Rent Assistance - Administrative error backpay?
Hi everyone,
I’m hoping there is a lurking SA staff member here, or someone well versed in SS law. I didn’t know whether to put this in FTB or PP.
I’m trying to not get my hopes up - but I submitted a written complaint regarding FTB A and rent assistance, and this complaints officer seems confident that I can actually have RA attached to PPS. (*This is not the first time I’ve been told this*) But she was adamant that I had the right to request the “most favourable” calculation method for me.
The thing is, I’ve raised the RA situation with Centrelink repeatedly, including 2 years ago being told by the Parenting line to call the families line and specifically request it to no longer be linked to FTBA but instead to PPS. So I did…. The officer on the families line was really shocked that rent assistance (when not zero) was between $2.44 and $18.90 a fortnight (*Rent has been between $1100-$1300 a fortnight the entire time*) and was all on board for fixing it. Then called back about 5 hours later and said she was wrong, it wasn’t possible.
I actually emailed the minister about it, because it seemed really perverse that as a human being (separate to being a mother) I was somehow not entitled to RA, because Child Support was reducing my FTB A…. But if I was on job seeker, in a share house - I would get RA….
The response in writing from SA on behalf of the minister lead me to believe it wasn’t possible at all. https://imgur.com/a/KciqngI
This new lady’s confidence - if it is the case that I can in fact have it attached to PPS, not FTB… means that essentially, from the moment of the incorrect advice call back, I’ve been underpaid about $14k in total.
I’m not trying to claim the entire duration (4 years) just from the time period I made the request for RA to be administered as per the Social Security Act, instead of the Families Assistance Act.
So I guess I’m first looking for anyone who has been successful when FTBA eligible for having RA linked to their income support payment.
And then wondering the process (if/when it is attached to PPS not FTB) for requesting backpay.
Do I request the call recordings now in advance of making an administrative error claim?
I’m in pretty extreme financial hardship, and there is an MCA in place for a projected overpayment (less than a dollar) that means I cannot request any FTB advances etc.
Any advice or tips would be greatly appreciated.