In recent news that will be music to the ears of many Australian seniors, Centrelink has made significant strides in improving its service delivery.

According to the latest government data, processing claims for essential payments such as Age Pension, JobSeeker, and Paid Parental Leave has become notably quicker.

This development is a breath of fresh air for those who rely on these services, as it means less time waiting and more time focusing on what matters.

The government attributes this positive change to a 'landmark investment' in human resources.

Three thousand additional staff members are credited for the significant improvements experienced by Aussies across the board.

Centrelink claims processing times for payments like the Age Pension, JobSeeker, and Paid Parental Leave have been improved with additional staff. Credit: Facebook

The impact of this investment is clear: claims are now being processed 60 per cent faster than in the first quarter of 2024.

This is also good news for many of our readers who have experienced the frustration of long wait times when calling Centrelink.

The average wait time for calls to Centrelink has been reduced by seven and a half minutes to 21 minutes.

Additionally, congestion messaging has reduced by nearly 80 per cent, indicating a smoother experience for callers.

Government Services Minister Bill Shorten has emphasised the importance of Medicare, Centrelink, and Child Support services for families, acknowledging the challenges faced in accessing these services due to a shortage of frontline staff.

Shorten highlighted that efficient claims processing is crucial for supporting Australians, particularly during vulnerable times and significant life events.

The goal is to ensure that once a payment is sorted, individuals can proceed with their lives without the need to follow up persistently.

The influx of new staff has allowed the agency to address the backlog of 1.35 million claims, shifting the focus towards improving turnaround times for more complex claims.

This is a significant step forward in providing timely support to those in need.

Let's delve into how this improvement has translated into real-world benefits.

Age Pension claims, particularly interesting to our readership, are now being processed in 49 days, a 42 per cent decrease from the previous average of 84 days at the start of the year.

JobSeeker claims have seen an even more dramatic improvement. They are now settled in less than a week, at six days, down from 27 days.

Youth Allowance claims are also being processed more swiftly, taking 10 days instead of 28.

For new parents, Paid Parental Leave payments are now processed in three days, a staggering 90 per cent drop from the 31 days it took at the start of 2024.

Parenting Payment partnered claims are being processed in 16 days, down from 73 days, and single parents can expect their claims to be completed in 14 days, a significant improvement from 66 days.

However, it's important to note that Disability Support Pension claims still have the longest average processing time, taking an average of 71 days, though this is down from 109 days.

Services Australia has committed to publishing quarterly data to maintain 'transparency and accountability' for Australians.

This welcome move should help build trust in the system and provide reassurance that the agency is working to serve the public efficiently.

Key Takeaways

• Centrelink claims processing times for payments such as the Age Pension, JobSeeker, and Paid Parental Leave have significantly improved following a government investment in additional staff.
• The average wait time for calls to Centrelink has been reduced by seven and a half minutes to 21 minutes, and congestion messaging has been cut by almost 80 per cent.
• Government Services Minister Bill Shorten highlighted that easing the claims processing backlog is essential for supporting Australians in need, and the new staff has made this possible.
• There are detailed statistics on the reduced processing times for various Centrelink claims, with Disability Support Pension claims still having the longest average processing time despite improvements.

Have you noticed an improvement in service times? Do you have a Centrelink story that could help others? We encourage you to share them in the comments below.

 

[UNIT1000]

see it when happens

 

[Sue Free]

No. Child support system is unreliable. It's a game of waiting for payments. Centrelink is so slow imaging sure payment comes on time
The child support leaving the parents waiting on the payee work to do what is needed. It's a wait game. The fact that the single parent having to find out the payee details. No communication from Centrelink about enforcing paymentd ratjer than a waiting game on the phone on the payment problems.

 

[Greg350]

see it when happens

Age Pension application in April this year went through in 7 weeks, exactly as per quoted above. Low Income Health Care Card renewal in March went through in 3 days, record time.

It has already happened.

 

[mylittletibbies]

The banks have your tax file number otherwise you pay 49% tax. Centrelink finds out everything even if not declared.

