Wages and Centrelink.
 

We have been in Australia for nearly 4 Months now, when we first arrived we (my Australian partner) made a claim from centrelink for benefits (parenting payment and family tax allowance - or whatever they call it) I have since started work as (obviously) we are keen to get out of the benefits trap and become self sufficient. We contacted centrelink when I started work and they reduced our benefits by half to reflect my meagre earnings.
As I earn differing amounts each Week should we tell centrelink each week what I earn or wait until the end of the year and tally up then?

Re: Wages and Centrelink.
 

You are supposed to advise them every fortnight of your income, otherwise overpayments can occur, and you then end up with a debt to be repaid.

Re: Wages and Centrelink.
 

i am wondering what kind of benefit you are on where you don't have to tell them each fortnight or 6 weeks or whatever what your earnings are..?
I advice contact them and tell them what is happening. or you will have a huge debt at the end of the financial year.if you have been overpaid.they will most likely reduce your payments over the next whatever weeks etc to repay the money you owe them
.good luck

Re: Wages and Centrelink.
 

To avoid getting overpaid and having to pay back, ask that they assess your income at the end of the tax year and then pay you whatever benefits they owe you. My partner and I no longer qualify for the benefits but we are still registered with Centrelink who only assess us once a year and then, should I have lost my job during the years or whatever, they pay us our a lump sum once a year. It's a fantastic way to save for something at the end of the year eg. school fees, school clothes etc. If this option doesn't appeal use their online facility to change your income as often as you need to. It's few mouse clicks away (just ask at your local Centrelink for your pin) and very easy to update regularly if you have access to the internet (which you obviously have) :D .

Another way of getting your dues is for the partner who earns a fixed income to sacrifice some of his income to pension in order to keep you below the required income level to keep your benefits. You might check this out as it turns out that if I do this I will actually get more in my pocket by paying less tax and getting more from Centrelink each month. I'll be doing this from next month - Crazy isn't it?

Re: Wages and Centrelink.
 

Thank you for your help. This has confirmed what we thought.

The problem with my new job is that the hours and therefore wages are not the same from one Week to the next. Although the system in Australia is far better than the British system it still has it's complications. :)