Welfare Rights Centre NSW in Surry Hills, New South Wales, Australia | Legal service

Welfare Rights Centre NSW

Locality: Surry Hills, New South Wales, Australia

Phone: +61 2 9211 5300

Address: 102/55 Holt Street 2010 Surry Hills, NSW, Australia

Website: http://welfarerightscentre.org.au

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24.01.2022 Want to know more about Access to Centrelink for Migrants and other Newly Arrived Residents? Join us on Zoom for our next community legal education event Wednesday 2 December. We'll be covering key issues impacting migrant’s access to Centrelink payments including residency criteria, the newly arrived residents waiting period, domestic and family violence, Special Benefit, exemptions, impact of overseas assets and foreign pensions, assurances of support and a whole lot more.... Jointly presented by a Welfare Rights Solicitor and our CLE Officer, this session will include consideration of case studies and time for questions. Access to Centrelink for Migrants and Other Newly Arrived Residents 3:00 4:30pm AEDT Wednesday 2 December 2020 Register at https://buff.ly/35YiDxx. Or check out more sessions on our Clinical Legal Education page at https://welfarerightscentre.org.au/community-legal-education.

22.01.2022 Thanks Central Tablelands CLSD (Cooperative Legal Service Delivery) Interagency for inviting us to your quarterly meeting. We presented on how to spot a Centrelink issue, with participants particularly wanting to clarify any risks that may arise from appealing a Centrelink decision to ensure an appeal won't accidentally make things worse for a client! The meeting also included an update from a local Centrelink representative, and it was great to hear first hand about impendin...g changes to the Centrelink appeals process and how to arrange a face-to-face appointment. If you'd like us to attend your interagency meeting or present on a Centrelink related topic, please let us know - 02 9211 5389.

21.01.2022 A heartfelt thank you to our fantastic Social Work placement student Talia Shnaiderman. Talia’s social work skills made a great difference to the services we’ve been able to offer during her placement and we’ll miss her greatly. Thanks for all your amazing work Talia, and congratulations on your new job!

20.01.2022 Q. "A couple of weeks ago I moved in with my boyfriend when his friend moved out. Now Centrelink says I can’t get JobSeeker because he earns too much but he’s never paid for anything for me. What should I do?" A. It sounds like Centrelink has decided you’re a ‘member of a couple’. In simple terms, a ‘member of a couple’ is anyone who lives with another person, with both of you committed to each other on a permanent or indefinite basis. Centrelink use a set of criteria to asse...ss whether you’re a member of a couple but there is no magic formula. It can be particularly tricky to work out exactly when a developing relationship slides into the ‘member of a couple’ definition. It’s worth lodging a claim for JobSeeker Payment. The fact that you’ve just moved in together and have separate finances will carry some weight but there are other relevant factors, like whether you have a sexual relationship, whether family and friends consider you a couple, and whether you plan things and socialise together. You mentioned his friend moved out. Does that mean you have your own bedroom? That will inform their decision but will only be considered in conjunction with other factors. If your claim is rejected, or they reduce your payment because of your boyfriend’s income, you can appeal. That means you’ll have another chance to explain to Centrelink how you remain independent. For more information, see our 'Relationship Status and Centrelink' factsheet (the link is posted in the first comment below). Or if you’re in NSW and you’d like some advice before talking to Centrelink, please give us a ring on 1800 226 028. #Centrelink #JobSeeker #MemberOfACouple #AusGov #WelfareRightsCentre #CLC

19.01.2022 From Monday 7 December, we'll see an improvement in Mutual Obligations processes for people on Jobactive, Parents Next or Disability Employment Services. Mutual obligations still apply but you'll have more time - 2 days - to explain if you don't attending a scheduled meeting or don't submit your job search details before your Centrelink payment is suspended. We understand the new system will work like this:... 1. If you miss a meeting with your provider without explanation, or you don't report your job searches or other activities on time, you'll get a message saying you need to contact your provider or the Digital Services Contact Centre, or your payment will be put on hold in 2 business days. 2. If you make contact and you have a ‘valid reason’ or you've met your Mutual Obligations within the 2 business days (e.g. they agree to reschedule your appointment), your payment won’t be suspended. 3. If you don't make contact, don't have a valid reason or meet the requirement, after 2 business days you'll receive a message that your payment has been put on hold (suspended). 4. If you make contact within four weeks and either have a ‘valid reason’ or meet the requirements, your payment will be restored. Whether or not your payment is suspended, you may get a ‘demerit point’ if you didn't have a ‘valid reason’ for not meeting the requirement in the first place. Having a payment suspended can have devastating consequences so it really is important to avoid if at all possible! Thank you Economic Justice Australia for pushing for this modest but significant change! The Australian Council of Social Service is estimating it could halve the number of payment suspensions!! If you live in NSW and you have a debt raised but think it's unfair or may be incorrect, you can contact us for free legal advice on 1800 226 028. Alternatively, you can send a message through our website and one of our solicitors will give you a ring back as soon as possible. If you’re outside NSW, you can find a legal centre in you state through our peak body Economic Justice Australia - www.ejaustralia.org.au.

