KGWragg

Just now, ramot said:

Hope that helps, but please do check my information was correct.

Thank you. KGW

33 minutes ago, ramot said:

Whoops we have always had a seniors card from day one. Don’t tell anyone!!  Not easy for people who are here in their elderly years, but not entitled to help, very worrying. Glad I insisted on us getting PR, my husband was very against it, thought it was totally unnecessary as we were ‘safe’ here on our visa.i insisted better safe than sorry..

Again we have like many others on Bridging Visas got our Seniors Card. Regards. KGW

17 minutes ago, Marisawright said:

Were you not aware of this before you decided to apply onshore for the visa?

The reason the Contributory Parents' Visa is so expensive is to compensate for the high medical costs associated with old age.  I came to Australia in the 1980's and I've contributed 35 years of taxes into the system.  A British parent arriving on a Parent Visa hasn't contributed a cent to the system, but will be entitled to all the same benefits as me - so it's only fair they put some money in the pot (in the form of the visa fees). 

By making the choice to apply onshore, you were able to avoid that contribution - but having done so, it's not reasonable to expect to get the benefits.   You are lucky that as a British person, you can access most of Medicare at the same level as Australians - and frankly, I think you're very lucky that you're going to get a concession card eventually, considering you have bypassed the aforesaid contribution.

Applying onshore for a parent visa is perfectly legal, but it has its disadvantages.  I'm sorry if you weren't fully informed about what those were before you moved, but you've been here long enough now to discover all the downsides. 

Thank you for your reply, I did ask your advice before coming to Aus and I was grateful for all the information you gave, but like others we have our Seniors Cards, we again do not look for handouts, but came to enjoy our remaining years joining our only daughter and Grandson, we are using Seniors card to shop in the hour for Seniors. Good to hear from you again. KGW.

38 minutes ago, ramot said:

 

To the best of my knowledge you aren’t restricted to having a concession card to go shopping for the 1 hour shopping break. Please check this out. I think a seniors card is accepted? We haven’t been stopped from shopping during the shopping break as sadly it is obvious we are of the accepted age group.. I don’t know where you live, but on the Sunshine Coast, we have not had to show any identification at all.

Hope this helps, keep safe xM

ps sorry I don’t know what visa you are on if you are on a bridging visa? but I really don’t think you would be turned away from the shop if obviously in the age group. You could always ring your local supermarket .

Woolworths has a priority assistance program you can sign up for, again worth checking out.

Thank you for your reply. We do have our seniors card! so we will be using this, thank you again for you reply. Kindest Regards. KGW

Hello.

you helped us before we came to Australia and again this was appreciated.

we would be grateful if you could advise on the following. I am Aged 75 in the UK was registered Disabled, I have severe lung problems, along with Rheumatoid Arthritis, my wife also has health issues, I have been given a Blue Disabled Badge because of my condition. We have been told we are not entitled to a concession card for 2 years, we arrived in December 2018. Last week our scrips for the month cost $195, the 1 hour shopping break for Seniors/ Disabled was only for people having got a concession card, my wife wanted to shop during this period to cut down the risk to me with being in crowds, I am considered high risk. Scott Morrison has said we are all in this together, but we feel we are being left out, we purchased a property, we have had 1st class help from everyone, we have been welcomed, we are not looking for handouts but feel because of this Corona Virus situation that we are all in we should be considered for this concession card, it would mean so much to us, hope you can advise.

K.G.Wragg.

Thank you for your advice, it was appreciated.

kindest Regards.

KGW

Thank you for your reply. We have noticed that our pension rate varies and we are aware this is due to our ongoing Brexit situation and trade with China issues, but we would have thought that the UK pension service when sending our pensions would tell us what Transfer rate we have received, we just wondered why they don’t do this!!

again your comments are appreciated.

kindest Regards,

KGW.

Hello.

just to thank you all for the help/ advice we received in the UK before leaving for ADELAIDE.we are now settled and would like to ask the community the following? How can we find out the Transfer Rate of our Retirement State Pension from the UK that we receive monthly, it’s paid into our Australian Bank but we never know what rate we get when it leaves the UK. Would appreciate your help/ advice, again thank you for your help that you gave us prior to leaving the UK.

K.G.W.