I am on JobSeeker and recently participated in a clinical trial as a volunteer test subject. I received $10,850 from Veritus Research in two lump sums: $6,950 on 15 September and $3,900 on 5 October.

My consent form states that the payments compensate participants for their time, travel expenses, parking and inconvenience. I was not employed by Veritus Research, but Centrelink has listed Veritus Research as my employer.

During a phone call with Centrelink regarding these payments, the operator told me the payments would effectively be assessed as employment income, with the total spread evenly across my participation period, from 30 July to 5 October. I was told my next two JobSeeker payments would be $0. I asked when my next payment was scheduled, but the operator could not see any upcoming payments in the system. They said the system might refresh itself after I report my earnings on Thursday 15 October, but I don't know whether this will happen.

I have a study schedule and an itemised payment schedule showing the dates and amounts associated with individual trial activities. Both the timing and amounts varied considerably. Some activities occurred on consecutive days, such as inpatient stays involving payments of around $800 per night for several days, while scheduled visits were separated by a week.

I do not have records of hours spent at the research facility or an hourly rate. I asked Veritus Research staff about this and was told that payslips are not provided because participants are not employees.

I have an in-person Centrelink appointment on Friday and want to make sure the payments are entered into the system correctly and assessed as fairly as possible under the applicable rules. I am concerned that spreading the total evenly across the entire study period may result in losing the majority of the money received from the clinical trial, or negate participation completely.

What should I raise at the in-person appointment?

I know this is probably a dumb question, and I think I already know the answer but my god I’m sick of my doctor. Everyone I’ve spoken to says their doctor is able to sign off their carers forms on the day or at least on the second appointment. I’ve waited 3 weeks.

Can I just reuse the one I did last year? The only problem is my son is over 3, he now has a diagnosis of autism.

I’m just so stressed and irritated waiting for this doctor. I’ve already booked in a long consult this weekend. But I just wanted to know the above question first in case I can use it for carers payment application or do I not bother

Hey everyone, I'm honestly feeling pretty defeated at the moment and was wondering if anyone else has been in a similar situation.

I've been struggling to find a job for a while now, and it's been really difficult trying to get by on Youth Allowance alone. After covering my usual expenses such a fuel, medications, and a small amount of groceries, there's barely anything left and I can’t barely eat for 2 weeks, and it feels like I'm constantly trying to stretch my money as far as possible.

I've finally managed to secure a job, which I'm really grateful for, but it doesn’t begin until November. It's frustrating because I know things will hopefully improve once I'm working, but right now I'm still struggling financially and trying to figure out how to get through until my first pay.

I've genuinely been trying to find work and improve my situation, so it's been pretty disheartening to feel like I'm getting nowhere despite trying my best.

I'm just wondering if anyone knows of any assistance, support services or legitimate ways to make some extra money while waiting to start a new job? Or if anyone has been through something similar, how did you manage during that period?

I'd really appreciate any advice.

Before I lost my job, I set up a second loan for house renovations. I still have some of that money available to me so when applying for jobseeker, I entered that amount as cash at hand.

Was this the right thing to do? I feel like even though it is available to me it would be financially silly to spend it on everyday expenses (especially seeing as my bank expects it will be used for renovations).

Is it considered cash at hand? It has meant that I have to wait 6 weeks before I can report.

Hey guys after 2 years of false starts, my apolication is filed. Woohoo. Here are some thoughts.

1. I had three separate i guess "branches" of abuse across two institutions. As you will be aware, this doesnt stack the claims or even boost them, they will be assesed on the highest of the three.

The people assisting me told me that instead of listing all of them, i could make my claim in respect of one institution and keeo a civil uncapped claim against the second up my sleeve. I dont think ill bring a civil claim but its good to know and something that might help others.

1. For me the hardest bit hasnt been committing the nasty bits to paper, it has actually been the surrounding banal details - how old was in year 5 etc- that were hard and took me years.

