How Centrelink supports older Australians

Everyone’s heard of Centrelink, but not all of us have had to deal with this agency. As a carer for your parents, it pays to know what Centrelink does and how it could help you and your ageing parents.

Centrelink is an Australian government agency that operates under the umbrella of Services Australia (formerly the Department of Human Services). It is responsible for evaluating the eligibility – as well as processing the social security benefits – of parents, people with disabilities, the unemployed, carers, families and older Australians.

In the case of elderly Aussies, benefit payments include:

■ Age Pension

A retirement benefit for those over the age of 67.

■ JobSeeker Payment (formerly Newstart Allowance)

Paid to those between 22 and Age Pension age who are looking for work, and people who are sick or injured and can’t work/study for a short time.

■ Disability Support Pension

For people with long-term illnesses, immobility or disability which prevents them from working. However, this payment is subject to medical evaluation and the same eligibility criteria as the Age Pension.

■ Carer Payment

For someone who provides fulltime care to a disabled, sick or aged Australian requiring home care.

■ Rent Assistance

An additional payment to those already receiving a payment so they can meet their rental or accommodation requirements.

■ Carer Allowance

For a person providing daily care at home to someone who is disabled, ill or requires aged care.

Each of these payments has specific requirements. Eligibility usually revolves around age, income, residency, medical conditions, work status and assets.

Application for benefits can be done online and the agency will instruct you about other requirements and processes.

Centrelink’s Financial Information Service runs free webinars that might help you navigate the system better. Learn more here: http://bit.ly/3kVS5Hh

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