Welfare Rights Centre is a community legal centre specialising in social security and family assistance law.
We help people who have a problem with Centrelink.

need advice ?

information hub

first nations

training and events

advocacy & law reform

about the centre

📢 Welcome Tien Nguyen to the Welfare Rights Cen

📢 Welcome Tien Nguyen to the Welfare Rights Centre!

We’re excited to welcome Tien Nguyen as our new Intake Officer.

With experience in frontline casework at @barnardos_au and a passion for social justice, Tien is dedicated to supporting vulnerable communities and driving systemic change.

A first-generation immigrant and daughter of a refugee, she holds a Bachelor of Social Work and Criminology (Honours) from UNSW and is committed to amplifying voices that often go unheard.

We’re lucky to have her on board—join us in welcoming Tien! 🎉

👉 Learn more about Tien and our team on our website through the link in our bio 🔗

📽️ Our Families with Children & Centrelink co

📽️ Our Families with Children & Centrelink community worker training webinar is now available to watch—for free—on our website!

This session is designed to help community workers to navigate Centrelink’s complex processes and better support their clients.

💡 Key topics covered:
✅ Centrelink payments: Parenting Payment, Family Tax Benefit, Parental Leave Pay, Dad and Partner Pay, Carer Payment & Child Care Subsidy
✅ Eligibility requirements, income & asset tests, mutual obligations, and residency rules
✅ Navigating the Member of a Couple rule and FADV payments
✅ What to do if a claim is rejected, a payment is stopped, or a debt is raised
✅ How to access Centrelink Social Workers for additional support

This training provides essential insights to help you guide families through Centrelink processes with confidence.

Watch now through the link in our bio 🔗

A big thank you to @ecstra.foundation for supporting our Community Worker Training program.

Residency rules, evidence requirements, and financ

Residency rules, evidence requirements, and financial dependence can make it hard to leave an abusive relationship.

Our Family and Domestic Violence fact sheet will help you to navigate FADV & Centrelink.
Read it now through the link in our bio 🔗

Happy International Women’s Day! At Welfare Righ

Happy International Women’s Day!
At Welfare Rights Centre we are constantly striving, with a female led workforce to develop and ensure that our strategies, resources, and activities positively impact women’s advancement and well-being. This includes upskilling community workers, transforming the lives of our clients, with free legal advice, information and access to income support, as well as training young women as volunteers and developing a new wave of social justice defenders.
#IWD2025 #WelfareRightsCentre #InternationalWomensDay #GenderEquality

📣 We’re excited to announce that we’ve offi

📣 We’re excited to announce that we’ve officially joined Bluesky!

Due to recent worldwide events, we feel a moral and social obligation to begin winding down our account on Twitter and to transition to a more progressive, stable and trustworthy platform.

Bluesky aligns with our values of transparency, equality, and inclusivity, and we look forward to continuing meaningful conversations with you in this new space.

Follow us now on Bluesky though the link in our bio 🔗

We’re aware that some students who have recently

We’re aware that some students who have recently migrated to Australia are having their claims for Youth Allowance and other payments wrongly rejected.

New migrants to Australia generally have to wait 4 years until they can get an income support payment from Centrelink under the Newly Arrived Resident’s Waiting Period (NARWP). That doesn’t apply to refugees and partners and children of refugees who may be able to get a payment immediately.

If you are a refugee or the family member of a refugee and you’ve had your claim for a Centrelink payment rejected because of the NARWP, you should ask for a formal review of the rejection by an Authorised Review Officer at Centrelink.

It’s important to do this within 13 weeks of the rejection so that you can receive back pay to the date you originally claimed.

If you live in NSW and you received a Centrelink decision that seems unfair or incorrect, you can contact us for free legal advice on 1800 226 028.

Alternatively, you can send a message through our website - link in bio 🔗

Are you caring for someone who is frail, ill, inju

Are you caring for someone who is frail, ill, injured, or has a disability? Gain clarity on the Centrelink payments designed for carers, including:
✔️ Carer Payment
✔️ Carer Allowance
✔️ Child Disability Assistance Payment

Our free, recorded webinar covers:
📋 Qualification and eligibility requirements, including care levels and respite rules.
📑 Centrelink assessment tools and the medical evidence needed.
🌏 Residency rules, income and assets tests, and factors affecting payments.
💬 Support services, including the role of Centrelink social workers.
🛠️ What to do if your claim is rejected and where to get help.

This session is packed with practical advice to help community workers support carers with navigating the social security system.

🎥 Watch our webinar now via our website - link in bio 🔗

Thank you to @ecstra.foundation for making our Community Worker Training program possible.

