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NotMyDebt Stories

We are collecting stories on the site because we think it's important to have a way to people to add their voice to this issue by sharing their story. It's puts a human voice to the issues with using technology and automating systems and providing a blanket solution without providing staff and people that can right wrongs and help people when there is an error. 

Please share your story with us if you have a Centrelink debt story that you believe has been issued in error or due to a fault in the system. 

As frustrating as it is, persist with the appeals process, and know others are behind you. 

Stories are 100% anonymous

Debt amount:
$12590
Payment Type:
Parenting Payment
Appealing Debt?:
Yes in process

This was a period of my life where I gave birth, left my abusive partner, had to take 7 months off work- alone- and cover expenses as a single mother. Not only are they trying to claw back the single parenting payment, but the paid parental leave, for which I did not qualify. At this time of my life I was suicidal.

Debt amount:
$952
Payment Type:
Newstart Allowance
Appealing Debt?:
Yes in process
Date debt issued:
6 December 2016

Received letter right before Christmas, very stressed as I only work casually and don't get paid now until the middle of February

Debt amount:
$1253
Payment Type:
Newstart Allowance
Appealing Debt?:
Yes & I won
Date debt issued:
9 January 2017

I am in hospital recovering from a stroke - and am (still) having terrible difficulty having a claim assessed for Centrelink support. I received a letter (vie myGov informing me of Overpayment relating to a period between Dec 2014 and April 215, when I was between employment.

Debt amount:
$0
Payment Type:
Newstart Allowance
Date debt issued:
23 November 2016

I did not get issued with a debt but I was issued with a request for more information from 2014.

Because I found work, and dropped of the Centreelink reporting system, my Centrelink earnings for my employer and my ATO earnings per PAYG Payment Summary were different. Because of this it was automatically assumed I was a welfare cheat.

Debt amount:
$3000
Payment Type:
Aged Pension
Appealing Debt?:
I don't know how to
Date debt issued:
3 October 2016

I am 72 and still work 22.5 hours per week, as I was doing when I applied for and was granted a partial age pension. Because I was born in the USA Centrelink forced me to apply for a US Social Security payment, which was granted, and my Australian age pension reduced accordingly.

Debt amount:
$13000
Payment Type:
Youth Allowance
Appealing Debt?:
Yes in process
Date debt issued:
30 September 2015

I finished uni with a huge hecs debt, no savings, low salary as a pre school teacher but keen to start my life. Straight away I got hit with $13,000 worth of centrelink debt letters. I rang them feeling terrible like I'd made a huge mistake and have been paying it back weekly every since. Having now paid $4700 back in total.

Debt amount:
$7400
Payment Type:
Youth Allowance
Appealing Debt?:
I don't know how to
Date debt issued:
4 April 2016

They claimed I had entered incorrect fortnightly income across the entire year. I had not. I have the payslips to prove it. The confusion is that my payslips were issued on Mondays, and I reported on Thursdays. I wanted to appeal but they convinced me it could be an even bigger debt.

Debt amount:
$1500
Payment Type:
Newstart Allowance
Appealing Debt?:
Yes in process
Date debt issued:
18 October 2016

I received an alleged debt from when I was between jobs in 2011.

Debt amount:
$2842
Payment Type:
Sickness Benefit
Appealing Debt?:
Unknown
Date debt issued:
9 January 2017

I am unable to work currently due to a car accident, and subsequently stuck on a waiting list as tac has been useless.
I am a sole parent raising an abused child through now vce with amazing results, for a child certain to become a victim of the system.

Debt amount:
$3000
Payment Type:
Newstart Allowance
Appealing Debt?:
Yes in process
Date debt issued:
4 November 2016

I get treated for high anxiety and have been for years and is a reason why i have spent time of the last few years unemployed.

Debt amount:
$500
Appealing Debt?:
Yes & I won
Date debt issued:
21 November 2016

the debt that i had supposedly incurred was 100% bogus, the debt was from a 1.5 year period while i was not receiving payments and had taken myself off all centrelink services, yet i still incurred an invisible debt.

Debt amount:
$16000
Payment Type:
Family Tax Benefit
Appealing Debt?:
Yes but I lost
Date debt issued:
1 July 2016

Crippled me financially & emotionally. It's ridiculous and they can't prove it exists.

