Lightning McQueen wrote:The Dark Knight wrote:Getting the COVID relief payment alot quicker than I expected.
Initially I tried doing it last week, linking Centrelink through my MyGov account and got to a page after doing the initial identification pages where I needed to provide a bank account number. I've never used Centrelink in my life so the account number they had on record was a mystery to me. I tried few different account numbers, including my mums old accounts but none of the numbers we had worked. I tried ringing Centrelink three separate times and couldn't get through and I also tried going into the Port Adelaide Centrelink office last Monday morning but after lining up to go in for an hour and a half I got very frustrated with it so gave up temporarily.
On Monday morning I rang the services Australia number and after an hour on hold and it hanging up on me and then a further hour and a half on hold I finally talked to someone and they gave me the details I needed. The records they had on my profile were from when the time when I was in high school.
So from there I was able to continue with the Centrelink identification process yesterday and I got in. It took me a bit of time to do relief payment application which was frustrating but I got through it. I checked my bank during my dinner break last night and the payment was already there! Certainly didn't expect it to be that quick.
I had to jump through some hoops to get it but how quickly I got it was a pleasant surprise. I wouldn't recommend signing up/trying to link up with Centrelink with any urgency though.
Good things: Good people.
We had very similar experience applying for my wife as we have never used Centrelink, got thru on phone and was told she had to take ID into store, lined up at Glenelg outside for an hour, get in there and told be another hour. Said to girl behind counter we only have to show drivers licence and credit card, she then says need birth certificate too. Why didn't the person on phone say that, wasted all that time!!
Ended up downloading it from home onto My gov, got the $600 in to her bank account the next day!
Same as you, was a bit of a hassle to get there but money came quick. Would not be surprised if a lot of people could not be bothered going thru all that hassle as was hours wasted, especially if they did not desperately need the $600. I just figured we get it sorted now as this wont be the last Lockdown we have and next time we need to claim the COVID relief should be piece of cake, hopefully!