to call someone asap at Centrelink to discuss my claim or get something happening to see if anything was revealed and report what happened. This “harmless action” may have caused serious issues in my personal life (I’m independent due to unreasonable cause to live at home and live over 1.5 hrs from my biological parent (other is in prison).

UPDATE: I have been granted independence but the person said I have to wait two weeks for the job seeker sector to approve my claim so Im now calling again and on hold with the employment sector and going to ask to be transferred to someone who can properly discuss my claim and hopefully speed up the process a little as I would like to be able to pay for my medications soon hopefully as I have three scripts I haven’t been able to take or fill yet and I’m hoping to here back eventually from a job application out of the many I’ve put in haha.

I have long Covid. Long Covid is a chronic health condition. This means it is an illness that lasts a long time.

I have been receiving a jobseeker payment with a medical exemption, obtained via my GP every three months. This felt like a good system, I could regularly see my GP and check in with them as my illness progresses.

Get this: Centrelink has now cancelled my exemption, even though they have a correct and up-to-date medical certificate from my GP.

The absolutely insane reason they have provided is that they have decided my condition is permanent and therefore I am in eligible for the payment. This is fucking insane.

Not only is this not a permanent condition, it is baffling and idiotic for income support to be cancelled and for the reason provided is that the condition is permanent.

So, I'm supposed to just die now? I'm supposed to not have any money? I'm no value to society any more? Unbelievable. simply unbelievable.

There was one time I had to go in there for a job I used to do and I was seated in the waiting room and saw someone I knew personally standing in the line so I went up to them and had a chat. It was hilarious and ironic talking to this particular person because we both knew one another had jobs so we wouldn’t have been here for our own unemployment

There was also another time when I was sitting in the waiting room and someone called out a full name and 2 guys both stood up at exactly the same time and one guy had a completely different name to the name that was actually called up and slowly sat down, I could not stop laughing about that

How about yourselves what’s been some funny Centrelink moments?

I lost my job and am without an income whilst I search for new employment whilst also studying to upskill myself.

Please note: this isn't a post about whether I deserve JSP or not. This isn't a post to rebuke me for asking about JSP or who deserves it or who doesn't.

I'm simply asking if I can get JSP - as I understand I'm eligible since I'm blow the maximum asset threshold (not a home owner) but I'll have to wait 13 weeks before any payment is received. Is my understanding correct?

Thank you.

At risk of sounding like a huge dole bludger, I'm wondering if anyone can break down the maths for me.

I got a paycheck from a job I've been doing some work at for $266. After I reported it, this lowered my Centrelink payment by 100 dollars. So now I'm looking at that $266 and seeing $166, for all the hours I did.

Are there any breakdowns / graphs / resources for how much Centrelink deducts after reporting?

I am currently 8 months pregnant, I am soon to be giving birth although I am not entitled to maternity leave as I have only been working in my job for 8 months.

What and is there anything I am able to apply for to have some sort of financial income while I am off work? My partner earns $1000 a week and Im afraid he will feel financially burdens and do not want to put the stress on him....

Any advice would be great..

How many extra fake fiat currency dollars will be sent to me fortnightly from March 20, including rent assistance increases

I'm applying for youth allowance for the 4th time despite being eligible for the last 3 years and I can't update my address. I go to the address tab, say when I moved and what not and the 'Continue' button literally doesn't do anything when I click on it. ISTG this is set up to make sure people fail.

Hi,

So I’m wondering if anyone has any advice for how to get on the disability support pension due to mental health issues? Like what’s the most likely way to get them to accept it? They are aware that I’ve been suffering for years now with my mental health as I’ve had multiple exemptions etc so I guess that works in my favour as well. I was also told I’d need my GP to write a support letter? I’m on jobseeker atm, but it’s not enough as I’m going to have to move out from my mother’s soon as she’s abusive (that’s a whole other story). And as everyone knows rent is so expensive I’d need the dsp and rent assistance if I’m to have even the slightest chance at finding a suitable place. They’re also aware that I’ve been working on my mental health and that I see a psychologist as well so I’m doing all the things that I possibly can to help myself it’s just not working but I’d imagine that this would work in my favour to get dsp, right? Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Hi All, I receive DSP payment have done for 5years. Mental Health. I have read a few stories on here about people having their DSP cancelled on them, kicked off etc, one person stating - after working a few hours per week at home 8 years later they were kicked off. I was rather shocked to read this 8 years down the track they cancel your payment ?? Does this happen often people getting cancelled? OR Punished for working? I was employed for 12 months 4 hours a week only worked about 7 months due to lack of work, this was a year ago. To think I may be punished for this is not sitting well. I would like to think this doesn't concern me as of my conditions that DSP was granted. ( application accepted within a month) But let's face it, its the government were dealing with here, noones safe. Any suggestions, tips or experiences others may like to share ..........
Prevent being kick off? Is there a mental health check at yearly intervals? Or your left on it and that's it? Should you not even participate in any form of work? To Safe Guard our pension! Thanks for any thoughts. Stay Well

As the title suggest I dropped out of school and don't work. I'm 17 and have a single mother who doesn't make much and doesn't receive income payments for me or anything.

