Centrelink axed my DSP

[Skyblue6]

Hi folks. 

 ive recently been given the news that my disability support pension will be terminated and I have roughly a month to lodge an appeal. 

 i was diagnosed with major depression, agoraphobia, panic attacks and OCD. I was diagnosed back around 2009 and been managing with medication when needed. 

 three years ago I moved from one side of town to another (I'm from Canberra) and the support services on this side of town are horrendous. I've been disconnected from my old support services so I have no recent mental health history other than my local gp's review and prescriptions. 

ive become highly stressed as of October with new neighbours moving in next door fighting day and night resulting in me losing sleep which thus fuels my anxiety severely.Ive also had threatening notes stating that someone will kill my dogs and my neighbour attempted to assault me on xmas day/Boxing Day when police arrived due to noise disturbance.

 I rarely have panic attacks and maybe use medication once every six months. Lately I've been taking it weekly with panic attacks beginning to creep up on me. 

 when Centrelink called me to tell me they have terminated my dsp and will be switching me to Newstart I was completely devastated and didn't sleep for 48 hours and didn't leave the house for 4 days. 

Right now I am requesting my medical history from the government mental health teams that used to work with me and that alone can take a month. I am struggling to re-engage with support services since I'm in a grey area of being functional enough to carry out daily activities like cooking and cleaning. I believe if I didn't have my medication daily and my dogs to help me I wouldn't be able to leave the house at all just like in 2009 and bordering on the suicidal. 

 any help would be greatly appreciated 

[geoff]

dear Skyblue, I could take your post and turn it into how a mockery our government in power takes from those who have no defense, but they give away billions in foreign aid, and if this aid is stopped for a year then we wouldn't have much of a problem, but that doesn't happen, and people on centrelink benefits are always the first to be hit.

I understand where you are standing and it doesn't seem to be in a very good position, so I wonder if your doctor has all the reports from the government mental health team, as he/she should have been given.

The policies everytime a new government comes into power always change so hopefully someone with centrelink knowledge will reply back to you, as they have before. Geoff.

[Elizabeth CP]

I am sorry you are going through this. Centrelink has very set rules which are fine if you fit with their criteria but as soon as something crops up which doesn't fit it is extremely hard to sort things out. I am speaking from experience!!!

When speaking to staff it is important you don't come across as angry otherwise you get no help no matter how justified. bursting into tears(because I was so upset) in the past has led to sympathy and staff trying to help. When dealing with Centrelink sometimes it is helpful to have someone to help you particularly if your anxiety is likely to escalate when dealing with Centrelink. 

I was denied carers payment but my local Centrelink office gave my the contact number for the section involved with that decision. I had gone into the local office to find out why my application was denied and I explained my situation. The person I spoke to on the phone went through my application and told me what was wrong and what my husband's doctor needed to do so my application fitted with Centrelink's criteria. The subsequent application was accepted.

I realize your situation is different but based on my experience it is worth persisting and asking questions to find out on what grounds your DSP has been stopped will enable you to to give your appeal the best chance of succeeding. I attached all the reports etc I had from my husband's doctors & specialists as extra evidence even though they weren't asked for.

Good luck with sorting this out. 

[pipsy]

Dear Skyblue.  Unfortunately for you, there are so many people 'rorting' the system, Centrelink tends to put everyone in the same boat.  What surprises me is that Centrelink didn't simply transfer your payment from one office to another.  You've been on a DSP for roughly 6 years, give or take, now Centrelink have reviewed and decided to terminate your benefit.  Do they have all your medical history or was that not transferred?  If they haven't received it, contact previous are and ask for it to be transferred.  With Newstart, you would have to fulfil at least 30 hours per fortnight volunteer work.  If, because of your medical background, you are unable, your G.P would have to fill out the appropriate form for Centrelink.   Centrelink can only work on information they have, once they receive the relevant information, your DSP should be reinstated, fully.  The problems with neighbours won't make any difference to your existing medical history.  Centrelink are and always will be, a law unto themselves.   Elizabeth is quite right when she says hysteria, anger, tears make no difference.  Get your G.P to send relevant forms to Centrelink confirming your past medical history.  Footnote here: Don't ever expect Centrelink to apologise for 'stuffing up', apologies are not high on their agenda.

Best of luck sorting.

[FirstInLine]

Hey Skyblue, I'm sorry you're in this situation. The government would rather help out multinational big business by letting them get away with paying no taxes than help the really sick and poor.

 I would advise you to stay calm, not take it personally, look for a sympathetic staff member at Centrelink and make sure letters from psychiatrist and forms are up to date. Centrelink is a soulless bureaucracy, it's all about details and persisting with your claim. 

[chociloni]

Dealing with Centrelink is depression within itself. If you don't fit into certain categories the you're stuffed. I feel to say the people 'rorting' the system is old fashioned. It's a mindset that isn't really applicable these days. And just because of this old fashioned mindset we're supposed to put up with this crap? In all my time dealing with Centrelink since I was 18 and I'm 38 now I've never met one person rorting the system. I'd guess there are a small group of people out there still doing this, but the people 'rorting' the system aren't the only reason for C'link being a hell-hole to deal with. 

[pipsy]

Hi there.  Dealing with C'link these day is not the same as it was.  C'link dealt with families in crisis, unemployment, sickness, disability etc, all from one department.  They split it up into relevant departments so unemployed would be dealt with differently to those on single parents income and sickness/disability income.  With the unemployment, they now have to attend agencies to help gain employment.  The agency is one of C'link's choosing, some of them, I agree, could use some help with manners.  Disability/sickness is dealt with by another department.  With the 'rorting' of the system, unfortunately it DOES happen, more frequently than the public is aware.  Some people who are recipients of allowances are collecting money fraudulently.  Working full time when they're  claiming disability is rorting.  If you are genuinely unable to work because of disability, I know for a fact C'link will do everything in their power to help you.     If you are on Newstart, pending aged pension, you have to complete at least 30 hours volunteer work in order to claim Newstart.  You are allowed to earn so much a week.  If you are on Newstart looking for employment, the Newstart stops after so many weeks if you are not fulfilling your end of the agreement.  FirstInLine is 100% right in everything.  When you go shopping you're asked if the security guard can 'check your bag' as you leave.  This is because of shop lifting.  I've never been guilty of shop lifting, my face would give me away, yet we have to put up with this because other's, less honest, steal.  Shop lifting is another way of 'rorting' the system.  Unfortunately rorting goes on all the time in one form or another.