Youth Allowance and parental income (2 Viewers)

[treelovinhippie]

Edit: I finally got it: http://community.boredofstudies.org/2730875/post-26.html

hi

I'm interested to know if any of you have or know of anyone who gets centrelink youth allowance even though their parents income is over the limit.

See both my parents are teachers, so the "parental income" is too high for me to get centrelink. But the problem is my parents are severely in debt (e.g. they seriously thinking of selling our house).

So I can't get support from centrelink, I can't get support from my parents and I'm not really keen on having to work full-time and study full-time to pay the rent, or having to live with my sister in Wollongong (parents live 3 hours away) etc. Plus the chance of me landing a job in Wollongong is pretty slim (50% unemployment rate).

The only way I can be declared "independent" of my parents is if I've lived away from home for 18 months and/or earnt $15k over 18 months... which I haven't done. Kinda wish I took a gap year at this point.

I'm currently trying to get centrelink in the hope that they'll take into account my parents debt, but I'd be keen to know if anyone has managed to get centrelink in a situation similar to mine.

Any ideas?

cheers
nathan

 

[treelovinhippie]

eh... damn the system sucks

 

[michaeln36]

so let me get this straight...
IF ur parents income are over the threshold
You have been living with them, and plan on moving out for when u start univestiy
You havnt had a job b4
U cant then get some government allowance while u live INDEPENDENTLY and study at uni, even if ur parents dont support u at all? So u have no choice but to defer study, work for a year, then go to uni?

 

[Conspirocy]

eh... damn the system sucks

Okay here is what you do, not that Ive done it. Say that you have had a fight with your parents, list your address as your grandparents, then claim they cannot support you.

 

[ur_inner_child]

so let me get this straight...
IF ur parents income are over the threshold
You have been living with them, and plan on moving out for when u start univestiy
You havnt had a job b4
U cant then get some government allowance while u live INDEPENDENTLY and study at uni, even if ur parents dont support u at all? So u have no choice but to defer study, work for a year, then go to uni?

If you parental income is over the threshold, they feel that this income is enough to look after you.

If you earn a certain amount of income in 18 months, you're able to be classed as an indepedent. This is achievable to attain while going to uni and having a part time job, as many friends of mine have done recently.

 

[neo o]

I'll start off by saying that the previous posters in this thread are completely wrong.

I don't know why people don't read the material released by Centrelink. There are a number of other criteria which can be used by you which will exempt you from the parental income test. Pretty much all of these won't apply to you (are you married? are you an orphan?) but if you can demonstrate that it's unreasonable for you to live at home you can qualify. The definition of "unreasonable" is completely subjective, and you only need a signed statement by your parents and a third party saying (and briefly explaining why) it's unreasonable for you to live at home. Since the test is subjective, you could make ANYTHING sound unreasonable.

PS: While you won't get it by claiming that it's unreasonable to live at home because you've elected to attend university in another state or city, you may be able to qualify if you live in a rural area and there are no universities nearby. Talk to someone at Centrelink before you apply.

 

[trashman308]

The only way, is to tell centrelink that your moving to live with 'XYZ' and tell them that your parents dont want you in the house, and that they arent going to support you....if you say this, the centrelink staff, will say that your still not qualified (happened to me...)

so add that theres drug and alcohol use in the house, and its a dun-deal

 

[neo o]

Centrelink will accept you are unable to live at home if you cannot live with your parents or guardian because of:
- “extreme family breakdown” or other exceptional circumstances; or
- it would be unreasonable to expect you to stay at home because there would be a serious risk to your physical or mental health due to violence, sexual abuse or other unreasonable circumstances; or
- your parents cannot provide you with a suitable home because they lack stable accommodation.

It's still subjective.

 

[treelovinhippie]

Thanks all

I've gone for the "unreasonable to live at home" route so we'll see how that goes and if it doesn't work I'll probably be uber pissed off and start contacting the government representatives for welfare, education etc

I don't know why the government doesn't just give a standard, liveable allowance to all uni students?

It wouldn't cost all that much... it would encourage further education, it would boost overall economy growth (something they're always keen on) and it would allow students to study (what they're supposed to be doing, not trying to juggle a job and full-time studies).

 

[treelovinhippie]

Just that you need to be able to find a job where you can work-in flexible hours to fit around your class schedule.

 

[datadog]

Just that you need to be able to find a job where you can work-in flexible hours to fit around your class schedule.

Ack, thats an ugly situation. Although a housing rep from Melbourne U once told me that a lot busineses situated around universities employ students with the understanding that you study full time, and of course don't expect you to work when you have to study. But that could be a problem considering you need to earn enough to support yourself, and most part-time jobs don't pay well enough.

As for centrelink, I managed to get youth allowance despite the fact my dad was earning well within the high-income bracket until he returned to study full-time this year. Normally someone in my situation would be screwed due to the fact they expect you to declare your parent's assests/shares/property. What my parents had to do was speak with an officer/rep/whatever and explain our circumstances, and if you haven't done this already, you should - chances are there is *something* they can do for you. I'd book an appointment soon.

