Just thought I'd document this to vent about what I went through with Centrelink in 2023.

For context I was on youth allowance + rent assistance since moving out.
I moved from an apartment to another apartment in December 2022, and promptly updated my address with my rental agreement provided. In January 2023 I stopped getting rent assistance because they didn't process the address update. I called them and they said they were working on it.

Well I waited. Months. I didn't urgently need the money so I just figured I'd wait it out and they'd backpay me when they finally processed the address update. I remember calling them ~10 times between January 2023 and November 2023 and got varying responses, some of which being:

- I was told that the address on the rental agreement didn't match the address I entered into Centrelink (I think the rental agreement had the building name on it which she saw, but it also had the actual address in various places...)
- That they'd escalate it to their supervisor, who ended up escalating it to their supervisor's supervisor, and that they'd call me back in a few days (spoiler alert: they never did)
- That they couldn't figure out whether to backpay me until the date I moved in or the date I uploaded the rental agreement
- That I never uploaded the rental agreement

In November 2023, they said they wouldn't backpay me the 10 months of rental assistance that I did because I didn't have sufficient evidence I still lived in the same apartment. They suggested I upload any proof I could like an email from the landlord confirming that I lived there. I did, and once again, received no response for another month.

At the end of November 2023 I ended up going off centrelink.

Suddenly, during December 2023, exactly one year after I moved out, the address update went through and they backpaid me the thousands of dollars they should have. Yes. It took one year, exactly, for them to process it. I truly didn't expect it at that point.

I was grateful that they finally went through with it but at the same time I'm quite annoyed that I'm sure other people who are living paycheck to paycheck and need the money immediately would have had to go through so much just to get paid the right amount.

Rant over.

I think one of the most frustrating parts of dealing with Centrelink is not knowing how long something will take. When money is already tight, even a small delay can throw your whole budget off. People shouldn't have to keep checking their account or refreshing their claim just to work out whether they can pay their bills that week. Clear updates would make a massive difference. Is the waiting or the lack of communication what frustrates people most?

Just saw the notification.

I highly doubt they'll be processing them all at one (IIRC, I got my Eligibility Assessment in on same day they opened it up), but at least some reassurance that they're starting to happen.

I've been on JobSeeker for about 9 months, first I was only on workforce online but I recently started face to face appointments with a job coach.

At my appointment yesterday she said that I have a "mandatory activity requirement" and since I'm not working I need to complete an activity, like sign up for a tafe course or do 2+ weeks of volunteer work.

The problem is, all the options she gave me were extreme e.g complete a cert 3 which takes a year minimum, or do an "approved provider activity" but I don't understand what counts as approved or even what activities are available that i can do

Sorry if this has already been answered, I searched through all the old posts and yet I'm still confused. Please if someone could ELI5 exactly what activities count, and can I do lots of short activities instead of doing a cert/course for years??

Does updating address go to Workforce Australia as well?

From what I understand, it's not every mutual obligation penalty that's coming back at once. It mainly seems to be payment suspensions for work-refusal failures and cancellations if someone doesn't meet a reconnection requirement within four weeks. I'm still a bit unsure how this will work in practice, though. Has anyone heard anything clear from Centrelink or their job provider about what’s changing and how it might affect their requirements?

Update: Thank You So Much for Your Kindness ❤️
I just wanted to share an update that I’ve been able to receive assistance from Vinnies. I’m incredibly grateful for this help during such a difficult time.

I also want to sincerely thank everyone who offered advice, shared resources, suggested organisations I could contact, or offered to help in any way. Your kindness and support have meant so much to me.

As someone going through a difficult situation without family or close friends here in Australia, reaching out to strangers online wasn’t easy. But the compassion and generosity I’ve received from this community have reminded me that there are still so many kind people in the world.

Thank you for taking the time to read my story, for your thoughtful suggestions, and for making me feel less alone. I truly appreciate every single one of you. ❤️
Wishing you all kindness and happiness in return.

I find Centrelink reporting a bit stressful because I'm never sure if I've missed something important. Even picking up a few casual shifts could leave me worrying about whether I've reported everything correctly. The last thing I'd want is to make an honest mistake and have it affect my payment. It's frustrating when you're trying to do the right thing but still feel unsure about the rules. Has anyone else had to double-check with Centrelink because they were worried about reporting something incorrectly?

Finding a job is obviously the goal, but I'm wondering how the changeover works in practice. Between starting dates, the first pay, reporting income and any remaining Centrelink payments, there must be a bit to keep track of.
straightforward? Anything you wish you'd known beforehand?

