Centrelink relief offered to these Aussies
Mutual obligation and participation requirements for Centrelink recipients have been paused for Aussies in flood-affected areas of New South Wales.
Those in flood-affected local government areas (LGAs) will not have to meet their requirements from July 5 to July 12.
Also read: 185,000 Centrelink recipients to get $231 cash boost
Also read: Change in Centrelink requirements if you live in these areas
This will affect Aussies who live in:
Blacktown
Blue Mountains
Camden
Canterbury Bankstown
Campbelltown
Central Coast
Cessnock
Fairfield
Georges River
Hawkesbury
Hornsby
Kiama
Lithgow City
Liverpool
Northern Beaches
Penrith
Shellharbour
Shoalhaven
Sutherland Shire
The Hills Shire
Wingecarribee
Wollondilly
Wollongong
Services Australia said during this period, no payment suspensions or financial penalties would apply to those who didn’t meet their requirements.
Debt collecting resumes
This comes just days after Centrelink recipients were required to start repaying debts that had been paused due to COVID-19 and previous natural disasters.
Back in January, Services Australia advised that the temporary pause on Centrelink debts had been lifted and letters would be sent to those who owed money.
The debt pause was in place for LGAs in New South Wales, Victoria, South-East Queensland and the Australian Capital Territory.
Minister for Social Services Amanda Rishworth said more than 17 per cent of JobSeeker payments were not accurate.
Many welfare recipients were overpaid, with the debts owed “drastically increased”.
Rishworth said some debts had been sitting in the system for more than three years, and that “some people aren’t even aware that they’ve received too much money from Services Australia”.
You can see details of your debt in the Money You Owe service in your Centrelink online account through myGov.
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