Rob Morton-Jone

Can anyone advise me as to when we should cancel the family/child benefit that we receive here in the UK?

We fly to Oz, March 29th and wondered if the benefit stops then, or do we get a little bit of a leeway by claiming UK benefit for the fist couple of weeks after our arrival??

Thanks........Rob

phoenixinoz

Rob I cancelled mine a month before we left and we got 6 weeks final pay.

Hope that helps and good luck!

herrchook

Does that also apply if you're only going on a temp. visa and therefore don't qualify for anything in Aus?

phoenixinoz

Hiya

To be honest I'm not sure with a temp visa.

However...logic tells me the UK fam allowance is a UK benefit....not an Aussie benefit...so the 6 weeks pay serves as a severance pay if that makes sense?

I would have thought it was the same

Perhaps you should give the benefit office a ring. No harm in asking

herrchook

Makes sense to me too. Will give them a call nearer the time.

phoenixinoz

If you have children under 16 I think you can get child benefit here in Aus too? It's probably one of the only benefits that you can get if you have young children. It might be worth you speaking to Centrelink when you get here to assess what you are entitled to.

Good luck with the move too

wilfam

You won't get family benefit though on a temporary visa.

phoenixinoz

Oh really? Didn't realise. Not much you can get on a temp visa then

Perhaps they should go to Centrelink to see if there is anything they are entitled to with kids.

skywalker

Take a look here and here! you'll find out all you need!

herrchook

I think it's worth speaking to them anyway because we're going on SIR which strictly speaking is provisional and not temporary. Nothing ventures nothing gained I suppose. They can only say no

cheers

Oh, actually they can......

Important: Other temporary visa holders, including those holding skilled independent, regional, employer-assisted and business skills (provisional) visas cannot access any payments while the person is the holder of a temporary or provisional visa.
Taken from Centrelink's Recently Moved To Australia document