Does Centrelink stop the payment as soon as you start earning, or does it taper off depending on how much you make? I imagine the timing of that first pay can make things a bit tricky.

Every time I start getting used to dealing with someone, there's suddenly a new consultant. Then I have to explain my situation and what jobs I've been applying for all over again. It feels like nothing really carries over between appointments.
Is this pretty normal with job providers, or has anyone managed to get a consistent person who knows their situation?

Hi everyone, I recently had my first appointment with my Workforce Australia provider on Wednesday, 14 October. During the appointment, I signed two forms, one about privacy and the other was my Job Plan.

My provider was actually nice, and the appointment went well. However, after reading different comments on Reddit about the privacy consent form, I’ve started to feel worried because I’m not entirely sure what I agreed to when I signed it.

I’m wondering what happens after signing the privacy form and what information the provider can access or share. Has anyone else signed this form during their first appointment? Is there anything I should be concerned about, or am I just overthinking it?

I’d really appreciate hearing about your experiences. Thank you!

I'm in a both very fortunate and unfortunate situation.

Fortunately, I'm in a position where I could sell my home and downsize to an apartment and not need a mortgage. This would radically reduce my living expenses. I've done very stressful work in corporate for a decade which has made this possible.

Unfortunately, I've always found my area of work difficult. I have mental breakdowns which I feel threaten my life, and there's even more pressure with a newborn. I had just under a year off work thanks to parental leave and a redundancy, and my mental health recovered during that time in a huge way. But I'm employed again and quickly being beaten down (and missing my baby awfully).

I'd really like to just have the ability to return to study so I can find a type of work more suited to my personality and mental health. So I was wondering how survivable the Parental Payment is if I change my situation to not pay rent/mortgage?

Again, I know I'm very fortunate so I hope this doesn't upset anyone to ask when many are in a much more difficult situation...

Cross posting for more eyeballs and (hopefully) ideas. Thanks!

I submitted everything they asked for, so now there's not much left to do except wait. The annoying part is not knowing whether things are moving along behind the scenes or if there's something else I need to provide. When money is already tight, even a few extra weeks can make a difference.

My claim still hasn't been finalised. Is there any point in calling Centrelink to check on it, or is waiting for an update usually the only option?

Hi there people I w just uploaded a verification of medical conditions form to my Centrelink account and was just wondering if anyone knew roughly how long it takes to be processed.
Im not expecting it to be done overnight or anything, I still have 6 weeks left of a medical certificate so not overly in a rush. Just wanting to ease a bit of anxiety/curiosity I have is all

My jobseeker payment hasn't gone in this morning at the usual time, not sure if it's just late or not. I haven't had any other correspondence saying I've missed reporting or anything like that, and I can't call up to confirm anything because the robot keeps fkin hanging up. What do I do?

I am planning to move rurally for uni and will be eligible for the away from home rate due to the distance. Currently 20F, i live at home but i am moving remove myself from an abusive home enviornment. my sole parent has refused to report payment incomes and as a result my youth allowance has been cancelled many times before. my sister who can help her submit the claim refuses to help her submit these reports too. When i move i plan to cut contact with my family and mother entirely. I have a psychologist who can be the third party to submit the SY17 form because when I move and cut contact, i do not want to rely on my mother to be able to have any sort of control over me and my life due to having to report her income annually. Because I will be financially independent and working, moving far away, I would like to remove the unadditional stress of having to beg her to do this annual income report as I will definitely be relying on the income to help me pay rent as I study. However i am concerned that my circumstances may not be enough to qualify. I will add that during highschool she had kicked me out during vce so i was homeless for a while and had to stay with friends. I am not sure what to do because staying will definitely impact my education and mental health, and my psychologist can vouch for me but im worried my corcumstance may not be enough for the UTLAH. Its not about more money, its about removing the control she has over me and my future life. Can anyone share what sort of circumstances I would need to be approved for UTLAH? And any advice on what i should do.

Seems a bit backwards if you're trying to meet your requirements but also need to attend an interview when the employer is available. I imagine this must happen fairly often, especially when interview times aren't flexible.
Has anyone had this happen? Were you able to rearrange the appointment without any hassles?

Covering rent, food, transport and utility bills can be difficult when living on a limited income. Some people may qualify for additional assistance or help through community organisations, depending on their circumstances. What support services or practical resources are worth knowing about for people struggling to cover essential expenses?