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
I received a redundancy in May 2013, we had no other income except the small amount my wife earnt (around $20,000).
I'd heard about Robodebt. I'd made jokes with my friends that I'd probably get a debt letter since I'd been a Centrelink recipient, hate this government with a passion, and generally have shitful luck. I'd also stopped opening Centrelink letters as I was happily, finally, no longer a beneficiary.
I have an accumulated debt from a period in which I worked 3 jobs apparently. From 5 years previous.
In 2006 my husband (34) had a heart attack and his second heart surgery.
He was a qualified landscaper and we had our own business. He was unable to work for a significant period of time.
This year I am completing my honours degree at ______________ University under scholarship. I am neither uneducated or easily unnerved.
I have been fighting this so-called debt since around October last year. Despite constantly asking for details on how this amount was calculated, it took months for someone to give me a detailed explanation, which turned out to mostly be errors on their part.
I got a random telephone call when I was in the middle of shopping. I couldn't understand the person very well and they were trying to get me to remember addresses from years ago to verify my identify so I said i'd have to deal with it later.
So I have received this letter yesterday in my mailbox saying I owe them $10000 for the 2015-16 . I seriously have no clues what is this for . The phone does not go through. I feel so gutted right now . I have a constant headache since last night . Don't know what will happen but in no state i can afford to pay that big amount .
Stress, shame, anger. Financial stress as deducting from my payments over $100 a fortnight.
Caused both financial and study hardship. JSP informed me to study 40 hours per week and work 40 hours per week.
I suffer from PTSD which has been exasserbated by the mistreatment of centrelink and the staff, this has also made my depression much worse.
Very anxious over this as well as my partner. We reported local Centrelink 2nd February that we were a couple but they failed to process the forrm we lodged.
i had to bring it to their attention late February that they were neglegent.
It was after I did my tax return of (2007-2008) financial year.
after I lodged my tax return a few weeks later I got a letter from ATO telling me to pay back the amount I owe from a financial institution, the amount was over $4000 I can't remember the exact figure overhead, but I have the paperwork somewhere.
DO NOT PAY YOUR DEBT. Appeal, appeal, appeal.
I received a call from a debt collection agency in February and was told that I owed just under $6k from a period of 5-6 years ago. I have since done a lot of research into the issue (as I imagine most people have) and have a good understanding of how this stupid robo system works.
ARO review only
Have been treated like a criminal - I can't help that I got sick and couldn't work anymore. I always declared income but apparently not to their specifications that I am finding out about 4 years later. I am regressing in my illness because of this stress that has been going on for 6 months!
The month after I received a debt notice was an absolute rigmarole at the hands of the government.
I found out about my debt via a text message from MyGov on the 13th of January 2017, telling me that I had a letter ready to view online.
I was at work.
I opened the letter and saw that I had a huge debt ($26,578.45 to be exact) owing to Centrelink and that the due date was the 8th of February 2017.
Anxiety levels high.
Frustrated! Insulted! Offended! I did nothing wrong!
I did as I was told.
I never received their 11 letters they say they sent me, so I went down and requested a copy.
I had an emotional breakdown before Christmas, resulting in my choice to leave work because of my mental illness and circumstances and extra stress this put on me trying to work out how to deal with it.
I broke down had to make an emergency visit to the doctors.
I received a letter yesterday saying I had to call Centrelink due to an overpayment. I called them and they said I had been overpayed the Parenting Payment in the financial year ending 2012, due to an incorrect assessment of my profit and loss statement vs my Income declared on my Tax Return. I was shocked and confused.
Me and My wife are going through the Hardship since almost an year now, reason my contract was ended abruptly and since then I am not in job.
I have recently received job.
Wife was also on maternity leave without any source of income with 2 Kids, once 1 year and second grade 6.
I recieved the initial letter at the start of December 2016. The letter informed me there was a discrepancy between my income declared to Centrelink and the income that the ATO had supplied Centrelink with for the same financial year.
Cue anxiety levels through the roof.
The debt is bull!
I have and always will taken care of my mother. So much we bought a house together.
I was notified of this debt 2 days before my son birthday.
From 4 years ago.
I have worked for 2 and a half years now and i love it but my heath is going and going fast.
This debt has affected me because I can't afford to pay it back in 1 lump sum. D&B want me to pay it back in 1 lump sum.
I set up a payment arrangement of $50 a month as that's all I can afford.
They accepted but keep calling me to up the amount. Which I previously told them I can't afford any more.
Received a letter on the 19th of November weeks before Christmas.
Tried to contact centrelink — busy tones on their phone lines and then the holidays, couldn't get through.
Then there were strikes, got hung up on by no one answering the phone.