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Glynnis
Member Posts: 360 ✭
Hi everyone
I'm sure this has properly been asked before but not sure so here goes.
I'm 60, have metastatic breast cancer in 3 spots, 2 in spin and 1 in pelvis it's stable on the medications, the medications I take are kisqali, letrozole, blood pressure meds, and cholesterol meds, I also have a kidney stent in.
Seriously thinking about giving up work at the moment.
My question is how can centrelink help me if I give up work?
Finding I'm getting very tired and am up at least 4 times during the night with the stent.
I work in retail 3 1/2 days a week So 15 hours in total but just feel it's getting a bit much at the moment, so any help would be appreciated, if anyone has been in same position at all.
Thanks all 😀
I'm sure this has properly been asked before but not sure so here goes.
I'm 60, have metastatic breast cancer in 3 spots, 2 in spin and 1 in pelvis it's stable on the medications, the medications I take are kisqali, letrozole, blood pressure meds, and cholesterol meds, I also have a kidney stent in.
Seriously thinking about giving up work at the moment.
My question is how can centrelink help me if I give up work?
Finding I'm getting very tired and am up at least 4 times during the night with the stent.
I work in retail 3 1/2 days a week So 15 hours in total but just feel it's getting a bit much at the moment, so any help would be appreciated, if anyone has been in same position at all.
Thanks all 😀
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Comments
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Hi Glynnis,
I'm not in your position but I've found this link which I think is up to date. As far as I can see you would be entitled to the Disability Support Pension:
https://www.dss.gov.au/our-responsibilities/disability-and-carers/benefits-payments/disability-support-pension-dsp-better-and-fairer-assessments/fast-tracking-disability-support-pension-claims-for-people-with-profound-disability-or-terminal-illness
Good luck and I wish you well.1 -
Glynnis if you decide to opt for the disability pension I urge you to find a friend, colleague, someone on this forum to assist you through this process. You may be one of the lucky ones but such procedures can be like going through a maze at the Mad Hatter's Tea Party. I also suggest that you take someone with you to all meetings, interviews etc. Centrelink has its own language and culture and they may even override your Dr's or Oncologist's diagnosis and recommendations. Be prepared and use this forum to vent - we all come up against obstacles and at times you may feel as though the world is upside down - vent when necessary! Good luck and make sure you do what is/feels right for you!
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I think @Beryl C.has a fair point. It depends a lot on the person you see, their interpretation of the guidelines and also of your diagnosis. It may also depend on someone’s estimation of your capacity to work, at almost anything. If you can enlist the assistance of someone articulate, tenacious and experienced in bureaucracy, it may help immensely. Best wishes.3
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The only applicants who are automatically approved for a disability pension are these. Legally blind, I.Q of below 70 or terminally ill with a life expectancy of 2 years or less. Other than that, you have to jump through the hoops where you have to score at least 20 points on their forms. These points are "earned" based on actual physical disability, such as "Upper limb disability" which scores points on a sliding scale. Lower limbs, incontinence, partial blindness, deafness etc. However, the devil is in the detail, as each potential category states that the applicants declaration of the disability is not sufficient. There needs to be medically documented detail of the nature of the disability, when it was diagnosed, by whom it was diagnosed, and most importantly, pathology reports, x rays, ct scans and so on to verify this. There is a very detailed document on the internet. Google Centrelink Disability Pension Points, make a hard copy, then assess yourself as to what you think you would "earn" for each potential point. Then I would suggest you consult the hospital social worker to advise and assist you through the process. Of course, if your oncologist states in writing that your disease is that far advanced and that treatment is no longer working for you and that your expected time left is less than two years, then the social worker should be able to fast track the application. good luck with it all.5
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Do you have superannuation? You may be able to access this earlier due to chronic disease issues. I know people who have done this with arthritis.1
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Also you could start out on sickness benefits which is less, then go onto apply for disability.1
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Hello @Glynnis you might find the information about access to superannuation useful in the fact sheet also
https://www.bcna.org.au/media/7440/bcna_superannuation_factsheet_mar19.pdf
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Dear @Glynnis, I really agree with @Beryl C. and others above. The right Centrelink social worker, or hospital social worker might be a good advocate. Would your GP/oncologist be cooperative with Dr certificates if you do need to go down the sickness benefit path for a while? Hope you are having some fun times and relaxation too.
from jennyss in Western NSW0 -
Thank you all, I'm thinking of taking sick leave for the time being yes oncolgist doesn't have a problem giving me a certificate. I also think I was having one of those off days yesterday, got myself worked up and over thought things as we do, today I spoke to my boss cleared the air so we have a new roster starting in couple weeks so I'll give that time and see what happens there. Yes thought about my super too. At least i now know where to go when im ready, again thankyou all for your advise knew all you ladies would be able to advise 😀😀😀1
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Hi Glynnis
I have just been successful with getting total disability claim through and early access to my super & life insurance, so be sure to sing out if you want to go down this route as I am happy to help in whatever way I can.
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