If you're claiming Youth Allowance, Austudy or ABS

If you're claiming Youth Allowance, Austudy or ABSTUDY Living Allowance while you're completing a higher education course but you need extra funds to get through the semester, you can apply for a Student Start-up Loan 🎓
⠀
The Student Start-up Loan is $1,321, and it is interest-free and tax-free. If you're an eligible borrower, you can get this loan twice a year during two separate periods. The current period runs from 1 January to 30 June 2025.
⠀
You can apply for the loan now through your Centrelink account if you're continuing a course. If you're starting a new course, apply for the loan when your course starts. You must apply at least 35 days before your course ends.
⠀
Student Start-up Loans can be helpful if you're struggling but remember - it is a loan and once your income passes a threshold you will have to repay it.
⠀
💡 Find out more through the 🔗 in our bio.

🌟 We’re excited to be part of Bring Your Bill

🌟 We’re excited to be part of Bring Your Bill & Fill Your Form Day on Thursday 27th February 🌟

This initiative hosted by @dai_le is all about connecting the local community with providers and government services that can help with financial and cost-of-living support.

📅 Date: Thursday, 27th February 2025
⏰ Time: 10:00 AM – 1:00 PM & 2:00 PM – 4:00 PM
📍 Location: Liverpool Civic Place, Level 1, Council Chambers, 52 Scott Street, Liverpool 2170

Don’t miss out on this fantastic opportunity for free social security support!

We will be joined by other organisations such as @servicensw, @sydneywater, services.australia, @westernsydneymrc, @anglicaresydney, @arabcouncilaustralia, @australian_care_foundation and more.

See you there 📝

We are looking forward to being a part of the @uns

We are looking forward to being a part of the @unsw 'Leading in the Law: 2025 Legal Summit' this week and exploring access to justice and what leadership looks like in this space.

Our CEO Katherine Boyle will be sharing the panel with Dr. Warren Mundy, Judge Nell Skinner, chaired by The Hon.Ronald Sackville, AO KC.

Leading in the Law is a two-day event that will explore the multifaceted ways lawyers and the legal sector lead – from self-leadership to team leadership, and from shaping the profession to impacting society. It promises to be an unparalleled gathering of industry professionals and decision-makers, fostering forward thinking research and collaborative dialogue.

Read more about the Legal Summit here: https://www.unsw.edu.au/law-justice/centre-future-legal-profession/2025-legal-summit

Over the past six months, Welfare Rights Centre ha

Over the past six months, Welfare Rights Centre has provided financial relief to hundreds of people navigating the complexities of social security payments.

Our dedicated efforts have led to:
• Ensuring clients have access to annual payments amounting to $512,260.90
• Securing payment arrears exceeding $227,500
• Eliminating Centrelink debts totalling $30,686

By working at the intersection of legal and financial justice, we're not just advocating for our clients - we're making a tangible difference in their financial well-being.

These figures reflect our commitment to making a real difference to people who rely on income support.

If you or someone you know have a problem with Centrelink and accessing income support, you can contact us anytime through the 🔗 in our bio.

Together, we can work towards financial stability and justice for all who need it. ⚖️ 💙

Join us and Counterpoint Community Services today

Join us and Counterpoint Community Services today at Summer on the Green from 2-5pm at Waterloo Green! 🌞

This annual event brings together the local social housing communities in inner Sydney, with live entertainment, tasty food, information stalls, and fun activities for all ages.

Come swing by our stall and say hi – we’d love to see you there!

🌍⚖️ Today is World Social Justice Day – a

🌍⚖️ Today is World Social Justice Day – and the fight has never been more urgent.

Social justice is about fairness, equality, and dignity for all. But right now, we’re seeing attacks on equal rights, growing inequality, and crises in housing, climate and the cost of living.

Too many people are being left behind.

At Welfare Rights Centre we fight for real change—stronger social protections, a fair social security system, and justice for those who need it most. But we can’t do it alone.

💪 Now is the time to stand up, speak out, and take action. Together, we can build a world where no one is left behind.

🌟 Last week, we kicked off our first Volunteer

🌟 Last week, we kicked off our first Volunteer Induction for 2025! 🎉

We were thrilled to welcome a diverse group of (mostly) law and communications students, along with graduates, who will be joining us over the next six months. Together, we’ll be providing free legal support to NSW residents facing challenges with Centrelink.

Their passion for social justice and commitment to making a difference is truly inspiring. We’re excited to see how this incredible group of volunteers will help create positive change in our community. Here’s to a year of action, advocacy, and support!

