I'm thinking about moving in with my boyfriend when my rent runs out where I'm living now. We have descussed it quite a bit as I am pretty much spending most my time there now. Its so lonely living on my own and I'm always terrified at night. But I'm not sure how I go about it with center link. I'm a full time single mum to a 16 month old. He has his two kids full time too. My daughter has never meet her dad, I don't get any child support (due to dv etc). I get FTB A and B and the full amount and I'm also on the disability pension. Its about $600 a week. But if I move in with my boyfriend will my payments be taken away from me? (He works full time). Even though she isn't his child? I don't want to have to be asking him for money as I have always survived on my own I love being independent. And I don't think I'm ready to become partnered with him just yet as that's such a big step for me cause it all went wrong before and was horrible splitting everything in settlement. Can I just tell center link I'm living with him and not being defactoed? Or just not mention I'm living with him? So many questions here sorry! X
14 Replies
If you don't want to be 'partnered' you are not ready to live together. You need to be really careful as with Centrelink benefits you can only stay over a certain number of nights per week before they class you as partnered. All the information is on the Centrelink website. If you move in together and don't tell them you are living together you can end up paying back every single cent you were paid AND end up in court. People do and will dob you in, and Centrelink also has an entire team dedicated to scrolling through social media posts looking for cheats.
So always always be honest.
How much money you will loose would depend on His income. You both need to sit down and look on the Centrelink website. Plug in his financial details in the calculator and find out what you will still be entitled to.
But honestly if you aren't ready to be partnered financially don't move in yet. If you move in together you have to be prepared to share finances etc that's just part of the deal.
Sorry to be blunt but my initial thought after reading this was is this how people justify rorting the system. As a matter of fact you may be being dishonest now, as you yourself said you are staying there a lot now. Honesty is the best policy.
If you dont mention youre living with him youre rorting the system and will be charged with fraud and hit with a massive bill or payments cut off when they find out. If youre not ready to be partnered youre not ready to live together as partners / family.
This question gets asked all the time I just dont understand why people see centrelink as an income they want to receive that and also live with a partner that works full time.
There is a big clear list online and on all the letters that says ' you must tell centrelink when your circumstances change' you must notify us if - and it gives a list of everything you must tell within 14 days of change.
I understand where you're coming from BUT you shouldn't be getting anything now either. If you spend more than 3 nights a week with your partner, you are considered living together, thats what centrelink told my friend anyway.
My partner earns $750 a week, and I'm entitled to $120 a fortnight for FTB.
We have 2 mortgages, car payments ect.. my first child is not his, but if he wants to be with me he accepts everything.
After I have this baby I will be going back to work so we can be at a better financial place but people like you drive me crazy (meaning that in the nicest way possible.)
My friend does this and their income in their house in $3000 per fortnight. We get half of that and manage.
If you want to be independent with money but live with your partner, look at getting a job.
How can you say you are independent when you live off full benefits alone and don't work? Absolutely no judgement from me, I am a single mum to one child, I totally get it, but if you are well enough to work (you said you were on disability, so I am really sorry if you are unable to), do it, even part time. I haven't repartnered yet but I work and I would never want to be dependent on someone else financially again!! I think this is how us single mums get in bad relationships because we are dependent on the man financially and feel stuck. Just my advice as a fellow single mum, start finding a way to generate your own income because you never know what will happen with benefits, they are always cutting them (you will be cut off when your child is 6 is you lose disability and are on single parents only) and I personally wouldnt feel comfortable moving in with someone without generating my own income as your benefits will be cut. Maybe it's just me but I feel like before I enter a cohabitating relationship, I want to bring something financially to the table too. Good luck, I hope it works out for you, I know how hard it is.
She's on disability - that won't change when her child turns 6. She'll still get FTB A and B. The change is getting parents whose youngest child is aged 8 off Parenting Payment and onto Newstart. This would be NA given the poster receives disability. Usually it means she can't work.
I'm just saying the criteria for disability is constantly changing and so are benefits, sorry I thought it changed from 8 to 6 for new recipients a couple of years ago.
As far as I am aware it is 6 in NSW.
My friend received a letter approximately 6 months before her daughter turned 6 saying she was going to be off SPP and on newstart as of this date (roughly about 1 month after her daughters birthday I think).
Correct about the criteria for DSP changing. No doubt it will continue to narrow as the NDIS rolls out across the country, and the government realises it can't cover everyone
Your baby is only 16 months old and you've just gotten out of a DV situation with her father? Please stay in your own home, take care of you and your little one, learn to love yourself and be truly independent.
I'm assuming you will take over care of his two little ones plus your bub while he works to support you all. If that's what you want, then go for it!
My advice - you don't sound ready, renew your lease for another year and then reassess, but as others have said, you can't be spending more than x amount of nights together unless you tell Centrelink. Sounds bloody ridiculous but what can you do!?! Sleepovers only on weekends? ?
Wow!! $600 a week!! I work my ass off full time and I don't even get that much (after tax) ? Plus I pay tax, pay towards the Medicare levy, don't get much CCB for the pleasure of going to work, don't get a concession card or health care card, don't get FTB A or B, don't qualify for rent assistance, miss out on precious time with my kids while they are at day care. *Maybe I should kick my husband out and make him live next door so I too can qualify for this awesome career that you have!! *Insert sarcasim here ?
Just so you know living with a disability is no fun either...
Wow!! $600 a week!! I work my ass off full time and I don't even get that much (after tax) ? Plus I pay tax, pay towards the Medicare levy, don't get much CCB for the pleasure of going to work, don't get a concession card or health care card, don't get FTB A or B, don't qualify for rent assistance, miss out on precious time with my kids while they are at day care. *Maybe I should kick my husband out and make him live next door so I too can qualify for this awesome career that you have!! *Insert sarcasim here ?