Disability Pension

[zorro1]

Anyone staying here on a disability pension? whats the current law, is it still only 6 months away and 6 months back in OZ? Also if you skip the 6 months and stay here 12 months is your pension canceled permanently? or are they happy to pay you 6 months worth every 12 months your out of the country

What Im trying to say is can you stay here 12 months on the pension and will it be suspended after 6. And if it is can it be reinstated again on a regular basis.

My mother wants to live here

This post barely makes sense to me so hope some one can decipher it

[zorro1]

no one here from OZ on disability?

[barrybankruad]

Anyone staying here on a disability pension? whats the current law, is it still only 6 months away and 6 months back in OZ? Also if you skip the 6 months and stay here 12 months is your pension canceled permanently? or are they happy to pay you 6 months worth every 12 months your out of the country

What Im trying to say is can you stay here 12 months on the pension and will it be suspended after 6. And if it is can it be reinstated again on a regular basis.

My mother wants to live here

This post barely makes sense to me so hope some one can decipher it

I was here on an OZ disability pension for a while. You can leave the country for a period of THREE months, provoded you let Centrelink know. Upon you return you must inform them thaat you are back, and then you must stay in Oz for at least 3 months before you can leave for overseas again. If you stay for more than 3 months overseas you may find that they will cancel your pension for 6 weeks before reviewing it again.

Of course the rules are constantly changing, your best bet is to get onto the Centrelink webpage to find out the latest.

[zorro1]

Thanks barry much appreciated

[Old Croc]

If you leave Australia

In most cases you can still receive Disability Support Pension if you leave Australia. You may need a report from your doctor so we can work out how long you can be paid.

The payment rate may vary after you have been outside Australia for 13 weeks.

If you are planning to travel outside Australia, you should contact us to see if your payment will be affected.

The above is from CL webpage.

It has changed since I last looked: I'm sure it used to be fairly specific about cutting out after 13 weeks away unless you were blind or terminally ill.

It now seems to be slightly more open to allowing a longer time away (if your doctor thinks it beneficial?)

[scorecard]

Further to the replies so far, does anybody know whether there have been any policy changes in regard to:

- Receiving an Australian war veterans pension when you are permanantly off shore? (Last time I checked, maybe 12 months ago, the answer was an absolute and total NO.)

and

- Receiving a war veterans disability to-up payment? (Last time I checked this was possible but very complex.)

Would appreciate any factual advice other members can share.

[zorro1]

If you leave Australia

In most cases you can still receive Disability Support Pension if you leave Australia. You may need a report from your doctor so we can work out how long you can be paid.

The payment rate may vary after you have been outside Australia for 13 weeks.

If you are planning to travel outside Australia, you should contact us to see if your payment will be affected.

The above is from CL webpage.

It has changed since I last looked: I'm sure it used to be fairly specific about cutting out after 13 weeks away unless you were blind or terminally ill.

It now seems to be slightly more open to allowing a longer time away (if your doctor thinks it beneficial?)

great info. Think it bizarre that the normal retirement pension has restrictions also. You work and pay taxes all your life and they refuse to let you live outside oz full time. Maybe some one can explain this to me but isn't a pensioner less of a burden outside of OZ? seems logical to me

[scorecard]

If you leave Australia

In most cases you can still receive Disability Support Pension if you leave Australia. You may need a report from your doctor so we can work out how long you can be paid.

The payment rate may vary after you have been outside Australia for 13 weeks.

If you are planning to travel outside Australia, you should contact us to see if your payment will be affected.

The above is from CL webpage.

It has changed since I last looked: I'm sure it used to be fairly specific about cutting out after 13 weeks away unless you were blind or terminally ill.

It now seems to be slightly more open to allowing a longer time away (if your doctor thinks it beneficial?)

great info. Think it bizarre that the normal retirement pension has restrictions also. You work and pay taxes all your life and they refuse to let you live outside oz full time. Maybe some one can explain this to me but isn't a pensioner less of a burden outside of OZ? seems logical to me

Agree, war veterans living outside of OZ also cannot get a war service pension. The war veterans diability top-up allowance is available (outside of OZ), but you need to be on your deathbed with multiple reasons why your war service is connected to your illness or your disability to receive a benefit and total benefit available is not enough to buy a decent meal.