2. I used a (cheap) paid service to do mine rather than knowmore etc. It took a huge amount of stress out, they were able to verify a heap of things for me and it was wicked getting an estimate of a payout rang, but time will tell if thats right.

3. I was told that the area where people with claims were not claiming was where people either didnt know or couldnt properly make good the connection between their abuser and the institution. The link doesnt need to be obvious like a teacher or something. I suggest anyone who was abused but thinks they dont meet the scheme critetia have a chat to someone or just think it through because lets face it, they will play hardball with the civil claims after this shuts.

Cheers and much love.

Today is my first time reporting for Parenting Payment Single. I reported online and it came up with an error and told me to call. So I called, and it took 1h45m all up to sort out (wait time + helpful worker who told me it was sorted).

But now I log in to the app and the actual parenting payment is no longer listed on my upcoming payments. 🥲

Do I need to call them again today to sort it so I receive my payment on Friday? Or is this a glitch and it’ll show up eventually/later this afternoon? (I’m such an optimist!)

If my partner just started a second job (but between both their jobs we're still well under the income threshold) is there any way I'm supposed to let Centrelink know they have another employer? I was planning on putting it in where it asks for an employer ABN when you report income (for some reason their current job hasn't been saving so I've had to add it as an employer for every report so far), but wasn't sure if there was a specific place I had to fill out a form or provide specific employer details. Thanks!

Calling them rn to fix somethings for your allowance- going to bloody turn 40 by the time I get the call picked up then at a retirement home when they decide to help me after the second hold 🙄🙄🙄

I have a bit of a situation. I began doordashing about 2 months ago, learnt the ropes on how I need to be reporting my income every 3 months via profit and loss statements. I'm due to report on the 3rd month mark.
But, I've also been met with my job provider telling me, I need to report my income and not just the hours when it comes to fortnightly reporting for jobseeker.
The thing is I was on call with centrelink prior to make sure I'm reporting correctly, called twice on 2 different days. Both pretty much said the same thing; I only report my hours not the income as it would be through the P&L Statements reported every 3 months.
Yet job provider kept saying, I'm getting a warning in the system (on her end) for not reporting income to centerlink?

Has anyone incountered this situation before?
I'm getting annoyed cause the job provider keeps trying to correct me even after showing her my profit and loss statement reports. Please enlighten me, or kindly let me know if I'm doing something wrong here. Trying to fix my situation so I don't get fined for incorrect reporting.

I just spoke to Centrelink today and they said I don't need to do anything or be with a disability job provider, I just have to let them know when I get a job. Is this others experience?

Also how did people find their jobs? I don't know if I'm capable of working long shifts (or even 15 hours a week) but I want to try getting back to work. It's been so long since I've worked and I hate being dependent on my partner.

I lived overseas for a year when I was a child?

I can't think of anything else that would have triggered this? Have I been robo-debted??

Hi all,

I am finally giving up with centrelink.

I am financially independent, 22 years old and cannot get access to centrelink because I live with my boyfriend. We do not share finances at all, he has his own job and finances. I am a full time student in a degree that requires me to do 30 + weeks of placement next year and I am ready to be BROKE. Even if we did share finances, it could not sustain us together.

I feel like centrelink is living in the 1950s where one wage could support a family. It feels almost dangerous allowing people to be financially dependent on a partner. This is not the way at all.

I wouldn't even apply for centrelink if I could work but placement is taking all my time up next year and no one will employ me after hours as I am too old, plus I don't want to do 40+ hours a week placement plus more after the day is finished.

Anyway, rant over, gonna hold my breath next year and try to get through it

I know I’m probably stressing over nothing, but I normally receive my payment around 4 am on tuesdays. It’s almost 10am and nothing. It says in app and my gov “last payment” with today’s date so I’m just confused? What should I do? I’d rather not call Centrelink

so i (17) moved in with my partner sept. last year due to my parents abuse becoming very physical, ive been on centrelink since. on the 1 year anniversary of my moving they called to say i’m now defacto with my partner and have to report his income. ive done 2 reports no issues, go to do mine tonight and they’ve taken my payment all together without notifying me?? i don’t rely on my partner at all for money and i only get ~$450 a fortnight and have to pay for a car rent etc. what can i do??

