Navigating Centrelink Payments

[Blue8]

@Daisydreamer Centrelink payments and requirements can be a nightmare to negotiate at the best of times - this is worsened when you are struggling with Mental Health issues as well. 
I have worked in the sector so if anyone has any questions or issues I would love to help if I can.

Something simply fixed is made complicated by the system.

[Mustang67]

Can anybody help me with regards to Centrelink and applying for the Disability Support Pension?

My application was rejected, which I was warned would happen. I have now submitted a formal appeal request, but now they are saying that my exemption has run out and they will not accept my medical certificate from my GP, because my condition is not temporary. Oh course it is not temporary, that's why I am applying for the DSP.

Whenever I get letters from Centrelink it stresses me out, as their decision don't make sense to me. And when I have to deal with an employment agency, my anxiety revs up, and after they put me forward for a receptionist job, I ended up having a panic attack, because I hate talking on the phone, unless I know the person. The employment agency is a disability one, but they have never asked me, what my disability is or what I can or can't do. That doesn't sound right to me.

And I don't even think I will be able to get my DSP over the line, as the Psychiatrist that I have seen twice now over a two year period, wont let me use his report in my application. My doctor had to write a letter, stating his findings. But I don't think the GP's letter will hold as much weight as the Psychiatrist.

But I am seeing a different Psychiatrist on Monday, so hopefully I can get a report from him and submit it before Centrelink make a decision on my appeal.

I am sure there are a lot of people who have gone through this with Centrelink. Has anyone been able to get Centrelink and the employment agency off their back, while waiting for the appeal process to go through? I would appreciate any advice. 

Kindest regards

😁🌹🏵🌻

[Blue8]

I can help I think. In order to get them

to accept your medical certificate for a permanent condition they will only accept 3 consecutive medical certificates. You will need your GP to tick the box that says exacerbation of medical condition (or something to this effect). This will then allow them to apply another exemption. You should actually be on a claiming dsp application exemption if you have submitted a dsp claim - though as they have provided a response this won’t apply. 
If you haven’t already I would suggest you actually go and print out the DSP application and fill it in - online applications don’t provide you enough ability to provide details regarding your disability. 
For psychological conditions you must have a clinical psychologist report - a non clinical psychologist can not provide a report or at least it doesn’t hold much weight for Centrelink.

hope the above makes sense - happy to answer any questions just tapping this out on my lunch break!

look after yourself! 
blue

[Mustang67]

Hi @Blue8 thank you for responding. 

I had this issue just before I submitted the DSP application. I received the DSP exemption, but that has run out and I was told you don't get an exemption when you appeal.

I spoke to a disability advocate and he said there is not much I can do.

He recommends that I go to the employment agency anyway, as they can't make me take a job that will exasperate my condition. 

If that's the case, I might change the employment agency as they don't seem to care about my condition and how just having an appointment with them sets off my anxiety. 

I hate dealing with CentreLink. It just overwhelms me and then I shut down.

[Bow]

Hey @Mustang67 

Not sure how much my experience can help, but happy to share.

i was on single parent pension for years, and then when my daughter turned 6 I think it was, centrelink started getting on my back about preparing me to return to work. I submitted countless medical certificates for years cause I was in no place to do anything. My medical certificates were always approved thankfully. 

then the beginning of last year I had a lot of my supports encourage me to apply for the dsp. I have an eating disorder and other mental health conditions, no physical. 

I submitted my application online, and provides as much supporting documentation as possible. I didn’t have a psychiatrist report, but I did have a clinical psych and another dated report from an old clinical psych. I had a report from my dietitian, I had blood results, a number of specialist referrals, mental health care plans, a copy of my gp patient history summary and a whole stack of hospital discharge summaries. 
I think you could only upload 10 documents, so I scanned a couple of things together. 

I didn’t hear anything for 8mths. Then I had to have an appointment with a psychologist. That was suppose to be a video call, but she just called me and it latest 5 mins. She confirmed how much my conditions affect my daily life and said that I had provided heaps of reports and that was it. 
I was then expecting an appointment with a psychiatrist cause one of my supports said that’s what usually happens. But I got a letter 2 weeks later saying my application was successful. I honestly didn’t expect to get it an approved so easily. (My step dad who had a terminal condition had to fight for years to get it approved). 

