Welfare Rights Centre is a community legal centre specialising in social security and family assistance law.
We help people who have a problem with Centrelink.
Please sign our petition to secure urgent government funding.
Welfare Rights Centre is very grateful to have received significant funding from 2020 following the bushfires, Covid, the floods and a great focus on family and domestic violence.
We used this funding to innovate.
- We set up our First Nations Access Program.
- We helped more women escaping family and domestic violence.
- We increased services to the thousands of people needing help navigating Centrelink.
- We’ve been sharing our expertise with community workers so that they can also help people with Centrelink problems.
But by 30 June 2024, much of this temporary funding is coming to an end, which means all of this work will be significantly reduced or end completely.
This is not what we expected to see in the first Federal Budget following the Robodebt Royal Commission.
To maintain our current service levels we need:
• $160,000 for our advice and casework services
• $120,000 for our First Nations Access Program
• $120,000 for our community worker training program
• $125,000 for our community worker hotline
Welfare Rights Centre’s current situation underscores is that one-off “hits” of funding are not the right way to respond to crises when we’re already not meeting demand. There needs to be a permanent underlying increase in funding to community legal centres.
Please sign our petition and donate via the link in our bio 💜
Welfare Rights Centre is very grateful to have received significant funding from 2020 following the bushfires, Covid, the floods and a great focus on family and domestic violence.
We used this funding to innovate.
- We set up our First Nations Access Program.
- We helped more women escaping family and domestic violence.
- We increased services to the thousands of people needing help navigating Centrelink.
- We’ve been sharing our expertise with community workers so that they can also help people with Centrelink problems.
But by 30 June 2024, much of this temporary funding is coming to an end, which means all of this work will be significantly reduced or end completely.
This is not what we expected to see in the first Federal Budget following the Robodebt Royal Commission.
To maintain our current service levels we need:
• $160,000 for our advice and casework services
• $120,000 for our First Nations Access Program
• $120,000 for our community worker training program
• $125,000 for our community worker hotline
Welfare Rights Centre’s current situation underscores is that one-off “hits” of funding are not the right way to respond to crises when we’re already not meeting demand. There needs to be a permanent underlying increase in funding to community legal centres.
Please sign our petition and donate via the link in our bio 💜
Yes, you can appeal a Centrelink debt caused by financial abuse.
Centrelink recognises economic (financial) abuse, such as withholding or control of a person’s money in their definition of domestic and family abuse.
Victims/survivors of domestic abuse can be lumbered with substantial debts if the perpetrator:
• lied about/hid income or assets
• stole money
• forced victim to hide relationship/income
• children not returned after visitation
Appeals can be difficult and stressful. You will have to provide evidence.
Not all Centrelink debts should be appealed, there can be risks.
If you need support and help with Centrelink, contact Welfare Rights Centre through the link in our bio 💜
Yes, you can appeal a Centrelink debt caused by financial abuse.
Centrelink recognises economic (financial) abuse, such as withholding or control of a person’s money in their definition of domestic and family abuse.
Victims/survivors of domestic abuse can be lumbered with substantial debts if the perpetrator:
• lied about/hid income or assets
• stole money
• forced victim to hide relationship/income
• children not returned after visitation
Appeals can be difficult and stressful. You will have to provide evidence.
Not all Centrelink debts should be appealed, there can be risks.
If you need support and help with Centrelink, contact Welfare Rights Centre through the link in our bio 💜
Want to know more about supporting your clients who have a problem with Centrelink?
This free online session will go through the key factors underpinning the social security system to help unpack common Centrelink problems. It aims to help workers spot social security issues, including where a client is not aware there is a problem or the problem is masked by other pressing or complex matters.
We’ll be covering issues relating to residency and overseas travel, age, member of a couple, care of children, family and domestic violence, waiting periods, work requirements, income and assets tests, and illness, injury and disability.
This session will include tips and tricks to circumvent problems and ways to ask for additional help from Centrelink. We’ll also outline common reasons for debts and what to do if a debt is raised, including appeals and review processes.
Target audience: Community workers, social workers, community/social work students intake staff and volunteers and lawyers.
Register through the link in our bio 💙
Thank you to @ecstra.foundation for making our training program possible.
Want to know more about supporting your clients who have a problem with Centrelink?
This free online session will go through the key factors underpinning the social security system to help unpack common Centrelink problems. It aims to help workers spot social security issues, including where a client is not aware there is a problem or the problem is masked by other pressing or complex matters.
We’ll be covering issues relating to residency and overseas travel, age, member of a couple, care of children, family and domestic violence, waiting periods, work requirements, income and assets tests, and illness, injury and disability.
This session will include tips and tricks to circumvent problems and ways to ask for additional help from Centrelink. We’ll also outline common reasons for debts and what to do if a debt is raised, including appeals and review processes.
Target audience: Community workers, social workers, community/social work students intake staff and volunteers and lawyers.
Register through the link in our bio 💙
Thank you to @ecstra.foundation for making our training program possible.
We are excited to launch our First Nations video resources.
We have made four short videos about common Centrelink issues, and you can view them through the link in our bio.
Our aim is to support First Nations people to navigate Centrelink, access income support and obtain free legal advice.
This video helps to identify what to do if you have received a letter from Centrelink saying you owe them money.
Please share these videos with your colleagues and networks 💛 Link in bio
We are excited to launch our First Nations video resources.
We have made four short videos about common Centrelink issues, and you can view them through the link in our bio.
Our aim is to support First Nations people to navigate Centrelink, access income support and obtain free legal advice.
This video helps to identify what to do if you have received a letter from Centrelink saying you owe them money.
Please share these videos with your colleagues and networks 💛 Link in bio
Based on last night`s budget Welfare Rights Centre will begin the process of winding back services. This will impact 1000`s of NSW residents ability to access free legal advice and help with Centrelink. While a recommendation in the Robodebt Royal commission was to have regard for funding for legal aid commissions and community legal centres, we have not received anywhere near enough funding to be able to maintain our already overburdened Centre.
Read more here https://buff.ly/3K2zVwB
#FundEqualJustice
#SaveWelfareRightsCentre
#SocialSecurityisahumanright
Based on last night`s budget Welfare Rights Centre will begin the process of winding back services. This will impact 1000`s of NSW residents ability to access free legal advice and help with Centrelink. While a recommendation in the Robodebt Royal commission was to have regard for funding for legal aid commissions and community legal centres, we have not received anywhere near enough funding to be able to maintain our already overburdened Centre.
Read more here https://buff.ly/3K2zVwB
#FundEqualJustice
#SaveWelfareRightsCentre
#SocialSecurityisahumanright
Is the Federal Government going to learn the lessons from the Robodebt scandal?
Today we will find out if the Federal government will back welfare advocates for a fair and just social security system.
Thousands of people annually are already unable to access Welfare Rights Centre due to limited capacity.
Without funding it is going to get worse - 40% worse.
More people in crisis with nowhere left to turn.
Is the Federal Government going to learn the lessons from the Robodebt scandal?
Today we will find out if the Federal government will back welfare advocates for a fair and just social security system.
Thousands of people annually are already unable to access Welfare Rights Centre due to limited capacity.
Without funding it is going to get worse - 40% worse.
More people in crisis with nowhere left to turn.
