Struggling to claim your age pension? Centrelink explains why thousands face agonising waits

Navigating the golden years of retirement should be a time of relaxation and enjoyment, but for many, it's proving to be a period of financial stress and uncertainty.

The culprit? A backlog of age pension claims at Centrelink is leaving thousands of seniors in limbo.



Adele McIntosh-Jackson, working as an independent sub-contractor, applied for a partial age pension in August 2023, hoping to reduce her work hours.

However, after a fall in December that left her with a broken ankle and unable to work, her situation became dire.


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Adele McIntosh-Jackson is one of the many waiting for their age pension claims from Centrelink. Credit: Shutterstock


'Over the last seven weeks, I've had no income whatsoever,' she shared.

'I still have a mortgage and strata fees, and I still have electricity bills and all sorts of things.’

‘So, it's not a great position to be in at my age.'

McIntosh-Jackson was told the reason for the Centrelink delay was her work as an independent sub-contractor rather than an employee.

However, her story is not unique.

Many Australians have been waiting months for their age pension claims to be processed, with no clear indication of when they might receive their much-needed funds.

Joe, a 72-year-old pensioner, shared his experience: 'I first applied in July. When you do actually get to speak to someone, they're generally very helpful.’

‘But it's really, really hard to get through on the telephone. I'm just looking for a part pension. I'm 72, and I'm struggling a little bit.'



Other SDC members also complained about these delays.

In a previous story on frustrating call times and pension approvals at Centrelink late last year, member @Casper said, ‘I have been waiting over six months for approval of a disability support pension. Phoned a couple of times at one hour fifty-two minutes wait time and, on other occasions, cut off after waiting over an hour.

‘You never get the same answer twice to a question. And one person tells you one thing, and the next person [gives] a different answer. Talk about bashing your head against the wall. The whole system is a pathetic joke.’

‘It took five months for them to approve my aged concession card. Yesterday, I was on hold for 1 hour and 48 minutes due to my rent allowance being cancelled after one payment,’ member @jackibourn said.

‘Due to non-uploading of a document only to behold, they did have it on file. This is not good enough.’

So, what's causing these delays?



Centrelink has also been grappling with a significant staff shortage.

This has resulted in a backlog of 34,000 age pension claims, with an average processing time of 72 days.

Honk Jongen, general manager of Services Australia, acknowledged the issue, stating, 'I'm the first to concede that we are not meeting demands as we would like to and as our customers would like us to.'

‘Up until now, we've not had sufficient staff to deal with the workload that we face.’

‘Now the government has recognised that, and late last year, they allocated us sufficient funding for an additional 3,000 staff.

‘As a matter of priority, we've been recruiting those staff, and right now, they are all on board but going through intensive training,’ he added.

However, staff shortage isn't the only factor contributing to the delays. Jongen pointed out that incomplete applications and complex financial affairs can also slow down the processing time.

'Many people have got complex financial affairs, trusts, in shares and other investments, all of which need to be appropriately assessed,' he said.

'In some instances, we need to go to third parties to confirm the information that is required, all of which can contribute to delays.'



For those in urgent need, Jongen advised visiting a Centrelink office in person if possible.

‘In Adele's case, this is a clear situation,’ he said.

‘If she's experiencing financial hardship, then what she should do is, if she can, visit her local office because if she explains her situation to our staff, we will do what we can to help her out.’

Centrelink is also working to expedite the training of its new recruits to help ease the backlog.

'We're moving to try and get them on board as quickly as we can,' Jongen said.
Key Takeaways
  • Age pension claimants have been experiencing months-long waits for Centrelink to process their claims.
  • Partial pension applicant Adele McIntosh-Jackson shared her struggles, highlighting the financial difficulties she faces due to the delay.
  • Services Australia General Manager Honk Jongen attributed the delays to staff shortages but noted that newly allocated funding has allowed for the recruitment of an additional 3,000 staff.
  • Jongen advised that urgent cases like Ms McIntosh-Jackson's should visit a Centrelink office in person to seek expedited assistance.
Have you experienced delays with your age pension claim? Let us know in the comments below.
 
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Time to mount a campaign against Centrelink on all levels.

Firstly about Robodebt (we need a Mr Bates to lead the charge against them just like he did against The Post Office in the UK.

Secondly, for unconscionable and outrageous delays which are affecting people's lives.

Centrelink, along with the ATO, Human Affairs and many other departments, are a disgrace And governments cannot continue to bully and cheat and intimidate the people they are meant to serve.
 
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Reactions: June E and Leanne D
Not just delays. Serial incompetence.
When my father in-law died 2 years ago my mother in law did not receive a bereavement allowance because her pension went up.
His defined super pension partially reverted to her but it took 3 months for it to come.
When the arrears were paid technically she was overpaid. She died and on winding up her estate Centrelink raised the overpayment, 9 months later.
This was challenged but dismissed by Review Officer. We have lodged appeal to AAT about the non waiver of the debt which is stated in the SSAct and also questioned if the debt is waived thrn she should get the Bereavement Allowance, and 4 months have elapsed with no news.

This week a letter came from Centrelink addressed to my deceased mother in law saying they are now reviewing the Bereavemrnt Allownce non payment and that they will be in contact.

