This is a very quick update, as I have noticed quite a few parents talking about how they have been denied their family tax benefits and I wanted to make sure that everyone knows what they are and are not entitled to through Centrelink.

I am sure you are not surprised to know that Centrelink staff have been giving parents in our community the run around yet again, this time about their eligibility for the Family Tax Benefit (FTB) A supplement payment (the end of financial year payment of $726 per child per year) and even family tax benefits in general!

Let me state this very clearly…you do not need your children vaccinated in order to be eligible for FTB A and B payments (the fortnightly payments) it is the supplement payments that are affected and if anyone from Centrelink tells you otherwise ask to speak to a supervisor!

If your children were eligible for the FTB A supplement payments in 2015 and were still eligible up to the 31st December 2015, then you are entitled to half of the supplement payment you would have received had they been vaccinated. Also to be recognised as fully vaccinated they need to vaccinated up to and including their 4 year old shots, depending on the year of their birth.

So if you have not received half of your FTB A supplement payment yet and you are eligible for it, please get on to Centrelink straightaway and sort that out.

Here is a blog I wrote back in December 2015 that I have updated with information that is relevant to parents now, if you have any questions it would be worth your while to check it out.