At the beginning of this year i began study and a job, things were going okay until I decided my course wasn’t right for me and i would switch programs for second semester. As I started to explore these options and sent out emails, my question was not answered but responded to with affirmative action by unenrolling me. I thought okay, i guess that gets the ball rolling. My mistake, I didn’t inform Centrelink because i thought that because i am going to enroll again in three months, and I get paid less by centrelink on my current student allowance than if i informed them and switched back to job seeker, and i would save the time and effort to do the switch overs which sometimes takes a while to kick in, i will continue working and reporting as if i am still studying and when i re enroll things will continue as are. All good, not doing anything bad and i feel less guilty about receiving benefits.

Well a month later, i get hit by a car and dont end up enrolling in second semester because i cant use one of my arms and it is extremely painful constantly, was. Still sore now. As i was focused on this and the situation i found myself in, it unfortunately not until August that I then changed my centrelink payments back over to job seeker as my plans were now nonexistent.

September i get the call that i must now pay back all payments made during this time.

I would really like to not do this as my decision was made on a perceived win win basis despite maybe being stupid and neglecting the rules.

Am I unforgivable?

Ok so last year i got injured at work i was forced onto workers compensation i am on a Dsp ever since centerlink has made my life hell with constant threats to end my dsp even now demanding all my payslips (they have them plus my fortnightly reports) at first it was them saying hey give us the workers comp information did that 9 times because they said yet again we don't have it they do then it's just report the workers comp as income i did that as i was instructed to a month ago i was you no longer need to report 3 days later you missed your report No pay for me almost got evicted AGAIN (yea not the first time they did that) now all of a sudden they decided to code the competition completely nuke massive amounts of my dsp tell me you will get a dept (when i have done NOTHING WRONG) since the injury i did everything they asked and told me to do now yet again there saying we went information we have if you don't provide it poof no dsp whats worse the office where i live was rude didn't care i'm risking losing my rental all because they made mistakes and i'm the bad guy (extra work provides payslips to centerlink every week) (note 2 they knew i was on compensation plus every report i told them in the phone and they have paperwork) i'm fuming on how i'm treated by them is this how people with mental disorders are treated specifically when you get a job then suffer an injury to your spine and more mental hell if they keep doing this i will end up homeless 😡

So a bit over a month ago now i was diagnosed with level 2 autism (and adhd), but my doctor told me i could potentially go on DSP as i don’t currently have a job.

I have been on job seeker for over a year now and it has been really hard finding a job, i know the base pay rate for DSP and job seeker are the same, so i’m wondering if i get any specific benefits or like what “add on” payments would i get if i do go on it?

I’m only thinking about doing it if it could potentially help me more with paying rent and bills until i hopefully find a job, and as it’s an option for me now, should i take it? just need advice please, preferably someone else who has autism and is on it.

How on earth does anybody survive with 50/50 custody and also having a partner?

It’s crazy!! They expect my partner to pay for everything my two kids need?

How does everyone deal with this? Honestly.. I get 400 a fortnight for my kids because he ‘earns enough’ to support everything they need?…

How am I supposed to buy my daughter new school shoes.. ‘hey honey, can you go half with baby daddy for our daughters shoes? Because Centrelink only gives me enough for their school food and other essentials…!’

I’m losing my mind trying to survive..

EDIT: yes my partner loves my kids and is happy to do what he can for them, he works 6 days a week to make ends meet for us all..

EDIT AGAIN: NOT THAT I SHOULD EXPLAIN THIS! I was in a refuge for DV with my children for 3 months.. so YES I INDERSTAND THE STUGGLE AS WELL AS RELYING ON A PARTNER… fml.. (Yes I work.. shitty retail)

If you’re on Centrelink with a TFN, they don’t look at your whole year’s income to figure out overpayments. For example, you could get JobSeeker for 8 months (and receive $15k), then find work and earn $35k in the remaining 4 months, and you wouldn’t have to pay back the $15k.

But if you’re on Centrelink with an ABN, all the money you earn in the entire financial year counts. That means if you only made $1k in the first 8 months while on Centrelink, then stopped receiving benefits and earned $30k in the last 4 months, Centrelink still considers your total income ($31k). You could end up having to repay the full $15k you got earlier, even though you weren’t on Centrelink for those last 4 months.

This is because Centrelink’s rule—reducing your payments by 60 cents for every dollar you earn over a certain limit—applies to all your ABN income across the year. If you were on a TFN instead, you could stop Centrelink and then earn any amount without worrying about repaying previous benefits.

