Meet Anna
Anna is a 35-year-old mum of two who cannot work because of her disability
She is really struggling to make ends meet
and wants to access the Disability Support Pension
But the eligibility tests are confusing and unclear
She approaches Canberra Community Law for help
Canberra Community Law has a dedicated team of Social Security lawyers
who can help you navigate Centrelink.
To be eligible for the Disability Support Pension,
Centrelink will need to establish that your condition is 'Fully diagnosed'
'Treated' and 'Stabilised'
This means gathering medical evidence of your condition(s) from doctors and specialists
Centrelink will need to confirm what treatment you have already received
whether you need further treatment
and whether further treatment is likely to mean you are able to work within the next two years
Then Centrelink will use something called ‘Impairment Tables’ to assess how your disability impacts on your daily life
Finally, to be eligible for the Disability Support Pension
Centrelink must determine that you are able to work for less than 15 hours per week within the next 2 years
For some people, you may have to participate in an employment support program to be eligible for the Disability Support Pension
This means participating in a Program of Support for 18 months in the three years before you claim DSP
Not everyone has to do this
and Canberra Community Law can help you work out if this applies to you
Applying for the Disability Support Pension can be a lot of work
Canberra Community Law can help
If your application is rejected
we can talk to you about how to appeal the decision
You should appeal the decision within 13 weeks
Canberra Community Law has a team of Centrelink lawyers who can help
Contact us on: (02) 6218 7900
or email info@canberracommunitylaw.org.au