Help for Pensioners

The Internet

Learning about the internet is important for older members of the community. There are free access Online Access Centres throughout Tasmania. The access is available to pensioners and others. The State Library is one such Access Centre. Concessions on courses through Adult Education are also available.

Visual Aids

Assistance towards the cost of new lenses and basic frames, low vision aids, non-cosmetic contact lenses, prostheses and intra-ocular implants are available. The subsidies are 70 per cent of the cost. The assistance is available to eligible pensioners where a prescription has been issued by a participating optometrist. This service is potentially available for people at different stages of life, as it is an income based assessment. This includes pre-school age children, and adults post-school year 12 who have concession cards.

Transport

Discounts of 50 percent (up to a maximum per single journey) are available to eligible concession holders, such as pensioners, where they have a permanent and severe disability and meet the eligibility for membership of the Transport Access Scheme.

When people holding a concession card purchase a bus ticket, both to travel within the city and in Tasmania at large, concessions are available that significantly discount the price of travel.

Funerals

In certain circumstances the Federal government through Centrelink may provide additional support following a bereavement.

The Tasmanian Department of Health has health and safety obligations in relation to a deceased person where a family member cannot ‘claim’ the body. This means that the family cannot pay for a funeral. In that circumstance, the Department of Health will cremate the body but the Department will not provide the funeral expenses of a deceased person if there are known relatives who can ‘claim’ the deceased.

Heating Allowance

Payable to pensioners who meet the requirements of the Pensioner (Heating Allowance) Act 1971 (Tas). More information is available at on the Government Energy website at https://www.energy.gov.au/rebates/heating-allowance-pensioners.