The number of calls to Centrelink that went unanswered almost doubled in the year to March 31, 2024, to more than 11million.
The shocking figure has been revealed in Services Australia data, as Centrelink also issued an urgent warning about payments made to huge numbers of Aussies.
The new figures revealed there were a massive 11,268,048 congestion messages, up from 6,997,300 in the previous 12-month period, on Centrelink’s social security and welfare lines.
Congestion messages are the automated recordings that tell people on hold in the phone queue that staff are too busy to answer them.
Those trying to get through to a person are referred to online services and then the call abruptly disconnects.
Nearly two million of those dropped calls were to the disabilities, sickness and carers line, and those who did get through still had to wait an average of 47 minutes.
And those huge numbers do not even include unanswered calls for Medicare and Centrelink aged care clients, who were hung up on more than a million times.
That figure was a disturbing 27,500 per cent increase on the previous year’s figure when just 4,067 people were hung up on.
The number of calls to Centrelink that went unanswered almost doubled in the year to March 31, 2024, to more than 11million (stock image)
Disgruntled Centrelink clients have vented their frustrations at the situation on social media.
‘It’s really fun that Centrelink keeps emailing to say … we need to call them. Even more fun that I’ve tried calling them every day for the last week, and it just hangs up,’ one person wrote, sarcastically.
Another said: ‘It’s like Centrelink is unaccountable via phone, but I will lose my payments if I don’t talk to someone. I can’t just take a potential week off (work) just to try to hopefully get through.’
A third person, who had an issue ‘that can’t be fixed in the Centrelink app or website’, was also furious at being hung up on.
‘Your solution is to call that number? And do what? Keep calling and getting hung up on again until I go insane?’ they tweeted.
‘There’s no queue, there’s no callback service. It puts the responsibility for fixing a Centrelink mistake on me, and then demands that I use hours of my time to fix it.’
Thousands of extra staff have been hired to work with Centrelink, and by April they had been trained to take calls and process claims, Services Australia said.
Its general manager, Hank Jongen claimed the ‘use of congestion messaging has halved since January’ and that wait times are down.
‘Overall, Centrelink call wait times have fallen from an average of 31 minutes in January to about 25 minutes in June, depending on the day,’ he told 7News.
The new hires and their colleagues have a huge backlog of claims to get through, though, and the situation is still very difficult for vulnerable people.
‘In some cases, people are calling because their payments have been reduced or cut off, preventing them from paying their rent or buying food,’ Australian Council of Social Services (ACoSS) acting CEO Edwina MacDonald said.
‘Long call wait times are a big problem because that means people who need support cannot get the help they need.
‘It’s of huge concern that there were over 11million congestion messages, which block the caller, telling them to try again another time because the lines are too busy.’
Ms MacDonald said ACoSS welcomed the investment of $1.8billion to hire 3,000 new staff, but ‘many are still waiting far too long’.
‘The government must continue to invest in Services Australia including by employing and retaining skilled staff, after many years of cuts to this essential service.’
Meanwhile, people getting Centrelink benefits who are heading overseas have been warned to tell the government about their plans.
‘There are rules covering how travelling outside Australia may affect your payment or concession card,’ the agency said, depending on ‘the payment or concession card you get’.
Welfare recipients have been reminded that if they leave Australia, their payments may be adjusted or even completely stopped.
Centrelink clients are advised to check their account regularly through the myGov website and to tell the agency about their travel plans.
‘If you can’t tell us online, you can tell us by calling us on the phone number that relates to your affected payment,’ Centrelink said.
Before leaving Australia, recipients must report their income on the last business day before going abroad, even if their reporting day falls on or after they leave.
They should also let the government know if they are travelling overseas to see a partner while getting benefits as a single person.
‘If you’re going overseas to visit your partner … we need to review your payment before you leave, otherwise we may pay you too much,’ the agency said.
If Centrelink tries to get in touch with a recipient while they’re abroad but can’t, their payment or concession card could be stopped and may not be restored until the client is back in Australia.
There were a massive 11,268,048 congestion messages, up from 6,997,300 in the previous 12-month period, on Centrelink’s social security and welfare lines. A queue at a Centrelink office is pictured
People getting Centrelink benefits who are heading overseas have been warned to tell the government about their plans. A queue at a Centrelink office is pictured
If you are travelling out of Australia for less than a year, eligible payments will continue every two weeks as usual, so long as Centrelink is aware of the person’s plans.
If they are out of the country for more than a year, payments will be made every four weeks instead.
Those monthly payments can be paid into an overseas bank account in the local currency or US dollars depending on where the person is travelling.
If a serious issue, such as an illness or natural disaster, affects a person’s ability to get home to Australia, payments may be extended, but the client will have to contact Centrelink International Services.