Another centrelink payment question.

[emma26]

I'm trying to find out for my 17 yr old sister whether she would have to go into centrelink for an interview for the single parent pension once she has had her baby OR will she be automatically switched from youth allowance to the SPP??..

[333]

I had to go into finalise it. She should get all the paperwork at hospital. Make sure she rings as soon as bub is born though as the payment will be back dated.

[emma26]

So she wont need to go in to centrelink for an interview to see whether she is entitled to the SPP?

[333]

She will be entitled to it its just more of a formaility that the papers need to be put through in person. A large quantity of it can be done over the phone post-birth.

Once she has collected all the necessary documents she will need to take them all in and then talk to a centrelink person to see what she is entitled to. Single/partnered, rent assistance, health care card, baby bonus ect.

[Hokey Pokey]

I had interview but this was almost 10 years ago now. When baby was born, the hospital gave me all the paperwork and I filled it out and took it to centrelink where we had an interview etc.

[MommaBear]

She should get paperwork from the hospital after having bubs- she needs to fill that in and have someone take it into centrelink if she cant- my mum took it in for me while i was still in hospital... then centrelink worked it out the only time i had to speak to them was when they wanted to know if i wanted fortnighly or weekly payments.

[c38]

In the hospital they will give her the forms for
Family Allowence, the Baby bonus and registration for the Bubs to Medicare (All one form). As well as one for the Birth Certificate.

She needs to fill this all in and can post or get someone to drop it in for her. I actually dropped mine into a Medicare/Family Assistance Office and they sent it onto my local Centrelink after they'd done their bit. They will also give her ,or send her, another form regarding declaring the amount of child support she will recieve from the FOB. If she hasn't already got an agreement with FOB and wishes to go through the CSA then she needs to call them, and state on the form that the CSA is making an assesment. Without this declaraion of Child Support she wont get the full amount of Family Allowence unless she hs an official examption. If for some reason she wont be claiming Child Support from FOB, then she needs to make an appointment to see a Social Worker at Centrelink who can sign a declaration for an exemption for her.

All the above is for the Baby Bonus and Family tax A and B. (otherwise known as Family Allowence). All this can be done after she leaves hospital if she likes as they backdate it all to bubs birth date as long as the paperwork is done in the prescribed time.

To switch to the SSP she needs to ring Centrelink from the hospital to make an application. As the day she rings will be the day they backdate it to. She will need her Centrelink number ..they should already have her tax file number and bank account details.. but good idea if she has these too just in case they "cant find them" You make the application over the phone (they tell me you cant do this in person) and they they organise for her to attend an interview and will tell her what to bring as well as send her paperwork to bring. It takes about 30minutes on the phone (though may be quicker for her being an exiting client), so good idea if someone can be there to watch bubs for her during this time.

The hospital should have a Social Worker that can help her do all of this.

:goodvibes:I hope it all goes well for her:goodvibes:

[daemynsmum]

2 yrs ago i got all the paperwork but i went into cenrelink whilst still preg. was on youth allowance told them my due date and asked what needed to be done when my ds was born it took me 2 weeks and everything was changed over and backdated. got the babybonus within 2 days