Centrelink Update
In recent weeks, we’ve noticed that many of our clients have been receiving a series of letters from Centrelink. To help you better understand their significance and whether they require any action on your part, we’ve prepared a concise summary of these letters.
Income Stream Update: If you’ve recently received a letter regarding income streams, you can safely disregard it. Rest assured that your Superannuation provider updates Centrelink twice a year on your behalf, typically in April and October. For any ad hoc requests, when Muirfield holds Centrelink authority, we will handle the updates on your behalf. If Muirfield does not have authority, and you’re concerned that an update may be needed, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with our office.
Rental Update: Another type of letter our clients have received pertains to rent assistance. If your rent hasn’t changed, you can once again ignore this letter. However, if your rent situation has changed, we strongly recommend that you complete the attached form to inform Centrelink. If you encounter any difficulties with this process, please know that we are here to assist you.
Energy Rebate: The Australian Government has recently announced a one-off payment of $250 for all eligible concession card holders to help offset rising energy costs. These payments will be provided as rebates through your energy provider. To claim this payment, eligible card holders need to log in to MyGov and provide their consent for Centrelink to make the payment to your energy provider. If you face any challenges during this process, please reach out to our office, and we will arrange a meeting with your adviser to help you navigate it.
Wait Times: Processing times for Centrelink applications and updates have significantly increased in recent months. Our recent communication with Centrelink indicates that their representatives are currently working on applications submitted from June onwards. We understand that the wait can be frustrating, but please keep in mind that all benefits and concessions will be backdated to the time of your claim. We recommend that you retain your receipts and claim the concession once your application has been processed.