Having your tax file number has nothing to do accessing your bank accounts. If the bank does not have your tax file number they withhold 49% tax, that does not mean Centrelink can access your back records. I can tell you for a fcat it cannot happen without a court order.

Also, even though the ATO can access your bank account legally, they would only be doing this if they had some reason to be investigating you.
They, like most govt departments are underfunded, and do not have the time or resources to be checking millions of people's bank accounts willy nilly without a reason.

 

[GillyH]

Worst Xmas I will ever experience, not enough money for a steak once a month, with my rent and water going up not to mention food. Thank you Mr albo nothing was and is not easy under you and your treauer and I suppose you can afford a steak and a ham , thankyou for the lies you told the labour party is not for the people any more , no vote ever from me.

And the Morrison government did a better job??? look at the COVID debacle. We are alot better off than some other countries. Try dealing with TRUMP again. They can't afford to heat up their homes in the UK, no discounts of power, water, rates car rego over there. I have just had family here for a visit from UK.

 

[StarTrekker]

MY husband is on the DSP and turns 67 this month. Centrelink asked him if he wanted to change to the Aged Pension. He said no due to the stuffing around he would have to do.
As I am on a Carer's Payment I hope that will not change when I turn 67 next year.

 

[mylittletibbies]

MY husband is on the DSP and turns 67 this month. Centrelink asked him if he wanted to change to the Aged Pension. He said no due to the stuffing around he would have to do.
As I am on a Carer's Payment I hope that will not change when I turn 67 next year.

You will have the choice, don't change you will loose your $600 annual carer bonus if you do.
I made that mistake. It is not compulsory for you to go on the age pension and you have nothing to gain by doing so.

 

[atomace]

I'm going political on this. The Coalition gutted Centrelink and, as with the NBN rollout, trashed the NDIS. Thankfully, Bill Shorten and Labor have begun the task of cleaning up the Coalition's mess, and have done an excellent job so far. Thank you!

absolute bullshit

 

[mylittletibbies]

absolute bullshit

I'd love to see where Bill Shorten has done an excellent job with the NDIS, it's a shamozzle.
All the new things they have bought in have done nothing but create more confusion for people who already have enough problems to deal with, without more red tape.

 

[Phantom55]

I often wonder why it is called a pension instead of WELFARE which it is assessed as to me a pension is different to Welfare. Pensions are paid into from the day one starts drawing a wage (it used to be a seperate deduction but later was lumped in with tax, I was told when I started work the deduction was for when I retired ,I would get a pension (an entitlement for retiring), later replaced by super, makes me wonder in the future will super be changed to income? or will they change the 'pension' to 'welfare' A least they did announce in the seventies that pensions would be issued under certain conditions ,but what about those who had the deductions from their wages prior the very old At least the young workers are being told today there will be no pension ,so use super for your future

 

[StarTrekker]

You will have the choice, don't change you will loose your $600 annual carer bonus if you do.
I made that mistake. It is not compulsory for you to go on the age pension and you have nothing to gain by doing so.

I realised that and as I am a carer for 2 of my children ass well, I could not afford the drop in income.

 

[Knell]

The NDIS has been a stuff up from the start. We were better off under Disability Services .
You ring for information, sorry I don't know someone will ring you back, never happens.
They wanted my daughter to be assessed by an OT, hoping to cut her funding. The OT report suggested further supports, speech therapy, more financial funding and a gopher. Did she get any of this, NO. They decided the plan she was on was adequate.
Funny that, because before THEIR OTs report they thought she was over funded. I'm positive if the report had said she was over funded they would have cut it pretty promptly.
I'm not asking for more, I am grateful for what we get but there are people out there getting much more for lesser disability and don't get me started on the providers .
In the rural area where I live the NDIS approved rate for one on one 24 hour care is in excess of $2900/day. No wonder they've got financial worries!

