Light at the end of the tunnel
Twelve months ago Chantel* found herself alone with five boys to care for.
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Her relationship had broken up and she was left with an ever increasing pile of bills.
“I was not coping at all,” says the Adelaide resident.
At her wits’ end, Chantel sought help from Anglicare who suggested she contact Centrelink to find out about income management.
“It saved my life,” she says.
When Chantel went to see Centrelink about income management she was first shown a video about how the program worked.
She brought with her a portfolio of accounts, expenses and bills and worked with Centrelink staff on prioritising payments.
“They called people I owed money to and made arrangements for the bills to be paid off, which are still happening every fortnight.”
Three of Chantel’s five boys, who are aged between 13 and18, suffer from a disability.
She receives a carer’s payment supplemented by an allowance her three sons receive for medical assistance.
“I never thought of giving up and saying this is all too hard even when things started to get too tough,” she says. “I do get tired and stressed but I could never give up on my sons, which is why I wanted to try income management.”
Each fortnight Chantel’s payments are divided into an income management account and a BasicsCard, while a percentage is taken out to pay for bills and to pay off outstanding accounts.
“I don’t miss the money that goes to paying off bills. If you don’t see it you don’t miss it,” she says.
She uses the BasicsCard for grocery shopping, medication and phone credit.
Although she has not been able to save any money as yet, Chantel says she can see light at the end of the tunnel, when her debts will be paid and she can move forward.
She says the Voluntary Income Management Incentive Payment of $250 every six months is a bonus, but she would have agreed to participate in the income management program without it.
“The fact that I do not have to worry about those bills any more is worth it,” she says. “I was doing it all on my own before, and when I learned about [income management] I breathed a sigh of relief.”
* name changed for anonymity
For more information on Income Management
- go to the Department of Social Services’ website ()
- go to the Department of Human Services’ website ()
- talk to your local Department of Human Services (Centrelink) Income Management Contact Officer
- call the Income Management Line (for customer only) on 1800 132 594
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