My Aust. Disability Pension stopped.

[FT10toLOS]

My Australian disability benefit has been stopped. I'm currently in Thailand.

I assume it is because, under the new rules started 1 January 2015, I have exceeded the allowed maximum 4 weeks absence from the country per calendar year.

I did not notify the powers to be before I left. I am back in Australia end May.

My enquiry is, does anyone have any knowledge of the procedure for having the benefit reinstated, on my arrival, back in Aus?

[krisb]

Well visiting Centrelink would be a start I'd say.

[FT10toLOS]

Well visiting Centrelink would be a start I'd say.

Arrrr.....yes, but I thought someone might be able to give me a "heads up", before I run the gauntlet that is Centrelink.

[Myk]

centrestink would tell you just go to away and make a phone call ... every process these days is done by phone ..
basically from seeing my wife go through it all back in Oz .. only time she had to go to CL was to do her monthly report

and medicare .. when we started having kids was a different story
best option is to call at 830am as most of the junkies will be asleep so you will get first in line on the phone call ..

[Flanno]

Yes Centrelink does like you to make phone calls instead of cluttering up their offices and reducing the time their staff take for morning and afternoon tea breaks. They try it on me but I just tell them I wish to talk to someone face to face in lieu of spending a long time on hold on the phone and then get to talk to an anonymous person who may or may not give me the correct advice. I am on the age pension.

They made a big thing of cracking down on those on the disability pension who were spending extended time overseas and you were unwise not to advise them you would be away for more than 4 weeks. Whether they reinstate your pension when you return is anyones guess. I guess it depends on the extent of your disability. We all know there are plenty of bludgers who should be working who are claiming the disability pension and Abbott and Scott Morrison are serious in weeding them out of the welfare system.

[aussiesteve63]

Get on the human services website,also are you registered with the my gov website

[FT10toLOS]

Cheers guys, thanks for the advice.

I'll start with the 8.30 phonecall. Have been on hold with them for an hour before giving up.

In hindsight, I should have notified them, but in the past, a "let sleeping dogs lie" policy has worked best.

[Pib]

Slow morning so I though I would search "disability payment" at Australian Human Service website. If you have't seen Human Services webpage talking disability payments, it may be helpful regarding your question. Note the very last paragraph where it talks you should notify Humans Services in advance of your departure, but if you don't they'll still be notified by Oz immigration.

Otherwise you do not need to tell us if you are leaving Australia. We will be advised automatically by Australia's immigration department when you leave Australia and when you return.

The page also says regarding your return.

Returning to Australia

In most cases you do not need to tell us that you have returned to Australia. If you have returned after a short trip and your payment remained current throughout your absence, you do not need to contact us.

You need to contact us when you return if you:

• had a payment or concession card stopped while you were away and it was not automatically restored when you returned
• are returning to live in Australia after having lived overseas
• get your payment under an international social security agreement, or
• have been asked to provide evidence for your reason for travel

[BKKSnowBird]

You can't work but you can holiday in Thailand?

[FT10toLOS]

You can't work but you can holiday in Thailand?

Oh dear, didn't take long, did it!

[steven100]

If I worked at Centrelink I wouldn't want to sit with half of the knuckleheads that show up there.

They were in the news recently, fighting staff physically boxing and wrestling because one guy was asked to turn his music down.

Singlets, 10 body piercings, thongs, covered in tatts, impolite and generally obnoxious.

Absolutely disgusting, then if the Centrelink staff asked someone to lift their game, they would cry foul and say they were being discriminated against.

[BKKSnowBird]

LOL! You knew someone had to ask!

[FT10toLOS]

LOL! You knew someone had to ask!

No, I was referring to the appearance of trolls.

[tifino]

One good point to always keep in mind, regarding dealings with CentreLink:

- always tell them about 'whatever', before they ask you about later

In other words - get in their face first

anyhows, regarding the effect upon a DSPension due to O/S Travel , visiting relatives, multiple countries:

Allowances, such as for Energy etc are affected after 4 weeks

For up to 12 weeks away (in the 12 months period), the DSP itself continues on...

After the 12 weeks has passed, you are not anymore regarded as a PCC customer of them

for example, wifie and I are going O/S from July,for 12 weeks 4 days.

My full DSP and other (i.e. Energy etc) Allowances continue unaffected for the first 4 weeks only.

After the 4 weeks have passed, I will only then be receiving the Basic DSP pension itself,

which continues on until the 12th week has passed

Upon Return I have to contact Centrelink to only then confirm if I have to go through the whole process of gaining my DSP back?

If so, this invvolves/includes all those multiple Doctor assessments again, and this time it will have to now be performed by Centrelink-appointed assessment Doctors

Apart from the highly-recommended advice from Centrelink (to advise them of your Dates) beforehand.

They say to immediately contact them at the earliest business-hours opportunity, to let them know you have landed home. The clock then starts for your resumption processing fun...

Edited May 12, 2015 by tifino

[FT10toLOS]

Thanks Tifino,

Some good advice there.

[BKKSnowBird]

I am not a troll. Just curious of your answer as I am in a similar situation.

The US does not have such restrictions but they tax us on our world income. A bar owner in BKK pays SS tax just because he holds a US passport.

[mickjn]

.Have you been put on the DSP and the doctor will give you 3 months at the start increased by another 3 months and so on but they are saying in time you will be able to return to work or have you been signed off by 2 doctors and you are permantley on the DSP.I think if you have not been put off permanently you will start off again,they will put you on Newstart before you qualify for the DSP again.

Also I am not sure about the DSP but I think they are the same as the OAP with this rule,you do not have to notify them any more when you go overseas,you do not know it but immigration do it for you.That metallic strip in the passport was buggered us up.You hand your passport to Immigration,they scan it,Centrelink know

All the best ,good luck

[mickjn]

If I worked at Centrelink I wouldn't want to sit with half of the knuckleheads that show up there.

