visit to centerlink, page-47

Jimmy1979, If I were your uncle, I would put in a complaint at Centrelink. Then watch how things change. The front counter staff are notorious for not knowing their own rules.
I speak from experience, as a pensioner and having been given the runaround by a vindictive front counter staff member.

The pension rules are extremely complicated and your uncle should have been given a form to complete, he would have to provide a mountain of paperwork. Then it goes to a central office where staff who are actually qualified look at it and decide.

For example, you can have a house worth over a million dollars but still get a Centrelink pension......because currently, the 'family home' is EXEMPT from the Asset test.
Similarly, the Superannuation pension is supposed to be EXEMPT form the Asset test.

The way to go about this is.......make an appointment to see a Centrelink SOCIAL WORKER. When they ask why, 'play their game' and plead extreme hardship and you need to speak to a Social Worker about how to get Centrelink help. DO NOT TAKE 'NO' FOR AN ANSWER.
When you get your appointment, the Social Worker will soon sort out the mess and will guide your uncle through the rules and regulations - and provide him with a pension application form.

For the record, I personally think the Centrelink system is a mess. It needs to be sorted out big time, as Australians are suffering. For example, those who have recently lost a job will know that Centrelink's 'liquid assets test' (cash in hand to you and me) is set so low, it forces the unemployed to use virtually ALL their cash BEFORE they can become eligible $490 per fortnight 'newstart allowance'.
Meanwhile, illegal boat people, many with a small fortune in assets back home, can be given (not go through the system, in other words) a percentage of the 'newstart allowance' under the new ALP Govt rules....no paperwork, no questions, no being treated worse than a dog despite being Australian etc etc etc.

It stinks - and it needs to change. So, be careful of who you vote for on 14th September.

By the way, the UK pension system is NOT MEANS TESTED, due to the fact you pay 'national insurance contributions' (NICs)during your working life and, after 30 years of hard work you are entitled to the age pension. (i.e. 15 years work and NICs means half the age pension etc.etc.) If you do not have enough NICs (i.e. have not worked) you still get the full pension!! Plus, a supplementary pension (a bit more, in other words). But those who have worked, and have a company pension (Superannuation) STILL ARE GIVEN A FULL PENSION AS A RIGHT. Even Mick Jagger or Elton John could claim a full UK pension, if they wanted to.
This system is much, much fairer than our Centrelink system which gives too much power to bureaucrats on deciding our 'rights' under their constantly changing rules.

If anyone reading this works for Centrelink, or has knowledge of their systems, feel free to reply to this posting and correct me if I am wrong (or support me if I am right).

All of the above is my personal opinion only. DYOR.