David's Carer Payment pension came through!

OMG! Finally, finally, it looks like we may actually have enough to get by on. I don't fuckin believe it.

So on the advice of the social worker last time we meet (or was it the time before) we went ahead and did the forms for the Carers Payment. As he already gets the Carers Allowance for me it was about the easiest Centrelink form ever to fill out; most of it just ticking boxes confirming that the details printed were correct. We put it into the supplied envelope and easily sent it well before the two weeks required to get back paid.

Six weeks later, he gets the letter in his Centrelink inbox telling all is well with the application and he got an immediate payment of $450 in back pay. Next week he will get his first fortnightly payment of a bit over $700. Along with his Carers Allowance of $120 a fortnight, he's now getting more than me.

Fuck what a bloody difference. going from not so long ago of only getting Newstart at $470 a fortnight to this. Is nearly double the amount. Unbelievable.

We had no choice though. It was either that or just keep going $under. After the rent was paid all we had was his Newstart payment. And we were both trying to survive off that one payment. Completely impossible. This isn't mega bucks either, but it does go a long way to feeling more $secure.