Centerlink and newstart questions

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[Visitor7]

It's 6 weeks before your EDD, then when you have bub you apply for parenting payment and/or FTB. You aren't required to look for work past 40 weeks, it will just continue on.

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[Lulu]

Would it be better for your partner to be on Newstart Incapacitated so you can go onto the parenting?

Did you claim the Carers Payment, or just told you couldn't get it?

[e_p]

Bit of a weird one - my partner can't work, but to date doesn't qualify for anything from centerlink other than parenting payment partnered. I'm effectively his carer but can't prove it so neither of us get paid anything

Why is he not eligible for anything other than PPP? I'm assuming he can't work due to illness - has he applied for DSP? I'm assuming if he is in receipt of PPP, he could apply for Newstart and supply a medical certificate exempting him from looking for work and then you can claim PPP? Have you applied for Carers Allowance and/or Carers Payment? By 'prove it' do you mean you don't have a doctor who can complete the medical report?

The 6 week exemption they give you before your EDD - that's nice, but what if you go, say, 2 weeks over? Does the 6 weeks carry over into 8 weeks or are you suddenly required to look for work again when you pass 40 weeks pregnant?

The exemption covers you for 6 weeks prior to and 6 weeks after your EDD. Usually, within 6 weeks after the birth the mother would transfer to PPP but of course not always - you can remain on NSA if you choose to do so, but will be required to look for work. In terms of looking for work before the 6 week exemption starts, if you are experiencing pregnancy related complications, you can supply a Centrelink medical certificate stating you are unfit for work which may provide an exemption from looking for work prior to the 6 week exemption.

If you want to PM me I might be able to give you more specific info (I work there )

[megs]

I was going to suggest the same thing, once you have bubs he may want to look at Newstart Incapaciated, and you could then transfer across onto the parenting payment partnered. If you were working previously that may have excluded you from Carers Payment as to be a Carer receiving a Carers Pension you must be provided x amount of care to qualify, someone working fulltime for example would be seen as to not being able to meet the required amount of care. Now that you are not working would it be worth your while to re test your eligibility?

[turtleschell]

You get 6 weeks of no job searching before EDD and then 6 weeks after EDD as well. So 12 weeks total of obligation free payments.
Get your partner off parenting payment and get yourself on there, and make him go on Newstart and get him to claim Exemption. Tell him to harass them for exemption, they'll end up sending him to Psychologist or some other thing and that buys you several months of no appointments etc. Centrelink is used to people trying to fraud the system, but as your partner legitimately can't work, just get him to push them to listen. There is a way for both of you to get payments, they just pretend there isn't for ages until they realise you're not lying.

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[Lulu]

hun, that doesn't sound right to me, it shouldn't take that long. Give them a call.

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I last called just over a week ago, the app was still sitting waiting to be processed. They said it would take about this long. Now I've said this, I'll find a rejection/acceptance letter in the mail today. Last time he applied for DSP he got knocked back quite quickly for reasons unknown (ie, computer says no) but they thought it was because he hadn't been in therapy long enough to meet the criteria - this was a year ago.

Its a slow paperwork year. We also subdivided a block of land this year, when we lodged the paperwork for that we were told 4-6 weeks. It took more than 2 months. I guess I should tell Centrelink about our extra asset too, I only just found out about that one this last week too ...

[e_p]

FYI, I sent them a 'hey, I'm pregnant!' letter from the doc with my last form, and my latest form now has a period of June 8th to August 16th, so they obviously apply the 6 weeks pre and post EDD exemption at the same time.

The EDD is coded into a screen which automatically calculates the 6 weeks pre and post birth exemptions

We're still waiting on the DSP claim, its been about 3 months. No news is good news, right?

Processing time for a DSP new claim should be 49 working days - I really hope you get a good outcome soon! I agree with Lulu - give them a call and see if there is any progress. Just in case you're not aware, the rules for DSP require that the illness/injury/disability is be fully treated, diagnosed and stabilised - that may be why it was knocked back last time?

Good luck!

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[Lulu]

Great news!

[e_p]

That's great news