OLDER Australians earning income from their assets or investments will not be targeted in this month’s expansion of the controversial “robo debt” program.
“There is no change to the way we assess pensioners’ income and assets,” said Department of Human Services general manager Hank Jongen.
Mr Jongen said that from July 1, compliance officers would target income earned from family day care and trusts.
“The department does not expect many age pensioners to be affected by the reviews of family day care and trusts, given the nature of the income being reviewed,” he said.
“The department has always conducted reviews to ensure people are paid the correct amount, and the compliance reviews focus on people who may have been incorrectly paid.
“If an age pension recipient receives a letter from the department asking them to verify their income and asset details for the purpose of assessing their pension eligibility, they can call the designated 1800 number in the letter for assistance.
“As always, it’s important that age pension recipients make sure the information they provide about their income and assets is up to date, to ensure they are receiving the correct amount of payment.”
Earlier this year The Senior reported that from January 1, 2018, Centrelink would begin harvesting the financial information of retirees by requiring superannuation funds, annuity providers and other sources of income to send it details of payments made to pensioners.
The data exchange already occurs from some income-stream providers on a voluntary basis but is made compulsory in a recent change to the welfare reform bill.
