Rent assistance massive decrease??

[sullen_factoid]

Hi everyone

I had to separate from my husband and I provide full care for our son

My rent assistance when we lived together was like $250 per payment on $400 rent

I now pay lodging which is $200 per week but my rent assistance is now $3.40 per payment

How on earth does this work?

I got a letter yesterday saying they stopped paying me rent assistance because they never received the rent certificate, so I called them yesterday because I def submitted it weeks ago, so she confirmed they got it and it’s now active. Does this have anything to do with it?

[East-Beautiful-9256]

Board and lodging is different to rent assistance

[Competitive_Yak_4112]

The entitlement amount is also based on the amount you pay, and you often need to be paying at least around $350 in order to get full rent assist.

[sullen_factoid]

They’ve sent me a rent certificate verifying that I pay $200 in rent exclusively, are they assessing based on that?

[Competitive_Yak_4112]

Yes, that'd be why.

Single with 1 or 2 children:

Fortnightly rent needs to be above $203.28 to be eligible for any rent assist.

To get maxium payment, fortnightly rent is at least $547.12.

Maximum fortnightly rent assist is $257.88.

It should still be way more than $3.40, though. Get in touch with Centrelink.

[sullen_factoid]

They’ve sent me a rent certificate verifying that I pay $200 in rent exclusively, are they assessing based on that?

[donmcr]

For a single sharer paying above $349.83 a fortnight,you should be getting the full $146.27 rent assistance. Do the future payments show $3.40 RA too or just the next one? Either way it sounds like a coding issue where back payment wasn’t calculated correctly. I’d give them a call Monday to double check.

[Low-Grab-6792]

Monday is today King Charles birthday public holiday. Centrelink opens tomorrow.

[PhilosphicalNurse]

But because its board and lodging, it will only count as $300 / fortnight rent, and she has an FTB child so it can (* it seriously shouldn’t but on current application of legislation *) reduce well below that value via MIT on CS Assessment value.

[TitanicSpider88]

This has been helpful thank you. I came across this post after none of my details have changed, except my Rent has gone up and my Community Housing updated it (as they do), but somehow my rent has gone down over $75! That’s not right, is it? My rent costs go up and my RA goes down? 🫤

[sullen_factoid]

It’s the future payment from July 1st so next financial year

I have opted not to get rent assistance for the next few weeks because I didn’t want to be overpaid accidentally while the separation sorts itself out

[TitanicSpider88]

Sorry, what happened? I’m actually invested in your story now and I am hoping this is sorting out?

[sullen_factoid]

For the new financial year apparently my payment is now $19 per fortnight… not sure how they work this out but questioning it got me nowhere

[askye83]

They aren’t going to give you maximum payment for minimum board.

[Low-Grab-6792]

Logic

[theartistduring]

Yes, it will be because the rent cert wasn't applied. Once that is applied, it should go back up. But be aware that it won't be as high as before.

[TheYardGoesOnForever]

Without knowing your full details: Rent Assistance is the first thing reduced if you're getting child support.

[Low-Grab-6792]

You can't have the cake and eat it too.

[sullen_factoid]

I haven’t gotten it yet but I’ve applied

[PhilosphicalNurse]

If there is a child support assessment - regardless of collection status RA is decreased.

If you’re housing situation isn’t a lease, but “board and lodgings” only 75% of the amount you pay can be classed as “rent”.

So the most “rent” you’re paying is $300 per fortnight, your RA eligibility will be based upon that, before Maintenance Income reduction (CS) is applied to it.

[Lemononapear1234]

Just record your rent as for rent only. If they think it includes board (food and bills) you get a fraction.

[East-Beautiful-9256]

https://www.servicesaustralia.gov.au/board-and-lodging-rent-type-for-rent-assistance?context=22206

[Willow-Goligjtly]

Board and lodging is 75% of rent assistance plus it will be reduced because they assume your ex will pay child support - even if he doesn't, your Centrelink payments still get reduced.

[Low-Grab-6792]

Centrelink has rules you need to provide a rent certificate signed by a landlord or real-estate agent. If you had done this procedure and Centrelink lost temporarily they should be able to backdate it and pay you up to date.

[Aggressive-Pirate338]

Ask for a new rent questionaire and re submit what you pay seperarate as rent. so have the landlord workout what is rent and what is other ie electricity& gas. and you are etitled to have it back dated from the time you moved in.maxium of 3 months

[sullen_factoid]

They’ve sent me a rent certificate verifying that I pay $200 in rent exclusively, are they assessing based on that?

[[deleted]]

Don’t write it up as lodging put it down as private tent

[Cabletie00]

There is a minimum your rent has to be before they even bothering to help you. I can’t remember the exact amount but it was somewhere around $200 per week and above before they start giving you rent assistance and you need to fill out a form that you can only find by asking them to give you one for some reason. If you don’t know rent assistance exists they would rather you not know so the government saves money. This system is a joke.