FTB and rent assistance question! Help asap!

[MrsBexie]

Hi all!

So I finally got our FTB and baby bonus payments last week. The amount of FTB they have given me is a total of $188 f/night for part A & B.
I have done the online estimator for the same amount we earn etc and it has come up with much more!!!!
$265 f/night is what the estimator said ($88ish part A, $136 part B and $40ish rent assistance)

I have called them and asked what is going on and the guy explained that we are getting base rate for part A which is like $51 and max part B which is $136 or something.
He then said we don't qualify for rent assistance because we are only on base rate of part A, but when I searched for that info on their website it didn't say anything about not qualifying if you only receive base payment on part A.

I don't work at all, and only worked one day this financial year so my income is like $250, and my hubsand is just under $60k but I have estimated $65k just in case.

It just seems a bit wrong that we can be on a total of $65k a year as a family of 2 adults and 1 child and not get the rent assistance? That is like us earning $30k each a year... not very much.

Is it right? Do we not get the rent assistance because we are only getting base rate of part A? And how can the online estimator be so wrong?

I have to take our rent agreement into centrelink or medicare today so just want to know before I go!

Thanks!

[briggsy's girl]

rent assistance is on a sliding scale the same as all other ftb payments. if income (or your own choice) put you at the basic rate for part A, rent assistance won't be payable. so if you opted, for safety sake to prevent overpayment, to only get ftb A at base rate until end of year, any rent assistance will also be held over for that same period)

have you provided your rental agreement to the office (lease or tenancy agreement or a rent certificate?). rent assistance can only be paid on rental amounts that have been confirmed with the office through them seeing proof...

[RainbowBrite]

This is from the centrelink website:

You may be eligible for Rent Assistance if you:

* receive a pension (special rules apply if you are under 21 years and receive Disability Support Pension[1]), or
* have dependent children and get more than the base rate of Family Tax Benefit[2], or
* have care of a child between 14% and 35% of the time and are not eligible for Family Tax Benefit but meet other Family Tax Benefit requirements, or
* receive an allowance or benefit (but don't have dependent children) and:
o are over 25 years, or
o have a partner, or
o are under 25 and living permanently or indefinitely apart from your parents or guardians.

To receive Rent Assistance you must also meet the residence requirements of your pension, allowance, or benefit.

[MrsBexie]

ahh.. missed that part. DAMN it!!

DH actually gets like $100 less than cutoff for base rate, but I have over estimated just in case...

[briggsy's girl]

if you ahve over estimated, when ti comes tto tax time, that will be reassesed with actual income, and any rent assistance you may be eligible for will be paid then