Single Mums with 4 kids or more - are you forced to work when smallest child is 6?

I am a single Mum with 4 kids (2 from failed marriage and 2 from failed 2nd relationship) - does it make any difference if you have a large family to support whether Centrelink forces you to go back to work when they are age 6? or something? My sister seemed to think if you have 4 kids or more, that centrelink were less lenient on you working? Just curious.

I am still thinking of getting a job when she goes to school (my 1 year old), I just wondered what happens if you can't get a job. Do they just cut your payments? I have 4 kids to feed and it's expensive (over $350 or more a fortnight just for food). I just want to be prepared.

I know someone who had four kids the oldest 16 the youngest 6 - she had to have a job (not just cash in hand) by the time the youngest was 6 I believe - for Centrelinks benefit. Couldn't tell you how exactly it would affect her payments other than it would substantially and excuses/reasons like having to drop and collect kids from school due to lack of support network etc were not going to carry any wait with why she couldn't/shouldn't get a job as far as Centrelink were concerned.

Hopefully someone with firsthand experience can give you better details.

If you receiving Parenting Payment, then yes, when your oldest turns 6 (if you're partnered) or 8 (if you're single) you will need to re-enter the workforce. It's only to do with Parenting Payment though, not FTB.
ETA: link for parenting payment info
http://www.centrelink.gov.au/interne.../parenting.htm

Yes I get that and have full time care of all of them. Thanks girls.

You don't have to look for work if you have 4 under 16, I think. But otherwise, as above.

Ok thanks :)

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You don't have to look for work if you have 4 under 16, I think. But otherwise, as above.

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That's for what they call 'grandfathered Parenting Payment' customers. So if you were receivng Parenting Payment before they changed the rules (1/07/06), then that's right
Grandfathered Parenting Payment

Sorry, I'm confused. So, when my youngest turns 6, my oldest will be about 14. Because I will have 4 between 6 & 16 I won't be forced to look for work when the youngest is 6.
(This is given I'm single then of course. Right now I have no idea where I'll be.) But if DH earns enough next financial year that I lose PP all together for more than 12 weeks then end up single later I will have to look for work.
Very confused, lol.

clover - if you've been receiving Parenting Payment since before 1/07/06 and your partner remains under the income threshold, or you become single, then yes, you will still qualify. But if your partner exceeds the income threshold and your parenting payment cancels, then you've lost it. If you reapply for it later down the track, you won't be 'grandfathered parenting payment' just parenting payment, so you will need to go back to work.

Hmm, ok, thanks. I plan to return to work around then anyway I think, if not before. But it is good to know.

just wanted to clarify that you don't have to have a job in order to receive parenting payment after your youngest turns 6 - you need to either be working, looking for work, or participating in study (or a combination) for 30 hours per fortnight in order to receive the payment :) If you are looking for work, you will be linked to a job services provider to assist you to find suitable work.

further clarification here ladies - from the 1st of July, recipients of parenting payment (single or partnered) and newstart can have an exemption from the activity test (looking for work, working, studying, voluntary work) if they are the principal carer or 4 or more dependent children - the exemption is applied for 12 months at a time. Also, changes to the activity test from 1st July mean that voluntary work is also an approved activity and you can meet your requirements through a combination of paid work, voluntary work and study as long as the total hours is 15 hours per week.

Voluntary now too? That's fantastic. It always seemed weird that they'd haul you off for work for the dole at somewhere you didn't want to be when somewhere you *did* want to be was begging for volunteers but weren't WFTD registered.

3 years ago when WFTD was in full swing our local school lost several of their most dedicated volunteers (the most active being a very soft-spoken Asian woman who had an 8yo but suddenly became widowed at 40 so went from being a kept woman with no qualifications who had never worked to having to look for work on parenting payment) because Centrelink didn't allow it. Noone was happy, lose-lose all around.

The woman in question has since remarried and is a kept woman again ...

if you have four children between 6 and 16 you will receive an exemption from looking for work until your eldest child turns 16 - on that date (or when your exemption expires), you will have that exemption removed and will be under the same mutual obligation requirements as any other single parent. you mutual obligation activity is negotiated with c'link and may be work/study/training/volunteer work (with an approved organisation) for 15 hours per week, or, if you're not engaged in any of these, you wouldbe expected to be looking for work to meet these obligations

Some women fall pregnant every 5 years to avoid working, but isn't raising a family the equivalent of working 2 full time jobs/ they want us to work 3 now and then all these men still get away with paying CS! Australia is so slow, women have no rights in this country! think about it!