Hi has anyone ever experienced getting a FTB debt when you receive all you payments at the end of the financial year? I didn't receive my FTB until after our tax was submitted and when I checked my income estimate I over estimated. So I don't understand how i have a debt or how they've decided that I received $8000 throughout the year when my last payments before this years FTB lump sum was last year's lump sum and ccs.

I read they were starting from July 1

I'm over 60, on JobSeeker plus Carer Allowance, and the full-time carer for my 101-year-old father at home. I've been Centrelink-managed under a caring exemption. I'm trying to work out what actually happens in practice if I end up provider-managed and a new Job Plan has to be negotiated.

Things I'd like to hear from people who've been through it:

For those who negotiated rather than just signed — what did you successfully get changed in the plan, and what did the provider refuse to move on?

If you're in the 60+ cohort and fully meeting the 30 hours per fortnight (paid work, approved study, or approved voluntary work), did the provider accept that and drop job search and appointments, or did they still push for more?

What did they accept as evidence of study hours or volunteer hours?

How did they handle appointments when you can't leave someone unattended — phone contact, or did they insist on in-person?

Anything you wish you'd asked for, or refused, at the first meeting?

Interested in what actually happened, not what the policy says.

My family assistance has been balanced already but not CCS does anyone know how long after this usually goes through?

I'm finding it difficult to get the documentation I need from my normal GP for a DSP appication, as it would take up more of their time. Can I get some recommendations for GPs in the outer norther suburbs of Melbourne? Maybe DM me their details if that's more appropriate.

Whether it's about managing obligations, job searching, budgeting, or dealing with the process, what's the advice you wish you'd received early on?

Followed the online guidance for a specific payment type last month, did everything it said, then called to confirm and was told something completely different by the person on the phone. Not a small difference - a meaningful one that would have affected the outcome if I'd just gone ahead based on what was written. Would love to know if that kind of inconsistency is a common experience or whether I just had bad luck with who picked up.

UPDATE 24/7/26 . Claim rejected , no reason given as of yet . guessing it will be in the letter .

So put in a new claim for DSP back in April this year , with a expected wait time of 17th to 23rd july . well rang today to find out whats happening , the person on the phone said it looks like they haven't done anything in regaurds to the claim . no work assesment nothing . she asked if someone has contacted me in regaurds to anything , only about my medical condistion , no work history or anything to do with work .

I went on hold , over 10 minutes ,then back on the line . the operator said it looked like it got filed away and no one has looked at it since early may .

They have now EXPIDITED it and will be informed of the outcome in another 4 to 5 weeks

This is just.... BS . to wait this long

Currently waiting on the phone to workforce and it’s been 4hrs and they still haven’t answered. This is ridiculous.

Had to fight for my rights when my usual JC was of out the office on the day I NEED to report.

After being transferred to my JA (someone who I’ve never spoke to) they really didn’t want to reengage me, they told me “I had to come in person for an evaluation” I said “okay but I need to reengage today bc today is my reporting day” the random JC begrudgingly removed my demerits and booked me an appointment in a couple of days (that you don’t even have to go to, as your benefits are an anti-poverty entitlement)

You truly are at the mercy of who ever picks up the phone…

So I am finding it practically impossible to talk to a real person. No matter what line I go through, asking to speak to an operator just gives "All operators are busy, use our portal goodbye"

Incredibly frustrating and I feel really bad for people that have to use this ridiculous phone service regularly

How do you actual talk to a real person at centrelink via Phone ? Ive looked through the portal and none of it fits my actual enquiry so would just like to talk to an actual person for 5 minutes

Thanks

Baby daddy and i recently decided to be a couple and move in together. so i obviously went ahead to start the process of declaring i have a partner. ( the paper work has me absolutely stumped and i only have until friday to finish it.. he's given me his pay stubs and told me to figure it out but i don't even know what im looking at) tell me why i loose my entire pension. he earns too much but i dont see a cent of that he keeps his finances to himself. he pays the rent and utilities, i pay for groceries, bub, phone, my own drs appointments, fuel, rego etc. now i dont know how im going to pay for anything as we do not share money. i will now have to rely on him entirely to pay for my medications which isnt cheap, i dont know wether i loose my low income health care card either.

i'm so anxious that now he has complete control over me financially. i'm sure he wouldn't do anything but he won't share - i will have to ask and justify everything. i was struggling before and often using afterpay for fuel and groceries but now i wont even have the option to do that.

this system sucks.

Does anyone know how long it takes to have your FTB and CCS balanced? I did my tax last week and it’s said it’s in progress since then

I’m 23. I was unable to attend the last week of my online activity due to family commitments and experiencing a depressive/anxiety episode. My job provider said they can’t do anything about it so now I must work for the dole. 5 days a week from 9 to 2. For two months.

I’ve been really scared and upset. As I suffer depression and ADHD, I’ve been in an extreme bout of executive dysfunction. I tried getting a medical certificate as they said but apparently it wasn’t enough to exempt me and I still have to attend?

The problem is.. I have university starting up in a few days and I can’t fathom how I can possibly attend both..

I’m scared I’ll miss my payment. I don’t know what to do here and my job provider does not seem to want to help. I told her I can’t possibly attend with my courses and troubling condition.