[soloman]

Further to the replies so far, does anybody know whether there have been any policy changes in regard to:

- Receiving an Australian war veterans pension when you are permanantly off shore? (Last time I checked, maybe 12 months ago, the answer was an absolute and total NO.)

and

- Receiving a war veterans disability to-up payment? (Last time I checked this was possible but very complex.)

Would appreciate any factual advice other members can share.

I have not heard of a veterans disability 'top-up' payment. However I am on TPI pension and Disability service pension and when I asked DVA over the phone about being outside of Australia for an extended period, they said that if the total of the periods exceeded 6 months in any 12 I would still get everything except allowances such as telephone allowance etc. I recommend asking DVA direct. They are very helpful. I recommend also getting their answer in writing.

[egg]

Zorro1,

you must return to Oz every 13 weeks , unless you are blind or terminally ill ,,,l have gone thru all the crap and lost the DSP because l decided to stay here ,, got sick of travelling back every 3 months ,,l went thru 3 appeals ,,wrote to MP's ,etc , etc , and lost , you could try not telling them you are leaving the country ,, if they dont have it recorded they might not check on it ,, l have heard of a few people living here that still get the DSP , because they have not informed C/link that they have left the country ,, good luck

cheers

egg

[midasthailand]

Further to the replies so far, does anybody know whether there have been any policy changes in regard to:

- Receiving an Australian war veterans pension when you are permanantly off shore? (Last time I checked, maybe 12 months ago, the answer was an absolute and total NO.)

and

- Receiving a war veterans disability to-up payment? (Last time I checked this was possible but very complex.)

Would appreciate any factual advice other members can share.

I am living here in Bangkok and have been for the last two years. I am a special rate (T&PI) pensioner and am also on service pension as well as my commonwealth superannuation (36 years in RAN). I have only lost telephone allowance and pharmaceutical allowance. Further to that, I have applied and been accepted to the Veterans Vocational Rehabilitation Scheme which allows me to go back to work, reduce my pension slightly and if I stop work, my pension is fully restored.

[harrry]

Zorro1,

you must return to Oz every 13 weeks , unless you are blind or terminally ill ,,,l have gone thru all the crap and lost the DSP because l decided to stay here ,, got sick of travelling back every 3 months ,,l went thru 3 appeals ,,wrote to MP's ,etc , etc , and lost , you could try not telling them you are leaving the country ,, if they dont have it recorded they might not check on it ,, l have heard of a few people living here that still get the DSP , because they have not informed C/link that they have left the country ,, good luck

cheers

egg

Centrelink is directly linked to the immigration computers at the airports. They know you have left before you.

[zorro1]

Zorro1,

you must return to Oz every 13 weeks , unless you are blind or terminally ill ,,,l have gone thru all the crap and lost the DSP because l decided to stay here ,, got sick of travelling back every 3 months ,,l went thru 3 appeals ,,wrote to MP's ,etc , etc , and lost , you could try not telling them you are leaving the country ,, if they dont have it recorded they might not check on it ,, l have heard of a few people living here that still get the DSP , because they have not informed C/link that they have left the country ,, good luck

cheers

egg

So if you went back every 3 months for a week they would continue with it?

[wamberal]

great info. Think it bizarre that the normal retirement pension has restrictions also. You work and pay taxes all your life and they refuse to let you live outside oz full time. Maybe some one can explain this to me but isn't a pensioner less of a burden outside of OZ? seems logical to me

You might have worked and paid taxes all your life, but some pensioners might have paid no taxes during their lives - for examples wives who never worked, or people who have been on disability pensions for many years.

I suspect that if this was put to a popular vote, most Australians would not want pensions paid to non-residents. Don't forget that we have a large number of people who have emigrated to Australia from countries like Lebanon and Greece, and who maintain second homes in those countries - who wants to pay pensions to them if they decide to live there, rather than in Oz?