Thank you to @teachersfed for generously supplying our venue, and to @unsw
and @utslaw for their enduring support.

if you missed out on applying for the first half of the year, we will be recruiting again in June. Learn more about our Volunteer Program through the link in our bio 🔗

For victim-survivors of family and domestic violen

For victim-survivors of family and domestic violence, financial independence is crucial, yet many struggle with limited financial resources and often face significant challenges in accessing and maintaining essential Centrelink payments.

Join us for a free in person workshop to help community workers support First Nations clients to access Centrelink income and financial support.

What you’ll gain:
• Practical skills and strategies for navigating Centrelink
• Recognise common challenges faced by clients
• Learn effective ways to assist clients in financial hardship during times of crisis
• Discover tips for improving access to income support
• Understand your options when dealing with Centrelink debts
• How to lodge an appeal

This workshop is supported by @innerwestcouncil @alintaenergy and the @anz_au Community Foundation.

Register now through the 🔗 in our bio!

Want to gain a better understanding of Centrelink

Want to gain a better understanding of Centrelink payments for people who have children?

Our free community worker training webinar outlines Centrelink payments targeting families with children, including Parenting Payment, Family Tax Benefit, Parental Leave Pay, Dad and Partner Pay, Carer Payment and Child Care Subsidy.

Speakers address eligibility requirements, income and assets tests, mutual obligations relating to work, and the way that the number and age of children affects different payments.

Learn how to access a Centrelink Social Worker, and what to do if a claim is rejected, payment is stopped or a debt is raised.

We explain how relationship status (single/partnered) affects payment, and outline Centrelink payments intended to support people trying to escaping domestic violence.

We also address how issues related to separation can have a major impact on social security payments, particularly child support and the amount of time a child is in the care of each parent.

Register now through the link in our bio 🔗

🌹 Happy Valentine’s Day🌹 You may be cele

🌹 Happy Valentine’s Day🌹

You may be celebrating love and romance today or perhaps not. You may have moved in together, or moved out.
Whatever the case we want to remind you that if your relationship status has changed you will need to update Centrelink.

To avoid debts or to ensure you are being paid the correct amount, it’s generally best to update your relationship details within 14 days.

Find out more about what it means to be a member of a couple according to Centrelink in our factsheet:
Am I really in a relationship? - link in bio 🔗

We are thrilled to announce that Maxine Sharkey ha

We are thrilled to announce that Maxine Sharkey has joined the Welfare Rights Centre Board.

Maxine brings a wealth of experience from her role as General Secretary of the Australian Education Union NSW Teachers Federation Branch, where she oversees governance, finances, and employment matters for approximately 60,000 public education members.
Her leadership journey began as a TAFE Organiser in 2007, followed by significant roles including Federation Assistant Secretary (Post Schools) and Australian Education Union Federal TAFE Secretary.

With her deep commitment to protecting and enhancing essential public services like education, health, housing, and transport, Maxine is a passionate advocate for social justice.

Before her teaching career, Maxine worked in Family Support and Child Protection for the Department of Community Services, handling significant legal responsibilities. She holds a Bachelor of Social Science (Social Welfare) and a Bachelor of Vocational Education and Training (BVET).

We are excited to have Maxine’s experience and dedication to advocacy and equity guide our work at the Welfare Rights Centre.

Please join us in giving Maxine a warm welcome! 💛
Read more about our Board now through the link in our bio 🔗

We're excited about how many people we have helped

We're excited about how many people we have helped access DSP through our Community of Practice program 💜

Disability Support Pension (DSP) is notoriously difficult to access, leaving many without the vital support they need. That’s why Welfare Rights Centre is proud to run an annual Community of Practice—empowering community workers with the skills and resources to help clients navigate the DSP process.

And it’s working! Participants aren’t just gaining knowledge—they’re sharing it within their teams, creating a ripple effect that’s helping even more people in crisis get the income support they deserve.

Follow us or sign up to our newsletter to be part of our next DSP Community of Practice commencing in July 2025. Link in bio 🔗

More skills. More support. More people on DSP. That’s impact. 💪

Thank you to @ecstra.foundation for funding this important program.

Great news for community workers! By popular dema

Great news for community workers!

By popular demand, we’re now sharing recordings of our Community Worker Training sessions, so you can learn from Welfare Rights Centre experts at a time that suits you.

Explore key topics like:
• Students and Centrelink: Understand payment options for students.
• Domestic and Family Violence: Learn how it can affect Centrelink payments.
• Disability Support Pension: Tips for navigating the application process.
• Payments for Migrants: Discover what benefits may be available.
• Carers and Centrelink: Understand eligibility and qualifications for carers’ payments.

📅 Check our upcoming community worker training calendar and access video recordings through the link in our bio 🔗 📽️

Load More Follow on Instagram