Debt amount:
$1100
Payment Type:
Parenting Payment
Appealing Debt?:
Yes in process
Date debt issued:
1 December 2016

I am currently on sickness benefits fighting cancer, receiving approx $265 a week.  Centrelink say I owe just under $1100 from 2011. I have to prove they are wrong, which they are, and I am currently appealing.

Debt amount:
$1350
Payment Type:
Newstart Allowance
Appealing Debt?:
No
Date debt issued:
16 November 2016

I reported my income for the required time before I had earned enough to be cut off. As my income was on a casual basis I reported accordingly. Now after all this time I was told by a woman I talked to they decided to average my payments over that time so I now I appear to have a debt .

Debt amount:
$900
Payment Type:
Newstart Allowance
Appealing Debt?:
Yes in process
Date debt issued:
29 November 2016

Very stressful as the due date of the debt was 25dec16 xmas day!

Debt amount:
$14765
Payment Type:
Disability Support Pension
Appealing Debt?:
No
Date debt issued:
5 June 2016

I was sent a threatening letter, went to centerlink , they could not help sort out the problem,I had to ring up, after many attempts and after many hours of waiting,I was able to speak to a real person who was rude to me, accused me of FRAUD, really scared me and I was told that A sum of money would be deducted from any future payments, I was ve

Debt amount:
$16042
Appealing Debt?:
Yes in process
Date debt issued:
7 July 2016

My debt relates to a service pension, paid to my wife and myself. I qualified for this pension through active service in an infantry battalion in Vietnam. I have a number of war related disabilities (Lumbar Spondylosis, Hypertension and PTSD) for which I receive a disability pension of $250 per fortnight.

Debt amount:
$4000
Appealing Debt?:
Yes in process
Date debt issued:
21 November 2016

I am a single mother of a toddler with no family support trying to finish my university degree so that I am able to find better employment to keep us financially secure. I only just received enough money to cover my rent and get a small amount of food for the two of us. Or pay rent and bills.

Debt amount:
$1700
Payment Type:
Family Tax Benefit
Appealing Debt?:
I don't know how to
Date debt issued:
6 December 2016

I was issued with this debt after arriving to my parents for Christmas holidays. I was embarking on a 6wk holiday. I was still keeping up with the costs of my living while I was away - rent, power bills etc. I also had Christmas to deal with. Prior to my holiday, my bank accounts were hacked and majority of my money was stolen.

Debt amount:
$4000
Payment Type:
Carer Payment
Appealing Debt?:
Yes & I won
Date debt issued:
14 December 2016

I have appealed part of debt as I somehow remembered having to report my income every fortnight while caring for my mother. I shortened my contract to fit in with their rules of allowing a respite time from a carer's payment. The other half of my debt, $2000.00 I do not remember so well and have paid them over $2000.00 !!

Debt amount:
$1300
Payment Type:
Newstart Allowance
Appealing Debt?:
Yes in process
Date debt issued:
8 December 2016

Now trying to get a detailed breakdown of income from 3 employers from 6 years ago as my fortnightly payslips do not align with Centrelink's pay cycle. It's probably impossible but I have to try. $1300 is not small change to me.

Debt amount:
$1953
Payment Type:
Parenting Payment
Appealing Debt?:
I don't know how to
Date debt issued:
3 October 2016

Anxiety, stress, already suffering from depression, financial stress, very upsetting not being heard or listened to.

Debt amount:
$4000
Payment Type:
Newstart Allowance
Appealing Debt?:
No
Date debt issued:
19 October 2016

I've had a lot of anxiety over this...mostly because I don't understand why I owe so much! I would like to appeal, but unsure if I would be right or not. I'm just grateful that I'm in full-time employment, I can't imagine what those still receiving benefits must be going through.

Debt amount:
$6200
Payment Type:
Newstart Allowance
Appealing Debt?:
I don't know how to
Date debt issued:
10 June 2016

Of course finding out only weeks before our second child came into the world that we owe 6200 between us was stressful at the least. With a home loan/rates coming and a list of things we needed, after my partner had taken months off work. Surely was a big hit, I've set to pay this off in 12 months ending this coming financial year.

Debt amount:
$1720
Payment Type:
Parenting Payment
Appealing Debt?:
I don't know how to
Date debt issued:
14 December 2016

Financilly has put me in debt they hit me just before Christmas I had great anxiety and depression because I thought I wouldn't be able to make ends meet

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