We may select you at random to review your payment details. We may review your and your partner's details if you get one of the following payments: ABSTUDY. Age Pension.
We aim to finish a formal review within 49 days. Some may take longer than this. It depends on the details of the case.
Centrelink has very broad powers to demand information from any individual or organisation. For example, they can require your bank or your employer to give details of your financial transactions, or any other personal details that are relevant to your Centrelink entitlements.
If you don't tell us, we may pay you too much. This means you may get a debt and you'll need to pay us back. It's important to tell us if you change your legal name.
You can ask for a review of a decision about your Centrelink payments, Medicare debt or child support. To do this, write to us, call us on your regular payment line or visit a service centre. Read more about: reviews and appeals of a Centrelink decision.
These were previously known as Random Sample Reviews. We interview a random sample of customers who receive one of the major payment types we deliver. The reviews provide a point-in-time assessment to make sure people are not being overpaid or underpaid.
There are limits to how much you can have. We call these the assets test limits. The Department of Social Services reviews these limits and cut off points in January, March, July and September each year. Your assets include any property or possessions you own in full, in part, or have an interest in.
Centrelink False Claims
Giving false information on relationship status, disability status, or understating income with an aim of receiving benefits from the welfare or social security warrants a cause for action.
Centrelink do not normally tell you if they are investigating you. The initial phases of their investigation will be discreetly conducted by cross checking your financial information from your bank, ATO and even employer.
Centrelink is using controversial high-tech phone-breaking devices to reveal secrets hidden by suspected fraudsters in their smart phones. The agency says it uses the technology in strict accordance with the law and only when it has obtained a warrant when investigating cases of serious fraud.
The Work Bonus income bank is useful for pensioners who wish to work, particularly those who undertake intermittent or occasional work. Note: from 1 December 2022 to 31 December 2023, a one-off, temporary credit of $4,000 applies to Work Bonus income bank balances.
Bank interest reviews. We check your bank account information is up to date. We do this to check we paid you the right payment and amount in the past.
Centrelink has very wide powers to thoroughly investigate deposits that have been made into your account. For example, it has the power to obtain your information from other government agencies as well as accessing information from banks, building societies and credit union accounts.
We may notice you've been overpaid after you tell us of a change or complete a review. Once we know you've been overpaid, we check if you have a debt that you need to repay. You may not need to repay money if: we can offset the overpayment by deducting it from your next payment.
If a person does not agree with a decision made by Centrelink, they have the right to appeal the decision. An appeal can be made first to Centrelink, then to the Administrative Appeals Tribunal (AAT) then the Federal Court in limited cases.
If Centrelink decide you are not eligible for the DSP they will reject your application. If you do not agree with this decision, you may ask Centrelink to review it.
If you have defrauded Centrelink, you may be charged under section 134.2 – obtaining a financial advantage by deception. If you are found guilty, the maximum penalty is 10 years imprisonment. You may instead, or also, receive a fine between $10,000 and $100,000 and be made to repay the benefit to Centrelink.
You can request a Statement of Debt for any 5 year period going back to 1998. You can make more than one request.
If you lie to Centrelink about your circumstances, you may receive benefits that you would otherwise not be entitled to. Courts view Centrelink fraud very seriously and if found guilty you could face a sentence of imprisonment and will be required to repay the debt to Centrelink.
For your Special Benefit claim you must provide bank statements for the last 3 months for all accounts you have. This includes any overseas accounts. If you have a partner, we'll also require bank statements for all accounts held by them.
Extreme circumstances are events such as severe property damage from a house fire or flood. It can also be community violence. To get this payment you must be all of the following: Moving house due to an extreme circumstance, such as fire, flood or community violence.
you may be prosecuted, resulting in a fine or prison sentence. you may be asked to pay a penalty as an alternative to prosecution. you may receive a formal caution. your benefit may be reduced or withdrawn.
Has the client provided their financial documents? The financial document requirements for Centrelink recipients are a Centrelink statement and 3 months of recent bank statements for all accounts.
You can expect to hear from us within 21 days of submitting your claim. It's best to submit your claim as soon as possible after your circumstances change, or you stop getting another payment from us. This way there may be less time between your last payment from your employer and your first payment from us.
If you're receiving a Centrelink benefit, your home loan application will be processed the same as any other: you save a deposit and then borrow money from the lender, which you pay back with interest. However, not all lenders accept Centrelink payments as income and those that do, have a stricter application process.