Post by Banker on Apr 20, 2013 3:32:36 GMT 7
If a Centrelink officer comes to your home, you:
do not have to let them in
can arrange to answer their questions at another time
It is a good idea to get legal advice before answering questions from Centrelink.
If you get a Centrelink payment a Centrelink officer may come to your home to:
review your entitlements to Centrelink payments
investigate an incorrect payment or overpayment
investigate whether you have committed fraud.
Things Centrelink may ask you about include:
whether you or your partner are working or receiving any income
the arrangements for care of your children
whether you are a member of a couple.
Centrelink can ask you questions informally, or they can ask you to do a formal interview.
If you answer, your answers could be used to prove that you:
are not entitled to a payment
have been overpaid
have committed a criminal offence such as fraud.
It is a good idea to get legal advice before answering Centrelink’s questions.
Your rights
If you receive a home visit, you have the right to:
know the reason for the visit – ask the Centrelink officer about any information they have received (if there has been a ‘tip-off’ they will not tell you who made it)
tell them to leave your home immediately or at any time (if you let them in).
If a Centrelink officer starts asking you questions about your circumstances, or if they ask you to do a formal interview, you have the right to:
get legal advice before deciding whether to answer their questions
ask them to write down the questions for you or send them to you in a formal notice so you can have a chance to get legal advice and decide whether you want to answer the questions
have another person present if you choose to answer their questions – including an interpreter if you need one
be given a brochure about your rights – the brochure should include the Centrelink officer’s name and phone number.
A Centrelink officer does not have the authority to advise you that you will not face criminal fraud charges if you ‘tell them everything in full’.
Get help
www.legalaid.vic.gov.au/find-legal-answers/centrelink/your-rights-if-centrelink-comes-to-your-home
do not have to let them in
can arrange to answer their questions at another time
It is a good idea to get legal advice before answering questions from Centrelink.
If you get a Centrelink payment a Centrelink officer may come to your home to:
review your entitlements to Centrelink payments
investigate an incorrect payment or overpayment
investigate whether you have committed fraud.
Things Centrelink may ask you about include:
whether you or your partner are working or receiving any income
the arrangements for care of your children
whether you are a member of a couple.
Centrelink can ask you questions informally, or they can ask you to do a formal interview.
If you answer, your answers could be used to prove that you:
are not entitled to a payment
have been overpaid
have committed a criminal offence such as fraud.
It is a good idea to get legal advice before answering Centrelink’s questions.
Your rights
If you receive a home visit, you have the right to:
know the reason for the visit – ask the Centrelink officer about any information they have received (if there has been a ‘tip-off’ they will not tell you who made it)
tell them to leave your home immediately or at any time (if you let them in).
If a Centrelink officer starts asking you questions about your circumstances, or if they ask you to do a formal interview, you have the right to:
get legal advice before deciding whether to answer their questions
ask them to write down the questions for you or send them to you in a formal notice so you can have a chance to get legal advice and decide whether you want to answer the questions
have another person present if you choose to answer their questions – including an interpreter if you need one
be given a brochure about your rights – the brochure should include the Centrelink officer’s name and phone number.
A Centrelink officer does not have the authority to advise you that you will not face criminal fraud charges if you ‘tell them everything in full’.
Get help
www.legalaid.vic.gov.au/find-legal-answers/centrelink/your-rights-if-centrelink-comes-to-your-home