special benefit

The Meeting Place > Government & Centrelink > special benefit

6 yrs ago

My wife does not qualify for an aged pension because of a shortfall in residency 10 years, She was doing 15 hours a week with a langugage school on a Newstart allowance she has turned 65 years of age with no newstart anymore, Iam on one half the married rate my wife cannot secure any employment at 65 years of age

Managing on one half of a couples pension isnt easy, however we were advised to apply for special benefit because there is no Partner support payments nothing at all

So she applied ,we were told as a couple we cannot have anymore than $5000 in savings, if so, no special benefit is paid, its is considred to be a servere hardship payment $5000 was intoduced in 2004 its now 2017 and still the same amount I wrote to the minister to be advised it was the current legislation so too bad in other words, every dollar my wife earns is deemed at dollar for dollar no free area exists at all, so her payment is deemed because of a small english pension she receives each month being married to an Englishman

its appears no changes are ever made to current legislation its all about revenue and jobs and dole bludgers you are not allowed to improve your situation like the young man who took a job at Mcdonalds he was on special benefit all his pay was deducted off his benefit no incentives to improve his situation once at the bottom of the barrel that where you stay

11 comments

Thats awful Geoffrey

Not sure what other options you have

how many more years till she reaches the 10?

can she get pension from her home country ?

dolbt60

6 yrs ago

Thanks Raphel, no pension once you leave the countr, unlike Australia or UK, there are no other options other than we pack up here and move to her country where I would receive the basic pension from AU and my small pension from the UK, my wife would still receive her very small money from her company she last worked for but no gaurantee it would be restored again, my Wife has been in Australia for coming up 7 years, 2 years were on a temporary visa about Permanent residence from 2013 so its around another6 years PR is the year they take it from

I dont expect the Australian government to provide any income for my Wife, I get my pension at the married rate some $200 less than a single person try supporting two people on this amount

The thing they ask is to pool your resourses, there are no resourses to pool however I did apply for section 24 of the social security act,in 2011 this is when a couple is not taken as a couple, so I had a single pension for two years due to a qualifying period of 2 years for any income support for my Wife, I was told by Centrelink if i was finding it difficult was to divorce my Wife so I could draw the single pension, of course what sort of Husband would do this ? We just have to survive on our small money no holidays no restaurants etc etc like many other pensioners I dont smoke or drink or gamble we have 6 further years before my Wife is entitled to any pension Thank you for your interest

Deflo

6 yrs ago

See my comment in other post. This is indeed a bizarre situation. Centrlink told you that you shouled divorce your wife to recieve the single rate again. What is this, social engineering by default. Disgusting.

Deflo

6 yrs ago

C/l do say some crazy things at times, When i was on a single DSP for 17 years and kept my head down i never heard from them, Soon as i marry and stick my head up i get it shot off,just like you. I know this will sound bad but i have thought about doing it. There is a form you can fill out called single and still living under the same roof. Now they do ask a lot of questions but if you just answer no to them all then you should be clased as being single ,and be payed as such. The young ones are doing this sort of thing all the time, They know all the loop holes we dont. Check it out.

PlanB

6 yrs ago

There seems to be NO empathy at all with the Centrelink-- wanting people tp spend what little money they might have saved -- b4 they can get any help at all APPAULING!

Same as wanting Mothers to get back to work as soon as they have a Child, gone are the days that a Mother stayed at home and cared for her Child -- better than farming tem out to who knows what and who.

Yet these blood sucking politicians live like *&^%$($ kings and whould have NO &^%&$#@ idea how normal people live

Our pension system is, sadly, very punitive and suppressive. People wonder why there is so much cheating of the system. Well, it's because the system is unfair, and when people are dealt with unfairly they often seek ways to ''even the score''. For many, cheating is the only way to lift yourself up and improve your situation. Being honest reaps no rewards, sad to say!