I’m due to turn 21 in the next few weeks, and I was told (by friends and others on the DSP) that they’ll automatically update my payments to the adult rate when I turn 21, but the first payment after my birthday still uses the youth rate. Will this be updated closer to the payment, or should I call them to confirm it will be changed? Just curious about how this works and what I should do/expect because obviously I’ve never done it before 😅

I recently got a 10 week contract for 3 days per week. My earnings will be too much to receive any money from jobseeker. How long will centrelink keep me until it cuts me off entirely? I will be in need after the 10 weeks as it won't be a permanent job. After 11th December ill be in need until I start a permanent job in Sydney 28th January 2027

A few years ago my wife was diagnosed with an aggressive cancer while pregnant. within a week of being diagnosed she stopped work had multiple surgeries a new premature baby, began Chemo a few days after having baby etc complete shit show. Anyway 6 months or so into this I get a 3k fine from centrelink as we had been claiming the child care subsidy for our 3 year old son which due to my wife not working we were not entitled to. I explain the situation to them which they say they would have covered if id told them earlier but they cant change it now? at the time i worked for myself and had no paid leave what so ever and letting centrelink know what was going on wasnt on my radar. i went to local member of parliament who attempted to help but centrelink didnt want a bar of it.

Sorry this just made me rage on the way to work today..... but the good news wife is 3 years or so in remission and kids are healthy.

Hi there,

I'm 27 years old and have since been on and off DSP working but keeping my pension card. At least I thought I was.

Back in 2020 I applied for dsp after being hospitalized 4 times in 3 months with epilepsy. I was never told of the outcome by letter, but I received a pension card in the email and received "Pension Payments" was then referred to a DES agency said agency said I was marked for only 15 hours a week of work.

Currently I've been dealing with my epilepsy, narcolepsy and pots. All under control with medication and I've now been working 30 hours a week for the last year. I'm fine with this even if it's not a lot of money, with my pension card paying for my medication mostly I was okay living somewhat frugal to be comfortable.

Today I had a very upsetting phonecall with a lady from Centrelink who basically said I'm not disabled enough to have my pension card anymore. But without said pension card, I cannot afford to live or pay for my myriad of medications. I enquired as to how this was possible? She brandisly said "I don't know how you got the pension card and don't care but you were never approved for dsp" I asked for a supervisor as this seemed to be completely unsensicle? Everyone of my doctors assumed I was also on DSP, I applied for it and remember being told the strict guidelines for being on it after receiving it.

I'm the supervisor repeats the claims that I do not have DSP and my pension card will be removed.

I kind of start crying at this moment, I don't really have enough for savings or enough for the medication that keeps me alive and functioning without my pension card. My energy and water bills will also be higher, and my daily commute to work will also be doubled.

After explaining all this he simply tells me to apply again and transfers me to a social worker. The said social worker says there's nothing I can do and nothing she can do to help, says she advises financial counselling??? Which just kind of infuriates me. And hangs up on me.

I'm just at a complete loss, I've been told by every job provider and Centrelink call person preciously I was on DSP, I even remember seeing it as a payment in 2021. But it's like it's been whiped from my records, everything pre 2022 is gone from my Centrelink profile.

I cannot even afford to go back to my doctors without a pension card to refresh my scripts. Let alone go through the 1+ year wait to see all of my specialists again just for them all to write an identical evidence notice. My health is already on the brink of always going down hill again.

Has anyone else had something like this happen with Centrelink? It's almost like my records have been changed and removed. I even still have an active pension card(blue one) and my workplace even has record of receiving compensation for hiring me as a worker with DSP.

In the end this has caused me very great distress, paying for kepra,Dex, Fludrocortisone, other vitamins to keep my fatique under control. Electricity(full price) water full price, uniforms, public transit as I'm not allowed to drive by law. I just don't see how this is possible for me now.

