[hollysmama]

My DD started day care on the 4 March 2012, and a week before she started, I filled out on line forms with Centrelink for the CCB and FTB. I have also since then lodged my tax return for 2011 which showed lower incomes than estimate so I will be entitled to some FTB for that year. I've never really had to deal with them in the past and I didn't realise how slow they were as I haven't heard anything back from them yet! Are they always this slow?? Do I need to chase them up?

[~CTCT~]

Log in to your centrelink account and see if the letter is available there.

[charlottesmum04]

6-8 weeks is quite an acceptable timeframe for centrelink to process paperwork.
In saying that i mean that its the timeframe that they deem reasonable. Not that 6-8 weeks is acceptable in any way shape or form for any normal business.

Sorry to say but get used to it. Centrelink is centrelink.

[Delirium]

I have recently broken up with my partner and have been waiting for 35 days now for assistance without any other household income... (I am single and undertaking my Masters full-time so can't work atm as I can't get childcare to work outside of uni hours).

Firstly, a very unhelpful woman told me they lost my paperwork and I had to fill it in again. So I completed everything and dropped it into one of their centres. Then, when I called again today in desperation a couple of weeks after re-lodging the forms, I was told they had two lots of paperwork for me, one of which was lodged in their system BEFORE the unhelpful woman said they hadn't received it. I don't think she even checked.

The man I spoke to today was lovely and seemed to want to get to the bottom of the issue. He's sent an urgent request to the relevant area and I should hopefully receive a phone call in the next 24 hours letting me know what's going on.

Sorry to take over with my vent, but I totally get Centrelink frustration right now!

[lilibet67]

Good Luck PP getting the phone call back in 24 hours, I rang before easter (lodged forms 4 weeks previously) and still have not had the phone call promised within 24 hours grrrr.

[Delirium]

Good Luck PP getting the phone call back in 24 hours, I rang before easter (lodged forms 4 weeks previously) and still have not had the phone call promised within 24 hours grrrr.

Argh! Don't tell me that.

I will be calling back again tomorrow if I haven't heard anything by lunch time. Then, if still no luck, I'll have to ask to see a Centrelink social worker. I can't go on like this.

[Delirium]

*howls*, already done that. TNothing is processed in the branch, so they're just going to send a request through to the Abstudy processing people anyway... Thanks for the suggestion though

[Mummy Duck]

Follow up. We put in paperwork for a major change of circumstances (from 80/20 care to 20/80 care) and because the person didnt read it right they didnt notice that majority of care had swapped over to us and did nothing and ticked it off as complete.

It then took another 5 weeks to get it sorted.

[Lausii]

*howls*, already done that. TNothing is processed in the branch, so they're just going to send a request through to the Abstudy processing people anyway... Thanks for the suggestion though

I had issues with them when DP amputated his toe and we were waiting on sickness allowance. Ring this number, 1800 050 004. Customer relations. They got it sorted out the same day.

[senimili]

I tried to put in paperwork the week before I separated but was told I couldn't lodge until after I moved out with the kids. So after moving out on a Saturday, I was there first thing Monday to lodge paperwork and only then told it would be around 6 weeks. I was devastated. I had worked out my budget to pay rent, bills and ASC on income and centrelink so without that extra income plus the added costs associated with starting out a new home, I was in financial trouble for many weeks.

I visited several local offices, rang them many times - once I got a real charmer who wanted to know if I was abused and why I stayed in my marriage so long. I was in tears. I finally walked into another local office and just about broke down. The lovely guy there managed to find where the processing was up to and got it finalized. It put such major stress on me. It is such a huge department and their underlying policies change every second week so it isn't a wonder that you get a different answer every time you call up.