18.01.2022 In welcome news ... waiver of the Newly Arrived Resident's Waiting Period (NARWP) has been further extended to 31 March 2021! The Newly Arrived Residents Waiting Period means that many people who move to Australia and become an Australian resident have to wait 4 years before they can receive a Centrelink payment. Given the massive job losses as a result of COVID, suspension of the NARWP is absolutely vital as people who are normally subject to the NARWP may now be able to ac...cess payments including JobSeeker, Youth Allowance, Austudy, Parenting Payment, or Special Benefit until the end of March. Please help us spread the word! We keep hearing of people who are affected by the NARWP but were unaware it had been suspended! If you know someone who believes they're subject to a NARWP, please let them know to lodge a Centrelink claim as soon as possible. For more info see https://buff.ly/3kTpXPi. If you need advice or assistance, you can contact us for free legal advice on 1800 226 028.

17.01.2022 This week we’ve been talking to legal service providers from the NSW South Coast CLSD Partnership - one of 12 NSW regional justice partnerships comprising a coalition of legal and non-legal services. Participants included our colleagues from Shoalcoast Community Legal Centre which covers the local government areas of Shoalhaven, Eurobadalla, Bega Valley, Queanbeyan/Palerang and Snowy Monaro. Community workers across agencies continue to see a range of legal issues as people ...recover from the bushfires as well as more recent flooding. Their work includes vital support for people struggling to claim correct Centrelink entitlements including issues with Disability Support Pension, Carer Payment, dual reporting requirements related to Family Tax Benefit, and debts including Robodebts. They’ve also seen problems arising from Centrelink paperwork filled out in the crisis period following the bushfires. We’d like to congratulate our colleagues on the essential services they’re providing. You can find out more about the South Coast CLSD network here - https://buff.ly/39bsWQS, and Shoalcoast Community Legal Centre here - https://www.shoalcoast.org.au/ We’re looking forward to working more collaboratively in the near future. Stay tuned!

17.01.2022 Age Pension qualifying age is going up. It’s currently set at 66 years but will increase to 66 years from 1 July 2021. You can check your qualifying age by using your birthdate. If you were born between 1 July 1955 and 31 December 1956, this change applies to you. There is another age increase scheduled for 1 July 2023. If you were born on or after 1 January 1957, you won't be eligible for Age Pension until you turn 67.... Age Pension has a lot of other qualifying criteria including residency, income and assets. You can find out more on Services Australia's site at https://buff.ly/3wC3vAI. If you're having issues with your Centrelink payment, you can ring us for free advice on 1800 226 028. Our phone advice times are Monday & Wednesday - 9:30am to 12:30pm, and Thursday - 1:30pm to 4:30pm. If you need advice but those times don't suit or you have trouble getting through, you can send a message through our website and one of our solicitors will give you a ring back as soon as possible - https://welfarerightscentre.org.au/need-help #AgePension #Centrelink #ServicesAustralia #ausgov #WelfareRights #WelfareRightsCentre #LegalAdvice #CommunityLegalCentre

15.01.2022 Q I have a part-time job & I get the same pay every week. I still get some JobSeeker Payment but I’ve suddenly got a really random amount! I’m always really careful to report the exact amount of gross income for the reporting period. I’m still single and my rents the same so what’s changed? Should I be doing something about it? A. You may be experiencing the effect of two simultaneous changes to JobSeeker Payment. Firstly, Coronavirus Supplement is paid to anyone receivin...g JobSeeker, and Coronavirus Supplement recently dropped from $550 to $250/fortnight. That’s a $300/fortnight reduction. At the same, the income test for JobSeeker has become more generous. You can now earn $300/fortnight before your JobSeeker will be affected (reducing by 60 cents for every $1 you earn over $300). If those numbers don’t add up it would definitely be worth a call to Centrelink to see if something else is going on. If you find Centrelink has made a decision that you think is incorrect or unfair, you can contact us for free legal advice on 1800 226 028. Or you can send a message through our website and one of our solicitors will give you a ring back as soon as possible (link in first comment).

13.01.2022 From 1 January 2021, the Coronavirus Supplement will reduce to $150/fortnight. Luke Henriques-Gomes’ interview with Angela Cadwallen offers a glimpse of what the reduced Coronavirus Supplement means. Unable to pay bills or put petrol in her car, 3 generations of her family live with housing insecurity as they'll have to find alternative accommodation. Read more on The Guardian’s website at https://buff.ly/3llJ45t. It’s the second decrease since the Coronavirus Supplement was ...introduced in April at $550/fortnight, then reduced in September to $250/fortnight. The Coronavirus Supplement will be paid at $150/fortnight from 1 January until 31 March 2021. Given there is no guarantee that the Coronavirus Supplement will continue after 31 March, we fear the worst is yet to come. Welfare Rights Centre remains highly concerned about the gradual erosion of a liveable income for people surviving on JobSeeker. Urgent action is required to address the inadequate basic rate. #RaisetheRateforGood!