Send as many supporting documents as you can. 

I can totally relate to the anxiety when you get a centrelink letter though! When I get that email saying you have a mygov letter…. Anxiety goes up! 

do you have a case manager at the employment agency? I’d be asking to speak with someone. 

[Mustang67]

Hi @Bow 

Thank you so much for your response. I have those sort of reports, but some reports mentioned my ex as my partner, where in fact I was only living with him, as I had nowhere else to go. And since I am claiming CentreLink as a single person, I am scared that they will say they have paid me too much.

I will hopefully be getting a report from the psychiatrist I see on Monday, so I will see if I can obtain more documentation to upload along with it.

Thank you for your advice. I really appreciate it 😊

[CacaGabor]

Definitely find a psychologist who is willing to help you. Psychiatrists can be d***s and generally they don't listen all that well. It's not that they're not wanting to help necessarily but it's quite time consuming sometimes if they have to deal with centrelink. 

I've always treated centrelink by basically just telling them "no" is not an acceptable answer. It's not their money and with all the govt wastage I'll be damned if they think they can even consider knocking me back. Put in a complaint by phone or if easier online. Go to commonwealth Ombudsman and remind them that they have responsibility to help the most vulnerable in society and given that's what what we do in Australia you're entitled to a payment- end of story! 

[MJG017]

@Mustang67 @Blue8 

I was lucky Mustang, my job provider (I was already using a disability one due to a few older issues) was fantastic when I needed exemptions.  I didn't even know about them and they would just tell me that my job now is just to get better after a cancer diagnosis and how to get a 3 month exemption.  When I went back after the 3 months she just said, dont worry about any of this, go get another one.

---

@Blue8 wrote:

they will only accept 3 consecutive medical certificates.

Ahh... that may explain the call I got from a woman from Services Australia while I was on my 3rd exemption.  She said I wouldn't get another one and recommended I apply for the DSP.

When I was told to apply for exemption when I was diagnosed with prostate cancer and was obviously having lots of scans and stuff as well as getting ready to have surgery.  Then after the surgery I needed 8 weeks of radiation so another exemption.  Then just dealing with the effects of that I got another one while I rested while getting over the affects.

So when I was told to apply for the DSP, she said to get a letter from my GP about the ongoing continence issues from the surgery.  It seemed the cancer itself was irrelevant to the application and all that mattered was the continence issues.  Even when I got to have the phone interview with their doctor, I was only asked about that.  The cancer itself was barely discussed. My DSP was approved earlier this year, but it seems that unless some tells you exactly what aspects to highlight it's a bit hit and miss.

I don't recall exactly, but im pretty sure I didn't have any mutual obligations with my job network place while my DSP application was being processed.  I certainly didn't have to got to any appointments or do any job searches during the 6 month wait.

I wish you the best of luck @Mustang67.  It's definitely not the easiest system to work with.  I think I got very lucky because the woman I was seeing at my job network place when I was diagnosed told me her father had prostate cancer as well so she knew what it was like so was incredibly understanding and helpful.  I'm not sure how I would of mentally coped at the time of trying to deal with it on top of dealing with all the job stuff so it allowed me to focus completely on all the scans, tests and treatments.  Not to say Centrelink dramas didn't still crop up when they messed up an exemption application and it took two long long phone calls to get it sorted out.

[Mustang67]

Hi @CacaGabor thank you for responding. I have an appointment with my doctor on Tuesday, so I will be able to see what the psychiatrist wrote. I did leave him with what is required in his report for my DSP appeal, so hopefully he looked at it and has followed the recommendations.

And I think I might write to the commonwealth Ombudsman regarding the stupid rules regarding medical exemptions and see what they say. They knocked my last one back because my issue is not temporary, which is exactly why I am applying for the DSP.  I have had the grace period while they decided to reject my application, but apparently there is no grace period while you are appealing. I don't understand their logic.

[Mustang67]

Thank you @MJG017 for your response.

I hope your cancer is now in recession and you are on the mend. I watched my best friend go through breast cancer and sat with her a few times while having chemo. But I saw what it was like trying to deal with the side effects from the different types of treatments etc. It is such a horrible and cruel disease. 

I truly hope you have more good days ahead of you, than bad 🤗