They were in the news recently, fighting staff physically boxing and wrestling because one guy was asked to turn his music down.

Singlets, 10 body piercings, thongs, covered in tatts, impolite and generally obnoxious.

Absolutely disgusting, then if the Centrelink staff asked someone to lift their game, they would cry foul and say they were being discriminated against.

Yeah,he wasn't a nice guy

[tifino]

I am not a troll. Just curious of your answer as I am in a similar situation.

The US does not have such restrictions but they tax us on our world income. A bar owner in BKK pays SS tax just because he holds a US passport.

same as in Aust, you have to declare all income(s), from any/all country(s) you earn any money in/from.

The restriction can be hard for an outsider to understand.

Aust recently brought this new restriction into force, which affects all on the DSP, depending though on how long one has been overseas for, in any rolling scrolling 365 days period.

On the day I pre-reported (at centrelink) my upcoming 12&half weeks away, I added a tongue in cheek comment over the counter, that I'd gladly not be a pensioner and instead be magically able to work for enough hours per week to be able to feed myself; and that by going overseas for so long - that I am magically cured of my Disability??? don't I wish for that miracle!!!... but no, upon return, one will have to go all through those Dr... Checks from scratch...

...only have the money for the holiday myself, due to selling the house, and downsizing, which leaves some little excess for travelling with

At least in my case, with reference to (mickjn's angle), my own medical situation precludes any meaningful employability (permanently), so thankfully Newstart is irrelevant to me. For the last 10 years I was even exempted from having to do that old 5 years re-testing for DSP.

DSP can be a headache... especially when Centrelink thinks that long holidays, especially overseas ones - cures disabilities

[mickjn]

I am not a troll. Just curious of your answer as I am in a similar situation.

The US does not have such restrictions but they tax us on our world income. A bar owner in BKK pays SS tax just because he holds a US passport.

same as in Aust, you have to declare all income(s), from any/all country(s) you earn any money in/from.

The restriction can be hard for an outsider to understand.

Aust recently brought this new restriction into force, which affects all on the DSP, depending though on how long one has been overseas for, in any rolling scrolling 365 days period.

On the day I pre-reported (at centrelink) my upcoming 12&half weeks away, I added a tongue in cheek comment over the counter, that I'd gladly not be a pensioner and instead be magically able to work for enough hours per week to be able to feed myself; and that by going overseas for so long - that I am magically cured of my Disability??? don't I wish for that miracle!!!... but no, upon return, one will have to go all through those Dr... Checks from scratch...

...only have the money for the holiday myself, due to selling the house, and downsizing, which leaves some little excess for travelling with

At least in my case, with reference to (mickjn's angle), my own medical situation precludes any meaningful employability (permanently), so thankfully Newstart is irrelevant to me. For the last 10 years I was even exempted from having to do that old 5 years re-testing for DSP.

DSP can be a headache... especially when Centrelink thinks that long holidays, especially overseas ones - cures disabilities

I would have another go at them.If you have been signed off by 2 doctors you should have to do nothing.I have a brain tumor that came back 3 times,and then radiation.2 doctors signed me off work and that was the end.They rang me once a year and asked how I was going I said I was slowly getting worse which I was but if they could get me a job and I was covered by work cover if I fell arse over head at work I would go back to work which I wanted to.After 3 years they never rang me again

[konying]

OP, i believe there is a certain period after the payment has been stopped to start receiving at again, otherwise have to apply from zero.

Best would be to contact CL now to advise them you are overseas and due to bad health or something along the lines, will be returning at the end of the month.

They will put a note on your account, making it easier for you to get payments restarted.

Should question of "why did you not tell us" arise, just tell them you did and do not know why it was not recorded.

Do not worry, with the amount of "useless" people working there, they would understand and will not make an issue out of it

[tifino]

once that magical 12 weeks had been exceeded - it (DSP) stops - no matter what your medical condition is - it stops.

I was re-affirmed, from over the counter, that I should immediately contact Centrelink (as soon as possibe after I land). So in my case I have their phone number at hand for the moment my mobile is switched on again at Tullamarine.

Im a veterans Affairs TPI pensioner also, but even that situation has no bearing on the way a CentreLink Gronk's mind works, as each Dept has their own set of SOPs to work from

anyhows, so long as all these subjective details little details presented suit the OP's questions........... at least he now knows that he's not alone in this quandary

[mickjn]

once that magical 12 weeks had been exceeded - it (DSP) stops - no matter what your medical condition is - it stops.

I was re-affirmed, from over the counter, that I should immediately contact Centrelink (as soon as possibe after I land). So in my case I have their phone number at hand for the moment my mobile is switched on again at Tullamarine.

Im a veterans Affairs TPI pensioner also, but even that situation has no bearing on the way a CentreLink Gronk's mind works, as each Dept has their own set of SOPs to work from

anyhows, so long as all these subjective details little details presented suit the OP's questions........... at least he now knows that he's not alone in this quandary

They know when you land.If something is wrong you will get a SMS on your phone before you get out of the airport or at the latest a phone call the next day,it is all linked now.As you say we are getting away from the original so I will you good luck and have a great holiday all the best

[FT10toLOS]

Cheers guys, thanks for the tips.

I imagine these latest changes would affect quite a number on the forum, hence the desire to create this topic.

I was, only recently, permanently on DSP so I hope I don't have to go through all that reporting again.

[kevvy]

This is the place to go to get information

http://dspoverseas.proboards.com/

[FT10toLOS]

Cheers, thanks Kevvy, a wealth of information there.