 

[SaintMichael]

so the moral of the story is not to become a teacher or for that matter married a teacher.

joking aside, there is a way you can cheat the systems, all you need to do is take your sister address in Wollogong and inform centrelink that you lived there but dont say she is your sister cos they wont give you money if you lives with your relative. Then inform your sister that you are taken her address, that way when the Centro call her up to inquire about you then she will know what to say. So at the end of the day you get the money and the systems is flawed. Such a happy ending.

 

[treelovinhippie]

Update:

Well I'm sitting here fucking crying (literally)... and I haven't cried in years!

They rejected my unreasonable to live at home, even though I put that I can't live with my family because we fight (which is completely true). My dad is on anti-depressants, my little sister has down-syndrome and my little brother has ADD. The fights with my brother often escalate to threatening each other with knives and punching holes in the walls. (again, completely true)

And there is absolutely no exception to the income rule according to this lady I was talking to on the phone (who decides the outcome of the application). So because my parents are both teachers and earn too much I can't get any gov support... even though they are $400k in debt, and cannot borrow a single cent from the bank.

So my options now are:

- drop out of uni and work
- attempt to do uni and work enough to completely support myself


The system fucking shits me!

I have never had any government support in my life, and all I really need is 1 year's support during which time I should be able to sort out other income (job or start a business).

Meanwhile I've been hearing my friends that get centrelink money have been buying a Nintendo Wii, the collectors James Bond DVD pack etc etc. I never waste my money on shit like that.

God fucking damn politics

 

[SaintMichael]

cant you ask your parents to help you out?

 

[treelovinhippie]

Why cant u just work while in uni? Unless u need to cover all of ur living expenses urself (rent/food etc),which u probably wouldent f u lived with your parents, then there is not really that much to pay for.

I do need to cover everything myself as I don't live with my parents. My parents live 3 hours away from Wollongong uni.

cant you ask your parents to help you out?

Nope. They already borrowed more money to support me last year and can't get any more from the bank.

 

[Skeeta]

Your situation sucks, but you need to make the best ofit, as there is only so much that the government can do for you. You need to remember that university is not a necessity, and you can always go back to it after working a few years.

Even if you work for a year or two, you can earn the cash that will help support you throughout university as well as Centrelink payments as you will be "independent" by this stage.

You just need to play the hand you have been given.

 

[treelovinhippie]

Update:

WOAH! .... woot

Well after 3 months of trying (although first applied over a year ago), 3 complete YA applications, over 6 physical centrelink office visits and easily over 15 hours of waiting in line and waiting for them to sort out the computer system that screwed up for me every time, plus multiple phone calls, a couple of letters and a shitload of stress... I managed to get the 'unable to live at home' and the youth allowance.

Just got a nice lump sum which will help cover a bond for a house (been crashed at my sisters place for the past week trying to find a place with some mates). And I start getting the full $450 per fortnight payment starting from the 6th.

Veeery happy

 

[mcs]

congrats on getting the system to help you for once! for the whole setup of Centrelink is just crap and its a painful process to say the least!

 

[Datto120]

Its because too many people abuse the system, that us who need the system find it difficult to get help.

My dad worked from when he was 15 payed tax his entire life in 2002 he had an anuerysm and is now disabled both he and my mum recive payments that barely cover the bills. So my mum who is supposed to "care" for my dad had to get a job just so we wouldnt loose our house until my dads super came through and now she still has to work because with a family of 6 the government payments dont put food on the table.

All im trying to say is the system is unfair and crap with all this meeting criteria shit. It would be better if it was measured on a personal basis that way it would stop less bludgers getting a doctors note saying they cant work and getting payments. And would allow people in need to both recieve payments and ensure they can live off them

 

[Mambomeg]

i totally sympathise, my family income was over the limit (despite being a single-parent family with 4 kids, and it actually being the Child support that put the income in the "over-the-limit" range... which is stupid) hence my mum couldnt support me at uni (esp with the $600 union fees and all that stuff, along with textbooks, which cost up to $300 each and mostly can't be bought 2nd hand (since people keep them forever))

I earned the $16,000 over 18 months while studying full time in a vet degree at uni (the 18 months included 2 holiday periods, where i worked all the public holidays etc to get the extra cash), so it is possible to earn that much while studying full time, however I lived at home while I did it, and spent 3 hours a day travelling to and from uni (obviously not feasible in your case.)


Meanwhile, apparently the system has changed, and now you have to work a certain number of hours per week for a given time, rather than earning a certain amount, which will make it much harder to get YA. - not sure about it, ask centrelink

So you're either going to have to defer for a year and work, or spin an incredible sob story to centrelink, which will be hard since most of the people who work there lack empathy, and many dont have a heart at all.

Oh - and if you get a scholarship to help out, Centrelink considers that to be Income, so it'll all be eaten up in lost youth allowance until you are better off not having it at all!


Isn't a Liberal government great!