Rent assistance cannot be backdated. Payments can only be paid from the payday following notification that you are renting.
When you are granted an age pension, and periodically after that, you will be notified of your obligations. You will be required to report within 14 days (28 days if you receive remote area allowance) on changes to your circumstances that might affect the rate of rent assistance. In relation to your rent assistance, the sorts of things you would need to report on within the 14 days (28 days if you receive remote area allowance) are if:
- the amount you pay in rent changes;
- you stop paying rent;
- you change your address;
- you are single, and you commence to share the accommodation that you are renting
- you start paying government rent, including paying rent to another person who pays government rent;
- you move into a retirement village or other accommodation; or
- you travel overseas.
This information should help Centrelink determine your eligibility and how much rent assistance you are entitled to.
Remember that, your rent assistance entitlement goes from when you applied, not from when you could have applied for it.