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Centrelink A Sore Point

Centrelink A Sore Point

Tags: Consumer Action
Last updated by Kayley Harris on

In last week’s newsletter we shared member Noel’s story of frustration with Centrelink to apply for the aged pension. Noel obviously hit a nerve as your responses have been coming in thick and fast ever since.

This one from Ray:

Hi Kayley

In this week’s newsletter there is a post from Noel on the paperwork involved in applying for the aged pension. Whilst I found this relatively simple the big surprise is that after 4 months, nothing has been processed by the department and no reply received. I have visited a Centrelink office and phoned only to be advised all is correct and that the department has a huge backlog of applications to process.

I wonder if other members are experiencing the same delays. When January 2017 comes around I will be ineligible as the rules change but now I would be eligible.

I’m happy to report that just as we were about to publish the newsletter, we received an update from Ray…

Miracles do happen. We received a reply last night that the pension application has been approved as at the 1st week of April so it took over 4 months for a reply.

 

Originally posted on .

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Dawn
Dawn from SA commented:

Hey Everybody, how about sending off an email with your comments to the Minister for Ageing in your state. We need to get pro-active. I've been waiting over 4 months for info on my application so sent a short nudge email to the NSW Minister. Maybe if we all do this it might be a wake up call for them 

Joady
Joady from NSW commented:

I have recently notified Centrelink of our change of circumstances. Their response, suspend payment, while I have to re-submit all the same documents with some wording changed. In the meantime, our Opal Card has been suspended as well with 2 weeks to show cause.. Centrelink is going to take longer than 2 weeks to get this suspension lifted you can guarantee, so know the arguments about Transport will begin. 

Christine
Christine from NSW commented:

Yes totally agree How can we make that happen ? Come on fiftyupclub lets work on this Cheers 

Someone
Someone from SA commented:

What s changing January 2017 

Edward
Edward from QLD commented:

Yes, I agree with you. However things have changed over the past 5 to 10 years. It is up to you to chase down things that concern you. We have been blessed with the computer/internet, if you have a problem/concern you have to chase it up yourself, seek the answer to your query. You must not rely on others to address your concerns, nor blame the government for not providing the information. 

Someone
Someone from NSW commented:

Well done Ray, I am still waiting for my application to be processed, it's 14 weeks now...... 

Someone
Someone from NSW commented:

When Joe Hockey introduced legislation to reduce the assets to qualify for the age pension, he said those taken off the pension would get the Commonwealth Health Card, which, he said, "gives the same benefits as the pension card." This is nonsense. It gives subsidised prescriptions, which is valuable, but it is up to radiology firms and doctors etc whether they give any concessions. Where I live, most don't. 

Lyn
Lyn from NSW commented:

For radiologists, go with no cash, no cheque book, no credit or debit cards, just take your health card, works every time (so they get paid). 

Someone
Someone from NSW commented:

Our local Centrelink office lost an important actuary report of ours and started to include our complying pension assets in the assets test. I was told by the counter staff it would take at least 80 days to process the duplicate I took in and our pension was drastically reduced and was not restored for 5 months. It went through several layers of bureaucracy and caused us much heartache and stress. 

Someone
Someone from NSW commented:

Lynn, from NSW. Seems Centrelink haven't changed, but just got worse. My husband and applied for the pension 3 years ago, and after 3 1/2 months and lots of alterations to the paperwork. We finally received the pension. But it took a letter from our local politician to get it through and was through the next day. 

Someone
Someone from WA commented:

Are they in WA would like to know there contact number thanks. 

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