Independent Social Security Handbook

ONLINE EDITION now available “free”* in Tasmania!!!

Word version

The ONLINE EDITION of the Independent Social Security Handbook is now available “free”* for all non-government and government human services workers across Tasmania. Through a partnership with the Welfare Rights Centre (WRC Sydney) and, the Department of Health and Human Services has agreed to provide access for all Government and Community workers to this important resource.

What is the Independent Social Security Handbook?

In Tasmania, over 150,000 people receive a pension or benefits through Centrelink, and a further 80,000 families receive Family Tax Benefit (FTB) through Centrelink. The Independent Social Security Handbook is produced primarily for community workers so that they can help their clients with their Social Security and Centrelink problems. The Handbook contains 51 chapters and provides information on all of the major Social Security payments as well as information about issues such as people’s legal rights and appeal rights.

The ONLINE EDITION of the Handbook is fully updated every three months to take into account all the latest changes to Social Security law and policy and their administration by Centrelink.

How can my organisation access the ONLINE EDITION of the Handbook?

Simply go to the Welfare Rights website, click on Independent Social Security Handbook on the home page and follow the registration process. If there are other people in your workplace who will also use the ONLINE EDITION they should follow the same process. You will have to supply a username and password of your choice to gain access to the “Independent Social Security Handbook”, so choose and record carefully as you will need these whenever you access the Handbook.

Why use the ONLINE EDITION of the Handbook?

If you are a community worker your job will probably require you to know a bit about Social Security and its administration. You will probably have clients who have had adverse decisions made about their Social Security payment by Centrelink.

To help them you will need some information about Social Security provisions and Centrelink procedures. All the information you need is included in the ONLINE EDITION of the Handbook. If you need to know about the appeals system, or how to get information under Freedom of Information (FOI) provisions, or if your client has had their Social Security payment reduced or cancelled because of a breach, then the ONLINE EDITION contains all the information and relevant appeal forms for you to help them.

And of course, if you can’t fix the problem or require further advice, don’t hesitate to contact the Welfare Rights worker at the Hobart Community Legal Centre (Ph: 6223 2500) or at the Launceston Community Legal Centre (Ph: 6334 1577).