12.01.2022 Our Executive Director, Katherine Boyle, recently gave evidence before the House of Representative's Standing Committee on Social Policy and Legal Affairs on issues relating to family, domestic and sexual violence. In particular, Katherine highlighted the crucial role of Centrelink social workers as made abundantly clear in one of our recent cases. Our client had a Centrelink debt after they alleged she’d received too much Family Tax Benefit because she hadn’t declared the in...come support she'd received from her violent ex-partner. Not only had she never received income support from him, she’d never claimed it out of a genuine fear for her safety. Regardless, Centrelink's rules deemed the income had been received. Our client's case got all the way to the General Division of the Administrative Appeals Tribunal before she learned about Welfare Rights Centre and contacted us for assistance. We put her in contact with a social worker who did a retrospective exemption from the requirement to claim child support based on her ex-partner’s violence, and suddenly the debt was waived and the whole legal proceeding went away! This case should never have ended up in the tribunal. Quite apart from the enormous stress she experienced, the whole process was a waste of Centrelink and tribunal resources. A single referral to a social worker would have prevented the cascading of events. Access to social security is a critical component of the National Plan to Reduce Violence against Women and their Children. Centrelink social workers perform a vital function supporting people at times of great distress and they also save time and money by ensure the right decision is made first time around. You can read more of Katherine’s evidence, and that of our colleagues from Economic Justice Australia and Welfare Rights and Advocacy Service (WA) in the Hansard transcript at https://buff.ly/3rgluui.

12.01.2022 Last week our Executive Director, Katherine Boyle, joined representatives of Welfare Rights & Advocacy Service (WA) and our peak representative body, Economic Justice Australia, to give evidence to the House of Representatives’ Inquiry into family, domestic and sexual violence. We worked collaboratively to provide input about ways Services Australia can better support people escaping family violence, stressing the importance of Centrelink social workers. The Government will u...se the findings from this inquiry to inform the next National Plan to Reduce Violence against Women and their Children. You can find out more about the Inquiry here - https://www.aph.gov.au/familyviolence. Thanks for the image and post WRAS! Links to WRAS and EJA in first comment.

12.01.2022 Last chance to register for tomorrow's Social Security & Young People community legal education event. Registrations close today, 4pm AEDT. To register, go to https://buff.ly/36gIP5B. Thank you Ecstra Foundation and Collier Charitable Fund for your invaluable support!

11.01.2022 We're asking people to take urgent action to block the Social Security Legislation Amendment Bill which is expected to go to a vote in the Senate tomorrow! There are numerous problems with the Bill but a key one is the automation of Centrelink decisions - again. The Bill will move more people on Centrelink payments onto an online system that will AUTOMATICALLY suspend payments when the system decides a person hasn't met their mutual obligations, including single parents of yo...ung children and people with a disability. Introducing stringent requirements while simultaneously removing the human decision making will be very damaging, increasing poverty and stress for people who are already struggling. If you're able, please phone your Senator today and explain your concern. You can find out more (including who to call) at https://raisetherate.org.au/block-next-robodebt-call-senat/. #RaisetheRateforGood #ACOSS #EJA #Robodebt #Centrelink

11.01.2022 Just a reminder, if you live in NSW and you receive a Centrelink decision that seems unfair or may be incorrect, you can contact us for free legal advice on 1800 226 028. Alternatively, you can send a message through our website and one of our solicitors will give you a ring back as soon as possible - buff.ly/38pgM4I. If you’re outside NSW, you can find a legal centre in you state through our peak body Economic Justice Australia - buff.ly/3phpvgg. #nsw #centrelink #ausgov #legaladvice #communitylegalcentre #welfarerights #welfarerightscentre #economicjustice #community

