Social Security Rights Victoria

Social Security Rights Victoria is excited to announce that from 1 July 2025 it became a program within Holstep Health. The new arrangement aims to strengthen, sustain and extend the delivery of specialist statewide social security legal services. It will also extend Holstep Health’s reach across Victoria and it’s service offerings to the community: https://www.ssrv.org.au/social-security-rights-victoria-joins-holstep-health/

DSP consistently remains one of the most common reasons clients and workers contact SSRV for help. The DSP clinic allows more vulnerable Victorians access to justice by providing one-hour long appointments with a lawyer to discuss their DSP eligibility and answer any questions: https://www.ssrv.org.au/ssrv-dsp-clinic/

Today is National Sorry Day, a day that acknowledges and raises awareness of the history and continued effect of the forced removal of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people from their families, communities and culture. SSRV understands the role of justice in achieving positive outcomes, and keeping the health and wellbeing of Indigenous Australians at the forefront of the national agenda is a key focus of our work.

SSRV delivers free webinars on common Centrelink topics, to complement our tailored sessions and to make our community legal education more accessible than ever before. Read about our work here: https://www.ssrv.org.au/ssrv-delivering-community-legal-education/

Extreme heat is a real concern for many Australians as summer kicks in - but did you know research shows that people who live in social housing, the majority of whom are Centrelink recipients, are especially vulnerable to extreme heat? https://www.ssrv.org.au/extreme-heat-vulnerable-people-and-the-disaster-payment/

In addition to the recent member of a couple changes, the Social Security Gide has also been amended to include natural disasters as an example of ‘special circumstances’ for the purpose of debt waiver: https://www.ssrv.org.au/social-security-guide-amended-to-include-natural-disasters-as-a-special-circumstance-for-debt-waiver/

SSRV has launched a new Disability Support Pension advice clinic established through a pro bono partnership with Hall & Wilcox. The clinic increases SSRV’s capacity to provide vulnerable Victorians with specialist advice helping them understand their eligibility for Disability Support Pension: https://www.ssrv.org.au/ssrv-launches-new-disability-support-pension-clinic/

Ever wondered how SSRV supports Victorians experiencing Centrelink issues?

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