Are you for real??? Pension system "punitive and suppressive"??? There is nothing "unfair" about Australia's pension system. You should visit a few countries where welfare is at the very minimum and as for "cheating". People who cheat should be caught and dealt with severely.

You're an idiot you stupid bird

pension is unfair and punished the savers

it should be universal

If someone is renting, then it could be a squeeze. If not more than adequate.

Many "pensioners" are permanent holidayers, many enjoy cruises all years round. Poor? Nah.

Many are capable of working for many years but choose to be idle, the govt must raise the pension age.

As for calling me names, just shows how stupid you are, lose an argument and get nasty. Typical.

dolbt60

6 yrs ago

Is this correct Reagan " There is nothing unfair about Australia's Pension system "mmm!! can I ask if you are married on one half of the pension couple's rate? if one ismarried on the full aged pension I totally agree with you, but the unfairness is the removal of Newstart at 65 my Wife did 15 hours a week voluntary work to qualify then nothing other than a $200 dollar reduction of my pension having no money to pool, no employment etc by my wife no consideration is given so dont talk to me about fairness

Now at 65 there is nothing,if residence is under 10 years, no parner allowance that was stopped, so all you can recieve is Special Benefit, now be aware that this payment has harsh conditions applied,its only paid for hardship however if one attempts to improve their income the payment is reduced dollar for dollar So if you earn $200 that $200 is taken off your payment there is no free area like Newstart or the Aged pension, also as a couple we are not allowed to have more the $5000 in our joint accounts this was the same amount in 2004 still the same in 2017 So dont talk to me about unfair

dolbt60

6 yrs ago

Hi dolbt60, yes I am married but I am not a pensioner as I still work. I have to admit I was only replying to Rainey's description of the pension and not to your own situation.

You seem to have legitimate concerns and in no way did I intend to diminish those concerns. One thing I do not understand is how come you are not allowed more than $5000 in your joint accounts? The other thing is, you seem to blame the govt. for your not having saved for your retirement.

dolbt60

6 yrs ago

Its not a case of saving enough for retirement Reagan some of the communty havent through no fault of their own had it "plain sailing" all there working lives. Some of us have had to sacrifice homes due to divorce, losing thousands, not having high incomes and fat superanuation packages to fall back on, Iam 75 we didnt receive the empoyers 9% for very long before retirement

Dont make the comment you havent saved for your retirement, I have paid my taxes for 50 years, I do blame this govenment, fats cats abound in political circles, I have been a hard worker fully employed all my working life, but being foolish enough to choose Women who take all and give little, I have received little in return, this is what I received from Western Women of the past,with respect I now have a lovely caring Chinese Wife

I appreciate your coments, when you have retired you wont need an aged pension well done ! I only wish I too could give Centrelink a miss, I have worked and I apperciate the govenments tight budget, however we are not all welfare cheats,I have worked and I have contributed so when one finds themselves needing help when retirement arrives the government shoud assist thats what I think, its easy to sit and judge when one has a comfortable seat to sit on, I say its fortunate for you, however always look at the otherside Reagan,

Crafty

6 yrs ago

What about carers allowance/pension?

6 yrs ago

The crux of the problem here is not the fairness of the pension rules, but rather the fact that an immigrant has taken residency in our country and has not been here for the 10 years to meet the requirements, or contributed financially to the system for the 10 years.

When an immigrant migrates to Australia this has been clearly explained to them and should not come as some surprising shock. All folk have the blessing of migrating to our lovely country need to meet residency requirements, and this should not be a burden to them. If it was going to be a major reason of concern then do not ask for residency in our country, stay where you where and receive the entitlements of the land of your birth?

If you decide to move here then you need to be prepared to support yourself, and not expect the Australian Govt via tax payers to pay.

Centrelink here is not at fault either, and if one thinks the rules are unfair then they should complain about the Govt. They are the ones that make the legislation, Centrelink apply the legislation as the Govt of the day dictates.

regards H

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