$2900?? The NDIA does not set the prices that providers charge participants. If a participant is self-managed, can pay their support workers whatever they negotiate with them. They can use any providers. I would think that on the rare occasion that 24hr care needs to be provided by someone other than the paid carer or parent, surely a friend or family member could do it, or if no friends or family, someone known to you would be more than happy to accept a fee at a quarter of that pricing. Spending that much of the participants funding seems to me to be irresponsible use of their funds, barring exceptional needs/circumstances.
Anyone can make accusations, especially in the absence of proof—qualify/quantify! Looking over someone else’s fence is not an accurate measure for judgement. I would think that if an OT, or any such relevant allied professional relevant to the participants disability, deemed some services were not necessary, then it would be irresponsible of the NDIA not to cut some funding. Allied Services report will always go on the high side, it is in their interests to do so - does not mean it is warranted. Lots of criticism from people who run with sensationalist misinformation or are just greedy.

 

[Milica]

Somewhere in the fine print when you or your wife signed up to Centrelink, there is a clause giving them full access to all your financials. You need a lawyer sitting next to you when you sign up for anything.
Like you, I am amazed at how much the government knows about our financial position as far back as seven years.
When I was working and financially sound, I sacrificed more than 75% of my salary into super. Seven years later, the ATO slugged me with $95,000 because I was contributing too much to the super fund.
I never did a tax return for years and my tax accountant completed all five years without documentation..the ATO knew where every cent was.

Those two departments work closely together.

 

[Knell]

I'd love to see where Bill Shorten has done an excellent job with the NDIS, it's a shamozzle.
All the new things they have bought in have done nothing but create more confusion for people who already have enough problems to deal with, without more red tape.

Red Tape is required - so many dodgy people trying to get their fingers into recipients funds - honest box does not work. Who has done a better job than Bill Shorten??

 

[deni67]

We were lucky, back in the days when we applied for a Disability Support Pension, in the early to mid 2000's, it was relatively easy and we were approved on the spot and received our pensions within weeks.
Then the government changed it to be similar to the American system which sucked, for want of another word.
I'm so glad that we got in early and desperately needed it!

 

[Suzanne rose]

Sorry Folks I am probably one of the lucky ones out of many who does not have a
Reason to gripe about Centrelink .. YET .. . Once a Year they request information
Which I give them and so far I get my pension on the due date.

Can I ask why they contact you once a year ?

 

[mylittletibbies]

$2900?? The NDIA does not set the prices that providers charge participants. If a participant is self-managed, can pay their support workers whatever they negotiate with them. They can use any providers. I would think that on the rare occasion that 24hr care needs to be provided by someone other than the paid carer or parent, surely a friend or family member could do it, or if no friends or family, someone known to you would be more than happy to accept a fee at a quarter of that pricing. Spending that much of the participants funding seems to me to be irresponsible use of their funds, barring exceptional needs/circumstances.
Anyone can make accusations, especially in the absence of proof—qualify/quantify! Looking over someone else’s fence is not an accurate measure for judgement. I would think that if an OT, or any such relevant allied professional relevant to the participants disability, deemed some services were not necessary, then it would be irresponsible of the NDIA not to cut some funding. Allied Services report will always go on the high side, it is in their interests to do so - does not mean it is warranted. Lots of criticism from people who run with sensationalist misinformation or are just greedy.

Don't go shooting bullets at me, I didn't say I pay $2900/day, that is the rate or near enough to quoted to me by three different providers and is actually paid by the NDIS, so they do approve it.
I self manage my daughter's plan and do have a private carer
that my daughter has had for over 20 years and pay $500/24 hour day. Her funds would go nowhere if I didn't do this.
For your information we are not allowed to use or pay family members, except in extenuating circumstances. It is the NDIS view that participants would feel intimated and unable to complain if they were not being adequately cared for, or heaven forbid, they were physically or sexually abused
And, yes, it has happened.
I think I know a little more about my own situation than you.
On top of my daughter's intellectual disability, she has lost her tongue due to oral cancer, hence the OT recommendation for speech therapy that was not approved, all her meals must be blended and she must be watched carefully in case she chokes.
Her movement is compromised due to operations on both feet, a metal plate and screws in her ankle, a shattered kneecap from a fall hence the request for a gopher so she can get out and about a bit more, not approved.