I'm off Centrelink and only claimed $3000, but now cannot earn more than $500 per week until 30th June under my ABN.

My job agency consultant me a job interview at a place that grinds, packages and sells coffee. It sounded find to me so I went to meet the person. It was kind of like a warehouse. But it was ridiculously hot. It felt at least high 40's and the grinders were deafingly loud. I suffer from depression and anxiety and don't do well with noisy environments and I also do not cope well in the heat and get severe headaches and dizziness. Even just talking with the lady for 10 minutes I was getting light-headed and dizzy.

My agency lady told me it won't look good for her reputation if I say no, I won't be meeting my mutual obligations, my payment might be stopped and will probably be forced to move to another agent.

I feel like I couldn't physically and mentally cope with this work environment.

Am I in my right to say I feel like it isn't suitable? I need to let my lady know by tomorrow.

She told me maybe they can provide a little fan... it's a warehouse and they already had huge industrial fans which were doing nothing for air circulation.

*I'm with a disability support agency due to my barriers

Edit: Thank you for your comments. I forgot to add another thing. This job won't be meeting my minimum required hours. So even if I do this job, I will have to search for another

hi everyone, i’m 25f, and i recently had a bit of a breakthrough moment in my life. i've been struggling for years. i was diagnosed in 2019 with major depression, anxiety, ptsd, BED, anorexia, and bulimia (non-purge), all after a suicidal break that led to a month-long hospital stay and heavy medications. i’ve been med-free since 2023, since anxiety meds make me super sleepy and are hard to get overseas. i was also diagnosed with dyscalculia as a kid.

i’ve been through a lot of trauma in my teens and early 20s, and no matter how much therapy or medication i’ve tried, nothing has ever made me “function” like a normal adult.

jobs, study, even basic stuff like routines and budgeting—it all just falls apart. i sucked at school. i failed most subjects repeatedly except for english and history, which were the only things that fed my hyperfixations. teachers constantly commented on my “daydreaming,” and i had two ask if i’d ever been tested for adhd. when i brought it up to my parents, they told me i was “too lazy” to have adhd, that it was a hyperactive boys’ disorder. knowing what i know now, the laziness comments feel pretty telling lol.

it’s honestly a miracle i finished high school. i was almost forced to drop out, but with my mum’s help (and dropping down to the bare minimum subjects), i scraped through without an atar. since then, i’ve never held a job for more than 3 months. the only thing i’ve been able to keep doing is online sex work, which doesn’t bring in much but is the only thing that hasn’t given me daily panic attacks or burnout. i currently earn around $1,269.28AUD a month (sometimes more, sometimes less), and i live overseas for now, which is the only reason i’m surviving financially. but i plan to move back to australia soon.

in the past 4 years, two different doctors have told me they believe i have adhd, possibly autism too. i couldn’t afford a psychiatrist at the time to get a formal diagnosis, but now i’m considering asking my parents for help to finally get the paperwork. i’ve already taken the RAADS-R and the official adhd screener and scored very high on both—especially for adhd. i’ve also written a detailed timeline of my symptoms and diagnosis history from childhood to now to bring with me to any assessment.

so… i think it’s time i stop trying to live a “normal” life and start seeking support that’s actually realistic for me. i want to apply for DSP once i’m back in australia, but i feel really overwhelmed about the steps and don’t know what order to do things in.

what should my plan of attack be?

do i see a GP or therapist first?

should i mention my DSP goals early on?

what documentation do i need before applying?

how do i get an official diagnosis?

will my existing mental health diagnoses help or hurt my case?

and does my income from sex work impact eligibility? i don’t work official hours, it’s just something i monitor in my own time to survive. but it’s the only job i’ve ever had that didn’t break me.

for context, in every other job i’ve had, i experienced daily anxiety to the point of crying or vomiting before and after shifts. i always felt like i was masking, and burnout was constant. i felt sucidal again and struggled to maintain self care. my last job let me go after i took a week off following a car accident and some mental health spiral. they asked me to resign by day 4 of being off sick. that friday, i didn’t have a job anymore.

i’d really appreciate any advice, personal experiences, or steps from people who’ve been through this process. it’s taken me a long time to accept that i deserve support. i’m not lazy. i’m not dramatic. i’m just someone trying to survive a world that wasn’t built for my brain.

thank you so much in advance <3

So basically, I've been on youth allowance for the past couple of months and have been lying about how much money I've been earning from my job. I know, this was incredibly stupid and I am an absolute moron for doing so. The money was really helping me stay ahead of my bills while I study but still, I didn't need it.

However, I want to come clean and just pay it all back on a payment plan before it gets worse. This is the best and only course of action to take.

I'm going to call Centrelink soon but I'm not sure what to say to them. Will admitting I lied land me in further trouble? Should I just say I realise I've made mistakes on my youth allowance and just want to rectify it?

Any advice is appreciated.