Payments and Concessions
 It’s important to make sure you are claiming the full range of payments and concessions you are entitled to. Many people miss out because they don’t know what’s available or find it too complex and difficult to try. To help you rightfully claim your entitlements, this section aims to give an overview of the payments and concessions available and where you can get help with your claims. Information is provided under the following five headings:
Centrelink
Centrelink is the Australian Government’s income support service. Income entitlements include a range of pensions, payments, allowances & concessions matched to individual life circumstances.
This section lists the main entitlements received by the Parkinson’s community. Find more information on each entitlement or view the full range of support available at:
Another source of general information
on each payment is provided in seniors.gov.au
 –
see 'Your Finances'
Which payments am I eligible for?
It can be complicated to identify which Centrelink payments might
apply to you. To help work this out, we recommend you make an appointment
with your local Centrelink office or with Centrelink’s Financial
Information Service (see Centrelink section below). For more support
and information, you can also contact the National Welfare Rights
Network (see the Welfare Rights section below).
If you’d like to do your own research first, as a starting point, you might like to download our PDF on common Centrelink payments  (PDF File 35KB) relevant to the Parkinson’s community.
What if I am employed or retired and self-funded
Centrelink have a few payments with more flexible income and asset tests and some that are not tested or taxable at all. We recommend you visit Centrelink or the Financial Information Service for proper advice on payments you might be eligible for.
If you’d like to do your own research first, download our document on Centrelink payments for employed or self-funded retirees (PDF File 38KB) as a starting point.
How can Centrelink help me make the most of my income and manage my bills?
Centrelink provides a Financial Information Service to help you make informed financial decisions so that you can maximise your standard of living. This service provides advice and information to (i) ensure you’re receiving all the entitlements matched to your life circumstances; and (ii) help you understand and plan your own financial affairs. Anyone can access this service – you don’t have to be a Centrelink client.
If you are a Centrelink
client, Centrepay
can help you manage your bills for free. This voluntary Centrelink
service allows you to have regular amounts deducted from your payments
to cover rent and utility bills.
What
concessions am I eligible for?
Concession cards enable
you to receive discounts on participating services and products.
A range of cards are matched to certain life circumstances. Discounts
vary depending on which card you hold.
To find out more, download
the Department of Human Services brochure 'State Concessions - Your Entitlements' (PDF 2.16MB)
Companion Card
The Companion Card is a national initiative that entitles people with a disability who require a companion carer with them in order to participate in community activities, a card to allow their companion free entry.
To find out more, visit the Companion Card website
Medical Cooling Concession
The Medical Cooling Concession provides a 17% discount off the Summer Electricity Bill for people living with a neurological condition and who are on a pension/have a health care card. Please note, in the winter this concession is automatically applied to your bill.
To learn more, visit the Medical Cooling Concession webpage
Welfare
Rights: Where can I get help with Centrelink problems?
The National
Welfare Rights Network
(NWRW) is a network of independent community legal centres that
specialise in Australian Social Security Law.
The NWRW can assist you
to:
- Understand Centrelink payments
- Make sure you are receiving the full range of entitlements
- Uphold your rights and deal with Centrelink problems
The NWRW has also prepared information
on Centrelink issues for the Chronic Illness Alliance’s WorkWelfareWills
website.
Veteran’s
cardholder payments
Department of Veteran’s Affairs (DVA)
provide information on pension types and rates and supplement payments.
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