As a final point, pensions are paid out of current tax revenues. The taxes you paid were used to pay pensions for your parents, as well as for all the other expenditures that the government made during your working lifetime, not to provide for your retirement. That is one reason that people now are being encouraged to contribute to their own retirement, via superannuation. It might seem harsh, but it is fairer.

[egg]

Zorro1,

you must return to Oz every 13 weeks , unless you are blind or terminally ill ,,,l have gone thru all the crap and lost the DSP because l decided to stay here ,, got sick of travelling back every 3 months ,,l went thru 3 appeals ,,wrote to MP's ,etc , etc , and lost , you could try not telling them you are leaving the country ,, if they dont have it recorded they might not check on it ,, l have heard of a few people living here that still get the DSP , because they have not informed C/link that they have left the country ,, good luck

cheers

egg

So if you went back every 3 months for a week they would continue with it?

l was told that it was "bending " the rules not breaking them ,,, l got away with it for about 30 months ( very lucky l think ) ,,, the law states ,, you must be a "permanent" resident of Oz ,,, unless you can talk a bit of B/S to them you might find it difficult to last a year ,,,,,,,, l told them that my wife and l were planning on moving to Oz but her father had a serious accident and she would not move until he recovered ,,, and all what l told them was the truth ,,in any case he is still pretty crook ,,, and now we are not moving there ,,,,,, if you can , get a copy of the social securities act ,,, and if you can understand all the crap you might be able to figure out where you stand ,,, l have a copy "somewhere " here ,, but my scanner died a few days ago

cheers

egg

[Patong Bob]

Look in the Visa and Migration to Other Countries thread - pinned topic. The rules are all there.

And it is 13 weeks maximum. I knew a couple of people who used to fly to Darwin, stand in the Centrelink queue, tell the officer they were back, the return to the back of the queue and then report that they were leaving tomorrow. No problems.

Stupid, stupid bureaucracy.

[zorro1]

Look in the Visa and Migration to Other Countries thread - pinned topic. The rules are all there.

And it is 13 weeks maximum. I knew a couple of people who used to fly to Darwin, stand in the Centrelink queue, tell the officer they were back, the return to the back of the queue and then report that they were leaving tomorrow. No problems.

Stupid, stupid bureaucracy.

and why not! Even they know its stupid bureaucracy! problem is airfares would take out a descent chunk.

[barrybankruad]

I don't know how old the person concerned is, but it might be well worth her while to wait until she is 60 and is eligible for the aged pension. Centrelink don't care where you live when you qualify, they will pay into any bank that you nominate, and what's more (unlike England) cost of living increases are passed on automatically.

[aussiechick]

I don't know how old the person concerned is, but it might be well worth her while to wait until she is 60 and is eligible for the aged pension. Centrelink don't care where you live when you qualify, they will pay into any bank that you nominate, and what's more (unlike England) cost of living increases are passed on automatically.

The last time I checked - you had to return to Australia and live there for 2 years before you were entitled to your pension - and it is now 62 y.o. (female) This doesn't make any sense to me as an Australian citizen who has paid my taxes and am entitled to a pension. Be wonderful: go home apply for the pension while sitting around on unemplyment benefits!

[aussiechick]

I don't know how old the person concerned is, but it might be well worth her while to wait until she is 60 and is eligible for the aged pension. Centrelink don't care where you live when you qualify, they will pay into any bank that you nominate, and what's more (unlike England) cost of living increases are passed on automatically.

Last time I checked you had to return to Australia and live for 2 years before you were eligible to receive your pension, and BTW it is now 62y.o. for a female. So, I go home at 60, collect unemployment benefits and then the pension - crazy or what?

[hhgz]

"crazy or what?"

You, or OZ law?

[harrry]

I don't know how old the person concerned is, but it might be well worth her while to wait until she is 60 and is eligible for the aged pension. Centrelink don't care where you live when you qualify, they will pay into any bank that you nominate, and what's more (unlike England) cost of living increases are passed on automatically.

Last time I checked you had to return to Australia and live for 2 years before you were eligible to receive your pension, and BTW it is now 62y.o. for a female. So, I go home at 60, collect unemployment benefits and then the pension - crazy or what?