11.01.2022 Are you aware of the 30th June deadline for last year's Family Tax Benefit - 2019-20! Time’s running out!! If you were eligible for Family Tax Benefit during the 2019-20 financial year, you need to confirm your income by lodging a tax return before 30 June 2021. Alternatively, if your income was low and you don’t have to lodge a tax return, you need to contact Centrelink directly to let them know. If Centrelink can’t confirm your family’s income by 30 June - you will miss ou...t, or you may have to repay any Family Tax Benefit you received, even if you were eligible! If you’re not able to confirm your family income by 30 June, it’s important to talk to someone at Centrelink as soon as possible. You can call Centrelink’s Families line on 136 150 or use your Centrelink online account (through myGov) or the Express Plus Centrelink mobile app. For more information, go to https://buff.ly/3vxmifs. If you're in NSW and you're having issues with your Centrelink payment, you can ring us for free advice on 1800 226 028. Our phone advice times are Monday & Wednesday - 9:30am to 12:30pm, and Thursday - 1:30pm to 4:30pm. If you need advice but those times don't suit or you have trouble getting through, you can send a message through our website and one of our solicitors will give you a ring back as soon as possible - https://welfarerightscentre.org.au/need-help. #familytaxbenefit #childcaresubsidy #taxreturn #Centrelink #ausgov #welfarerightscentre #clc #covid19

09.01.2022 Join us this NAIDOC Week as we celebrate the history, culture and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. Usually held in July, this year most NAIDOC Week events have been moved to this week (8 - 15 November) to help protect those most susceptible to COVID, particularly those in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. There are a whole lot of events planned all over Australia - https://www.naidoc.org.au/get-involved/naidoc-week-events. Join... us as we come together to celebrate not only Indigenous achievement but the history, rich culture, and survival of the oldest continuing living culture on the planet. You can find out more and better understand the history & importance of NAIDOC Week at https://www.naidoc.org.au/about/history. Always Was. Always Will Be. #NAIDOC2020 #NAIDOCWeek #NAIDOC

03.01.2022 Want to gain a better understanding of Disability Support Pension (DSP), Carer Payment or Carer Allowance? Join us on Zoom for our next community legal education event Thursday 28 January 2021. This session will outline eligibility criteria, the kind of evidence required to obtain payment, and key steps in the process. It will also cover important points about obtaining the right medical evidence, including who can be considered a medical expert and direction about the for...matting and content of letters and necessary forms. Finally, the session will outline what to do if your claim is rejected, including where to go for help. Jointly presented by a Welfare Rights Solicitor and our CLE Officer, this session will include consideration of case studies and time for questions. Target audience: Community workers and volunteers, disability advocates, and lawyers Claiming Disability Support Pension and Carer Payment 10:00am 12:00pm AEDT Thursday 28 January 2021 Register at https://buff.ly/3a4D5zd. Or check out more sessions on our Clinical Legal Education page at https://buff.ly/388mfx1. #NSW #NDIS #legaladvice #communitylegalcentre #centrelink #jobsaustralia #centrelinkdebt #disabilitysupport

02.01.2022 We’re looking for a part-time Aboriginal Community Liaison Officer to help Welfare Rights Centre provide a more accessible service for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people living in NSW. The position, funded by a seeding grant from the Federal Government, is 3 days/week for 12 months. Duties include: Helping us connect with Aboriginal-controlled organisations Assisting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people who have a problem with Centrelink to seek support ...from our caseworkers and solicitors Working with our Community Legal Education Officer to develop a training program in social security law for Aboriginal community workers Identifying how Centrelink’s laws and processes unfairly impact on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and help us with policy and law reform work Helping the Executive Director secure ongoing funding for the role You must be of Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander descent, identify as an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander person and be accepted in the community as such. You could be someone who has worked in a community or government organisation. Or you may have never held a formal paid position but you have experience supporting people in your community to access essential services. Or you may have just finished your university degree or TAFE course and you’re looking for your first professional role. Your skills, experience and strengths will shape how the role of Aboriginal Community Liaison Officer develops. You will be provided with full training to gain a working knowledge of social security and family assistance laws, policies and procedures. You will also be offered mentoring by an appropriate experienced Aboriginal person external to the Welfare Rights Centre. Applications close at 9 am on Tuesday 16 February 2021. More details on our website at https://welfarerightscentre.org.au/jobs-and-volunteers.

02.01.2022 Yes you may be able to get a Centrelink payment as well as your JobKeeper! Tomorrow (4 January), JobKeeper will be reduced from $1200/fortnight to $1000/fortnight for some and from $750 to $650/fortnight for others. That means a lot more people on JobKeeper will also be eligible for a part-payment from Centrelink! JobKeeper is regarded as income for Centrelink purposes and because the rate has fallen, your income may be below the income threshold for many payments ... BUT ...you cannot be paid retrospectively before the date you lodged your claim even if you were eligible so it’s important to claim asap. You can find more information about income tests on Services Australia’s site. It’s a bit complicated as each payment type has a specific income test which is also affected by other factors including whether you’re single or a member of a couple. You can find the link to the JobSeeker income test here https://buff.ly/34H0yD3, but you’ll need to check that’s the relevant Centrelink payment for you. If you have problems with Centrelink payments you can contact us for advice on 1800 226 028. #centrelink #jobkeeper #incometest #servicesaustralia #ausgov #jobsaustralia #legaladvice #communitylegalcentre #welfarerights #welfarerightscentre