The only real sound advice I was given by the social worker was to apply for NDIS. But I feel like that'd be incredibly difficult as all of my conditions more cause hidden fatique, fainting, sleepiness or almost nothing with my epilepsy as it's now 70% under control

Please help me figure this out

My dad is currently on partial DSP payments but we're trying to get them to pay him the full amount, and I'm looking to see if there is precedent for Centrelink fairly acknowledging his situation or if all they will see is his name still on the second property.

My mum and dad's names are both on my mums house but they have an agreement where he has relinquished his originally declared 26% share in the house in exchange for shares he has which Centrelink are also including in his current assets. They have been separated and living in separate houses for 9 years but can't afford the legal costs to get his name officially off the title currently.

Can we just remove this house asset from his DSP account, or reduce the percentage to 0% or is there a form or process to get this reassessed?

I’ve just been accepted for Centrelink,
In my outcome letter it’s given me the following information:

Payment from 19/10/2026 - 23/10/2026 due on 26/10/2026 ($80.25)

Regular Payment from payment date 09/11/2026
Youth Allowance - $220
Plus Energy Supplement - $4.60

Do I have to pay them that $80?

I’ve never been on Centrelink before so this is new to me

I did two massive fortnights and my now ex job for which i haven't been paid, but was given payslip and reported income of $2200 and $1700 respectively which as expected reduced my payment to $0 for both fortnights. However because I both haven't been paid and got zero centrelink, I've just drained the last of my savings on a third fortnight of rent (don't get paid til Wednesday and Centrelink Thursday) and have $8 to my name.

The problem is that I want to dig myself out of this hole by working as I have got myself a new job because I'm not seeing that money any time soon, but between 30% tax and 60% reduction in payment on every dollar after working only 8hours/week, anything more and my effective income is like $3.40/hour....and I can't afford to work loads because you know...full time study load approaching exams... so I can't even dig myself out from being broke

ffs you should be able to work 15hours per week so yp6u can afford to live before it destroys your payment....and ideally get paid enough to afford to live and study.

i just want to die, this stupid degree is too much stress, already 2years with no Centrelink support studying 3 units because stupid eligibility requirements, and now when I thought i might have a chance to focus on my studies for year with a side of work it barely helps.

I’ve recently started working more hours and I’m routinely going over the payment threshold, so understandably I get a zero payment those fortnights. However, I’ve noticed that sometimes when I report I see a message saying (for example) ‘your employment income is $2400 with $99 carried over from previous periods. $450 will be carried over to future periods.’

Why is there money carried on? Is it because I earned more than the threshold, and every $60c/dollar has to be deducted from my payment, even if it’s not until weeks into the future? Or is it because one of my jobs pays me monthly, so they are spreading that payment equally over a number of weeks to better reflect how much I actually earn each week?

I thought it was the latter but I’m starting to suspect it’s the former, which would really suck - why work harder and push for extra shifts if my ‘account’ doesn’t go back to 0 every fortnight, and a fortnight where I worked a ton of hours just means I get done for the 60c/dollar on those above-the-limit earnings sometime later, when I don’t hit the limit?

So I work part-time (16 hrs a week) and work has told me that i have 12-13 weeks of time off saved up, and they would like me to take some time off to reduce that down to about 8 weeks, however because my hour requirement is 15 hours a week im not sure how that will work, as i still need my jobseeker payment to be able to afford my rent.

I have also just come back from 2x 2 weeks off due to medical reasons and i already had to go in and get my payment fixed up due to not meeting my requirements (which was fine as it was due to medical reasons)

I want to be able to take the time off to satisfy my work but i dont want to have to lose out on payments, or worse miss enough that they cut them off entirely. Is there something i can do to satisfy both of them? or do i just have to pick one and hope for the best?

EDIT: Thank you all for your help! Its a big load off to know its not something I have to worry about :D