You have a few years to go before that don't you. And they put the age up every year so you may have to wait untill you are 80

[egghead2]

Zorro1,

you must return to Oz every 13 weeks , unless you are blind or terminally ill ,,,l have gone thru all the crap and lost the DSP because l decided to stay here ,, got sick of travelling back every 3 months ,,l went thru 3 appeals ,,wrote to MP's ,etc , etc , and lost , you could try not telling them you are leaving the country ,, if they dont have it recorded they might not check on it ,, l have heard of a few people living here that still get the DSP , because they have not informed C/link that they have left the country ,, good luck

cheers

egg

So if you went back every 3 months for a week they would continue with it?

l was told that it was "bending " the rules not breaking them ,,, l got away with it for about 30 months ( very lucky l think ) ,,, the law states ,, you must be a "permanent" resident of Oz ,,, unless you can talk a bit of B/S to them you might find it difficult to last a year ,,,,,,,, l told them that my wife and l were planning on moving to Oz but her father had a serious accident and she would not move until he recovered ,,, and all what l told them was the truth ,,in any case he is still pretty crook ,,, and now we are not moving there ,,,,,, if you can , get a copy of the social securities act ,,, and if you can understand all the crap you might be able to figure out where you stand ,,, l have a copy "somewhere " here ,, but my scanner died a few days ago

cheers

egg

Hi Egg,

I have been living here on the DSP since March last year going back every 13 weeks. Sometimes staying for a day in Darwin or 10 days or so to see my kids further south.

My last trip to Oz was last month for 10 days and I wrote a letter to Centrelink asking quite a few questions one of which was could I keep doing the 13 week returning thing indefinatly. The team leader I submitted the letter too said she wasn't sure and looked in her computer and found no mention of it. I am still waiting for a reply with answers to my questions so will be sending an email soon to enquire as to why the letter hasn't been answered. Most of the time the Centrelink people don't know what they are talking about or make out they don't know and even if they do they don't want to tell you. I'm sure your'e aware of all this anyway.

Out of the blue about 6 weeks ago I got a call from International Services. The young lady asked if I was a resident of Australia??? Also did I have any ties to Oz.

I replyed that yes, I was a resident and had to be so in order to keep getting the DSP. I am very careful to mark my arrival card that I am a resident returning when I go back every 13 weeks. When I leave I am a resident leaving temporarily. Of course Centrelink are linked with Immigration and they know when you leave and return to Oz. In reply to the ties to Oz I said I am an aussie and have 2 lovely children there.

Not wishing to return to live in Oz permanently any further info you could give me would be appreciated. Off to Darwin next trip and will be there for 36 hours. I don't even bother to go into Centrelink and do the whole thing over the phone which has never been a problem in the past.

Cheers

egghead

[Nignoy]

not wishing to stir the pot!! but CL are changing their rules and regs again,they now require 14 days advance notice when leaving australia, not a phone call but a personal interview!! they also require information on your finances , my wife and I are aged pensioners and have just been through the rigmarole once again , and we are only leaving for 6 weeks this time we fly out today and have reentry interview date for 2/11 we were told in no uncertain terms , failure to comply will result in 6 months loss of pension

[Nignoy]

oops sorry 6 weeks loss of pension lol

[aussiechick]

"crazy or what?"

You, or OZ law?

Both

[egghead2]

not wishing to stir the pot!! but CL are changing their rules and regs again,they now require 14 days advance notice when leaving australia, not a phone call but a personal interview!! they also require information on your finances , my wife and I are aged pensioners and have just been through the rigmarole once again , and we are only leaving for 6 weeks this time we fly out today and have reentry interview date for 2/11 we were told in no uncertain terms , failure to comply will result in 6 months loss of pension

How long has this been in action?? I always advise CL 8 weeks ahead of my arrival back and advise them at the same time when I will be leaving again. No problems so far and have been doing this for 18 months already. As I said in my posting to egg yesterday I don't even go near a CL office and do it all over the phone.

Anybody else out there got anything to add for our info???????

Egghead