The reason she has 24 hour care is that we live in the country and there are no services for her.
She goes to her carer six days every four weeks for socialisation activities and a respite break for me.
So my daughter can have continuity with her usual and trusted carer, her carer and I both travel 2 hours to meet in the middle (she is four hours from where we live) and 6 days later the same.
As far as getting "somebody I know" to look after her.
"Somebody I know" doesn't have the necessary skills or probably the wish to do this. Not everyone is cut out for this type of work.
As far as your comment about looking over somebody else's fence and commenting
, that's exactly what you're doing.
I don't have time to be looking over somebody else's fence, this is my life, for the last 47 years.
Who are you to make such comments.
The OTs report was backed by Fiona Stanley Hospital who commented that if my daughter did not have the original intellectual disability, she now has another one. Another report was also submitted from SCGH with regards to her cancer journey and the disability that has occurred because of this.
Everybody's journey is different and you are not in a position to offer your ignorant opinion when you don't even know the people concerned.

The point I was making was about the ridiculous amount providers charge, I had to use one once when ours was ill.
And yes, the NDIS, do approve these amounts, they pay them.
I am not spreading misinformation nor am I greedy, it was not me that asked for more funding but their own recommended OT.

 

[johno1938#]

They have heard of ARTIFICIAL, they are still working on INTELLIGENCE.

wadaya mean working ?

 

[Suzanne rose]

Why is everyone blaming the government !!!

I've been reading all the post .

One thing I don't understand is blaming the government for the price of rent.

Rent has always been between 30 to 50 % of an average wage.

When we were in our early 20s we decided to go without holidays, going out to restaurants and luxury items to save for a deposit for a house. It was a lot of sacrifices but we did it.

What scared me was being retired and paying rent.

A lot of our friends don't own their house for the simple reason they wanted overseas trips, new cars and luxury items.

It took us 5 years to save the deposit and 18 years to pay off our mortgage. As years went by our wages increased which allowed us to pay more on our mortgage

We did holidays up the coast and took the kids on loads of picnics instead of restaurants.

The friends we still stay in contact with regret not putting their money into a deposit for a house. As they all said they were living week by week and enjoying life to the fullest instead of using the money for a house.

 

[Suzanne rose]

$2900?? The NDIA does not set the prices that providers charge participants. If a participant is self-managed, can pay their support workers whatever they negotiate with them. They can use any providers. I would think that on the rare occasion that 24hr care needs to be provided by someone other than the paid carer or parent, surely a friend or family member could do it, or if no friends or family, someone known to you would be more than happy to accept a fee at a quarter of that pricing. Spending that much of the participants funding seems to me to be irresponsible use of their funds, barring exceptional needs/circumstances.
Anyone can make accusations, especially in the absence of proof—qualify/quantify! Looking over someone else’s fence is not an accurate measure for judgement. I would think that if an OT, or any such relevant allied professional relevant to the participants disability, deemed some services were not necessary, then it would be irresponsible of the NDIA not to cut some funding. Allied Services report will always go on the high side, it is in their interests to do so - does not mean it is warranted. Lots of criticism from people who run with sensationalist misinformation or are just greedy.

Do you really know what you are talking about.

My 15 year old grandson has severe autism, he is non verbal, he still wears nappies and at times gets very aggressive.
My son had carer's who helped for a few hours each day. Then it increased to weekends.
My son tried his best to take care of him but as he got bigger he became more aggressive if he couldn't have what he wanted.

He is now living in a house that the carers now own. Ndis inspected and approved of it.

It's through NDIS that the funding comes to support my grandson.

We used to help our son with our grandson as did my daughters but he is too strong for us to handle.

He is in special school and has actually put a teacher in hospital.

I think unless someone is in this situation they really don't know.

I think @mylittletibbies has done an amazing job with her daughter.