Had a meeting yesterday with the social worker about where to go forward from here. David has been considering applying for the Carers Payment since his job cancelled on him last month. Looks like we have no choice now. The Carers Payment is a pension the same amount as the DSP that he would get for looking after me. He would also continue getting the Carers Allowance with that. In total it's about $100 or so more a fortnight than what he's currently getting on Newstart. He can still work 25 hours a week with it so he can still look for work.
Newstart is just unlivable on. $470 a fortnight. Impossible.
So it was the classic Centrelink getting of the Carers Payment :s You have to ring and Centrelink sends out this form, noting the date you rang so they can backpay you if you get the form back in in time.
After being on hold for half an hour, the lady on the phone said I could do it online from David's Centrelink account. Thanked her and hung up. Went online, she was wrong, you couldn't lodge an intention to claim for that particular payment online.
Frustrated, I rang back the Carers Centrelink number. The phones were all busy, just a beep beep.
In total frustration I stormed out and down to the local Centrelink to get this bloody form. I got there and was told I couldn't pick it up as David had to. WTF? We're both linked as a couple. Why not? Walked out even more frustrated and went home.
Rang again the Carers Centrelink line, which was now working. Half an hour on hold again. Fuck all this just to get a bloody form off them? Finally got through and it was easy from there.
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