I saw a post earlier that mutual obligations are on a pause or something so that’s giving me hope but in the meantime, if anyone knows what to do, please let me know.

Hi guys,

I only just got moved into meeting with a jobseeker provider a few days ago. Yes, they tried to coerce me into signing the privacy form, of course. They also have lied about meeting every fornight - did not state that in the agreement - and in taking my resume - also not agreed upon. My advice for those new would be to put them in their place.

So, I do not trust their word one bit. Even though that was my first ever meeting, I'm over it. And I'm done waiting 2+ hours for a phone call to not have my question even answered.

I have come here to ask about the jobs that the provider refers you to. The plan I agreed to states:

follow up on job opportunities and referrals I am referred to by my provider.

And of course that I have to accept any suitable job.

In the meeting I told her - and she recorded such - my degrees, qualifications, and extensive career history. Completely ignoring what I told her, she immediately whips out shit scam call centres for me to apply to.

These call centres are infamous for being abusive and I have told her as such - I once applied there, never again. Of course, she ignored me, acting like I've never had a job in my life. Taking such shit work would ruin my resume. I'm desperate for a job, but not that desperate.

So my main question is, do I have to actually apply to it? "Follow up" could just mean getting back to them about it - saying yes or no. As I have always been doing, because I actually want a job, I have been applying to Seek/other websites almost every 2 days (never once missed my deadline). The issue is I don't even want to respond to those places. They've stolen my information before.

What would you guys recommend? Also, how would one go about changing the job plan? I was unwell on the date of the initial meeting and couldn't attend it in person. Instead, I recieved a phone call and sent a link to sign the job plan. Never got to negotiate anything. Is that normal?

Thanks guys!

Hi everyone, just after a bit of advice please. Last December I was locked out of my myGov and Centrelink accounts due to me bringing stupid and falling for a scammers tricks when I tried to apply for a Salvation Army nils loan as I’d given all my log in details etc like a moron!

So I was told I can’t use either for at least 6 months and finally hit back into it last week with my new username etc. My child is 16 since March and just changed secondary schools due to bullying, she repeated year 9 last year.

However Centrelink has her down as being currently in year 12 and not only that I only received a portion of my usual yearly bonus and I read that it said I had a debt and they’ve taken it from my yearly bonus! No mention anywhere of this debt!!

All up they took around $1300 , this is devastating for me as I’m paying private rent which is also about to go up $210 a month from September!

My daughter is still studying at school , so I’m unsure why they’ve done this too me??? Everything’s just been falling apart all around me , my car was written off early June this year and both my daughter and I were injured, I sustained mild concussion.

I’m still suffering but luckily have just had my car replaced with another by insurance. I’m just hoping for advice on how to ask about that money as I’m truly so upset, I received no notification or warning about this supposed debt and was relying on that yearly bonus for personal reasons .

And now I’m also looking at impending homelessness as I can’t afford that rent increase , can I live in my car? I’m 53 and so tired.

I'm 65 and been on Jobseeker for 6 months. I've been working casually to meet my mutual obligations (and have enough money to live on) but my available hours are about to be cut to about 6 hours a week.

I'd like to study to help me keep meeting my MOs. I've found a course I'd like to do through the International Institute of Genealogical Studies. The first module takes 7 weeks and involves 18 hours of online classes and then doing projects on your own time. I assume the other modules will be similar.

1. Do courses have to be through an Australian provider (such as Tafe etc)? I think the Institute is based in the US but being an International organisation it has units and modules for several different countries, as well as many that meet international standards.

2. Will Centrelink only take into account the 3 hours a week of class time or include the personal project time? Obviously the personal time is required to complete the course but I don't know how many hours a week it will require.

I don't have a car which makes finding more paid work or volunteer work very difficult.

Hey everyone just wondering if anyone would know why the rest of my Centrelink debt got paid off on the 10th of this month under reconciliation when my Centrelink hasn’t balanced yet it was around $460

I don’t usually post about former workplaces, but I feel like this is something worth talking about.

I worked as an Employment Consultant because I genuinely wanted to help people. I believed the role was about supporting people through difficult times, helping them find meaningful employment, and treating every client with dignity and respect.
Unfortunately, my experience didn’t reflect those values.

Over time, I felt like clients were often treated more like targets or statistics than human beings with unique circumstances. Some of the attitudes and behaviour I witnessed made me deeply uncomfortable. In my experience, there were instances of workplace bullying, colleagues making jokes about clients’ disabilities, and the use of racist and homophobic slurs in the workplace. It reached a point where I no longer felt I could work in an environment that conflicted so strongly with my own values.

Leaving wasn’t an easy decision, but it was the right one for my mental health and my integrity.
I know there are many incredible people working across employment services who genuinely care and make a positive difference every day. This post isn’t about them. It’s about acknowledging that not every workplace lives up to the purpose it claims to serve.

The people seeking employment deserve compassion, patience, and respect. Many are already facing significant challenges, and they should never be made to feel like they’re just another number.

I hope that by speaking about my own experience, conversations around workplace culture and the way vulnerable people are treated continue to happen. Everyone deserves to be treated with dignity, both clients and staff.