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
Please bear with me, I've made this as brief as humanly possible.
I'm extremely stressed.
Tired of this system, suicide is a common thought.
I have been feeling stressed about the debt because I don't know how I can repay it. I submitted an official proof of full-time enrollment to them and they still say that I need to make repayments even if I have launched an appeal against the debt. I don't know where I'm going to get the money.
Luckily I am pretty familiar with Centrelink processes. First thing anyone still on payments should do is have the repayments reduced to $15 a fortnight. If even that will cause financial stress, they can suspend repayments, but I've read they've been told to resist that.
So my mum got a debt notice because she told them she works casual at christmas for australia post and she told them but somehow shes got this huge debt. she couldnt stop crying and called my sister who is working as the only gp in a country town. so my sister had to take work leave to calm my mum down and my mum thinks shes going to jail.
paralized with depression have been considering suicide since I received this notice. How am I suppose to pay this when already multiple times throughout the year I go to bed hungry because I'm unable to pay for food medication and housing expenses on the allowance I get
Today I received a text saying Centrelink would call me to discuss my payments. I missed the call. Eventually, after 9 attempts to call and (only) 36 minutes on hold, I was able to speak to someone who told me I owe $913.51 for Newstart from 1.1.13 to 17.5.13- 4 years later!
I received the debt notice the same time I was organising my finances for the Xmas period Having a debt in the thousands I realised I would have to make cutbacks where I wouldn't usually and would have to possibly loan money to get me through Christmas.
Well considering I was given a total and permanent disability for PTSD and Anxiety after 13 years of policing service but I chose to get more counselling and get my crap together, then actually return to work because I didn't want to be on a pension for 25 years. I feel pretty upset about it and the anxiety has come back fairly strong.
Thankfully i didn't even know about it until post-christmas since i was only contacted via email despite centrelink having my posting address and both my landline and mobile numbers. So from the get-go i'm already past my due date to submit any documentation to counter the claim.
received prior to xmas, i work casually only, stuffed up all xmas plans,holidays, children,etc, suggested i pay minimum $ per week bk to c/l by solicitor, so far payed $40.00 only to slow debt collector
Waste of time
I got this letter saying that I owe Centerlink money because they overpaid me for the above period. I was receiving Austudy for 12 months while finishing my honours degree and I told Centerlink that would be working when I initially filled out the online form.
The original letter asking me to confirm my income for the 2010/11 tax year was sent to my old address. I only received that letter because I happened to go to that address for some classes at the end of October.
I'm 19 and I live out of home. I attend full time university and have a casual job to help me get by, along with receiving Youth Allowance. Before Christmas in 2016 I was required to confirm my employment income from the 7th of November 2014, until the 3rd of July 2015. A bit crazy right?
Further to my previous story. Called to negotiate a lower payment to my debt repayments.
They didn't update my records and they are still trying to make me pay out of my fortnightly work income as well as my rent assistance.
Apparently I was reporting wrong, which I still don't get. I also resigned from my job end of April 2012 but they wanted the missing payslips to end of June. No amount of explaining to them that they didnt exist because I was not working helped. So they added on what I would have earnt and made it my debt. I still do not understand it.
5 calls in one day debt collection agencies wanting the debt paid and I sill have no invoice for any debt , and letter saying they have removed $80 a week , removed from my Account they cancelled my DSP , because of my debt ,
This has caused me an enormous amount of stress because I am already struggling to make ends meet. This debt was six years ago. I was reporting my earnings fortnightly and was always on time and honest with the amounts I earned.
This whole affair has been very stressful. I am currently a disability pensioner and this ongoing saga has meant a great deal of lost sleep and has been detrimental to my health.
It's always stressful getting a letter from centrelink because it's never good. When I opened the letter saying that I had to pay back over $300 (which is small compare to some) my heart sunk.
After a career change and 10 months I full time study in a new professional field supported by Austudy I spent 3 months working a casual job 60+ hours a week before moving to take full time employment in my new field.
Centrelink took my annual income for the 2011-12 financial year, divided it by 26 and said 'our records show that this was your fortnightly income for the year, here's what you owe, prove us wrong'. This is all the new data-matching system seems to do. Innovative? No. Revenue raising? Yes... well, maybe (more on this below).
Due to divorce I decided to study nursing, and qualified on age pension. I got a job starting as casual 2 shifts a week and made myself indispensable. Obviously the amount I earned each fortnight varied greatly due to hours worked and penalty rates. Work in its wisdom paid the last fortnight in June 2010 a day late on the 1st July 2010 i.e.
As I had broke my leg a few weeks prior and had time of work being a casual working full time hours I was shocked considering only a few months earlier I tought and won a mat leave debt as I tried 3 times prior to return to work to tel them and the over paid me.. it would have put me in financial hardship to pay the debt then..