Travelling whilst on DS Pension

Red Dog · Senior Member

Travelling whilst on DS Pension

rredbeak · Senior Member

Talk to centerlink ,just be plain honest. You might be surprised AND its officially on record you told them.

Im in that catagory and its official ,i renew every year.
Rod

Red Dog · Senior Member

Thanks Rod have had several talks with centre link and get different answers each time very frustrating.

As you have to make sure you are doing it all above board or if you have to go to them in another state they want to know what you are doing there cheers Red dog.

_wombat_ · Master (of Mischief)

Write to centrelink and ask for answer's in writing to your question's

Red Dog · Senior Member

Thanks Guys going to put a day aside to go and see what the facts are at the moment all dressed up and nowhere to go cheers Dave.

Hylda&Jon · Guru

Hi! Not sure what info you're after. We just finished travelling around Aus for 2 years with me on a disabailty pension with no problems. Unlike the dole, I didn't have to tell them where i was all the time I just had my postal adress changed to a good friends place & they collected our mail & sent it on to us. I asked Centrelink to handle most of my mail online & only post the important stuff.

If you want to claim rental allounce then it can be a hassle as you have to drop in every week or 2 with proof of where you stayed & maybe even with reciepts (depending which Centrelink you go to). Also as there isn't a specific form that covers your situation you may find every time you drop the form in they will scratch there heads then ask you to wait till someone can see you then you have an argument with them about it being the correct form.

It got to my nerves too much & I just stopped claiming rental allowence & never needed to get in touch with them again on the trip.

Hope this helps a little

Cheers

Jon

Happywanderer · The Master

Like Hylda & Jon I have all my letters delivered online, have no need to have any contact with centrelink while home so don't see why I would while travelling.
If something happens while away, nonpayment or something else, I would pop into the nearest centrelink office, or maybe make a phone call.

rredbeak · Senior Member

every visit to centerlink i always ASK [its being recorded by them] "Am i doing anything wrong" and everytime the response is "Certainly not"

weve done 3 laps over the years and theyre made aware of each n every one before we set off,its official and its recorded.

ALL they ask is IF you get snail mail you supply a mailing address,thats certainly fair enough in my opinion.

its nothing to be concerned about BUT youre being very wise by talking to them and getting it recorded.

Happy Travells.. Rod

Beth54 · Guru

I'm on the DSP and don't understand why one would need to go into the Centrelink office. I haven't had to go there since my last review, about 3 years ago. I avoid them like the plague actually. I had a bad run with them several years ago, and ended up having a nervous breakdown because of them. disbelief

I get the online mail too, and I get rent allowance. Every couple of years, they send me a letter to ask if anything has changed. No, I say, and it just goes on as before. But I do have private rental, I don't know if that makes any difference. And I don't travel fulltime.

Just be aware that whatever info they give you, get the persons name and a reciept number. My daughter found that one out the hard way. hmm

Happywanderer · The Master

I'm the same as you beth. Pay rental so wouldn't be needing rental assistance while on the road, don't travel fulltime and get my mail online. And don't go near centrelink unless I have to. Must be a couple of years since last there.

milo · Guru

im the same as beth, as much as i appreicate being on the pension , going to centerlink is a pain in the .....
only time i tell them anything is when things change ie like they say in that letter that comes out some times
or if im out off the country travelling....

you do get the odd good people at centrlink ,but not always..

Red Dog · Senior Member

Thanks guys for all the info we have never had any trouble with centre link as such but most of you are not traveling full time we have sold our house (waiting on settlement ] and will have no solid contact point, so didnt no how one would go about getting things like licence renewals and new pension cards and so forth cheers Dave.

Boroma577 · Guru

Red Dog wrote:
Thanks guys for all the info we have never had any trouble with centre link as such but most of you are not traveling full time we have sold our house (waiting on settlement ] and will have no solid contact point, so didnt no how one would go about getting things like licence renewals and new pension cards and so forth cheers Dave.

Dave, you may have to use a service like Landbase for your snail mail.

http://www.landbase.com.au/

rredbeak · Senior Member

Thats good stuff Boroma..

justcruisin01 · Guru

I have been on a DSP for six yrs, the first two my wife was still workinf so had to report our income every two weeks as it was not a regular amount so mine was based on that.

When she finished we done all the required paper work & have not heard from them since & we have been travelling for the last four yrs. They just email us when there is a change in payment, nothing further.

Red Dog · Senior Member

That was what I was looking for thanks heaps Boroma for the info cheers Dave

-- Edited by Red Dog on Wednesday 4th of January 2012 12:56:32 PM

Boroma577 · Guru

Red Dog wrote:
That was what I was looking for thanks heaps Boroma for the info cheers Dave

You are most welcome Dave, glad I could help.

Gerty Dancer · Guru

Its funny, different Centrelink offices have staff that treat their customers differently. Our local office has really friendly peole, they treat us like we are their Aunt and Uncle. But we met a woman who was very condescending at one in WA. Glad we dont live there!

animalcarer · Senior Member

Know the feeling well, met the b from hell in Dalby office, then really beautiful people at stones corner and woodridge. I find I ask questions after questions, and get peoples names, times, an whenever they ring us, I always have them on speaker phone so howie can take notes.

Will be claiming the rental allowance when we hit the road.

Beth54 · Guru

Gerty Dancer wrote:
Its funny, different Centrelink offices have staff that treat their customers differently. Our local office has really friendly peole, they treat us like we are their Aunt and Uncle. But we met a woman who was very condescending at one in WA. Glad we dont live there!

I had a very nice lady in Longreach in'09. Couldn't do enough for me.

Woodridge is where I've always gone Lynette. I didn't come across b****s, just found they mostly had no compassion. I think I only found two who were very compassionate.

goinsoon · Guru

I have dealt with centerlink in Stawell in Vic, Raymond Terrace, Port Macquarie and Inverell in NSW, Beaudesertand Browns Plains in Qld. and the service and friendliness was great from all of them.

AmandaJayne · Guru

We are both on a disability here and we've not been into centrelink for sometime but I did ask what would happen if we traveled the country and was told to get a po box and have a friend look at it from time to time... but seeing as the son will be living in our home we wont have to bother with that....