We are absolutely gutted and don't know where to start to fix this up as on her passing power of attorney ceased and contact Cam only be done via the executor who is the Public Trustee.


On that, from our experience, do not ever let the Public Trustee manage anyone's affairs or will.
 
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Reactions: June E and Cheezil
Unfortunately it's going to get worse because of the lack of forethought, on the department that handles this. For the last decade we have heard Australia is ageing we will have a huge amount of people applying for allsorts of Government aid Mr Jorgen get off your backside and do things that will ease the pain I bet your remittance is in the Bank on time.
 
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Reactions: June E
I've been waiting for dsp to be approved for 11 1/2 months.

it's February now shouldn't they have had the 3000 new staff trained by now. Wasn't it months ago they got the approval for the extra staff.

I hate saying this but I think the government needs to stop bringing in so many migrants due to the crisis with centrelink and housing
 
LABOR LABOR !!!!! Worst PM and government in the history of Australia, He turned this amazing country into a 3rd World. 🤬😡🤬😡🤬😡
God you are one eyed. This is a systemic problem that's been going in for years. Do you really think that smug faced Scotty from marketing cared more? He started the bloody robodebt!
But, the government of the day should be trying to correct the problem.
 
I'm up to 120 days waiting. Patience is wearing thin I must say. Going into the Centrelink office is a waste of time. They speak to you as if you are a five year old and give you a pat on the head. That is so condescending and doesn't pay the rent, put food on the table or put fuel in the car.
 
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Reactions: June E and Cheezil
LABOR LABOR !!!!! Worst PM and government in the history of Australia, He turned this amazing country into a 3rd World. 🤬😡🤬😡🤬😡
Take a bex love and a little nap or put down the bottle. You don't really think this is just happened since labor formed govt. The incompetence of the previous 10 years is the start of the problem. Conservative don't have ANY respect for ANYONE in receipt of welfare. Robodebt is all the evidence you need to see this in action.
 
Go to your local Federal MP. Make them follow up delays. The quickest response to any govt dept is when a ministerial hits the desk.
 
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Reactions: Beak and Leanne D
God you are one eyed. This is a systemic problem that's been going in for years. Do you really think that smug faced Scotty from marketing cared more? He started the bloody robodebt!
But, the government of the day should be trying to correct the problem.
I just ignore any stupid comments blaming one party or the other. This is a systemic problem that has been going on for decades and certainly was not caused by the incumbent government. It is amazing how a person's bias and hatred will allow them to blame one party for a situation that has been caused by decades of neglect. The staff at Centrelink need support from both their upper management and the minister concerned as they are at the forefront of this trying to work understaffed and copping abuse from everyone.
 
Not OAP age yet but this always worries me! As if things aren't hard enough for people (especially the aged) these days already!

Don't care about their excuses (like so many other big business these days- esp supermarket gouging- we all know these problems without being told their excuses why!) - only interested how & when they'll fix things so they work like they used to!
Most of this is likely to be a cover up for the fact that there have reportably been over 500,000 immigrants per year arriving, must surely be putting a drain on Clink system, but no one's gonna admit that?
 
I just ignore any stupid comments blaming one party or the other. This is a systemic problem that has been going on for decades and certainly was not caused by the incumbent government. It is amazing how a person's bias and hatred will allow them to blame one party for a situation that has been caused by decades of neglect. The staff at Centrelink need support from both their upper management and the minister concerned as they are at the forefront of this trying to work understaffed and copping abuse from everyone.
Agree! Well said!
 
I am disappointed to read the delays are so long. I applied for the aged pension on the 4th January turning 67 on the 14th January. I took my application in so I knew they had it. The guy who saw me told me it was a 30 day process so he was lying that is not good enough. I really want my pension card so I can get cheaper meds and bulk billed at the GP.
 
  • Wow
Reactions: Leanne D
Question ❓
At what age can you start the application process? Do you have to wait until you are actually 67?
 
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Reactions: Scribbles
It all started with another Labor Government led by the people's hero Bob Hawke & his mate Paul Keeting who put the mortgage up to 17%. I lost my home & business & incidentally eventually my marriage due to their being in power now I have been waiting for at least 5 years for someone to get passed the telephone call assessment for my home care package to be probable assessment so it is all governments that sucks. At 86 you don't know how much longer you have left.
 
  • Sad
Reactions: LeahI
I am disappointed to read the delays are so long. I applied for the aged pension on the 4th January turning 67 on the 14th January. I took my application in so I knew they had it. The guy who saw me told me it was a 30 day process so he was lying that is not good enough. I really want my pension card so I can get cheaper meds and bulk billed at the GP.
On the website it says people can apply 13 weeks before they are eligible. That is what I will do next year when I can apply for a pension as it seems it's going to take a loooooog time before it's approved. Sad the government doesn't do more to speed things along.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Jennifer21
Question ❓
At what age can you start the application process? Do you have to wait until you are actually 67?
I read on the website 13 weeks before you can apply. That's what I'll do. I'm 67 next April. I'll apply in January. Hubby is on a part pension and has been for a while as he's 10 years older than I am and worked past pension age.
 
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Reactions: LeahI
I applied for the age pension back in September and still waiting. I’ve telephoned a few times and wait for over an hour - just do it any more
 

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