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Debt repayments not on the customer’s record 107-05150000




For Debt Staff.

This document outlines locating debt repayments that are not showing on the customer's record.

On this page:

Locating payments not on the customer's record

Australia Post, direct debit, BPAY® or Money You Owe repayments

Withholding (WHS) repayments

Escalation

Locating payments not on the customer's record

Table 1

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Step

Action

1

Check Debt List (OPDL) screen

Check the repayment History (OPRH) screen for the payment.

There can be more than one page of debts on the OPDL screen. Payments may split over multiple debts. Search all debts. For example a payment of $500 may have been split over multiple debts. $300 went to Debt A, $100 went to Debt B and $100 went to Debt C.

Does the customer have more than 1 debt on the OPDL screen?

2

Check all debts

Check the Repayment History (OPRH) screen for each debt, including finalised debts.

Was the payment located?

3

Payment details

Ask the customer for:

  • payment method (such as BPAY® or cash)
  • date of the payment
  • full amount paid
  • receipt number (if applicable)
  • biller and customer reference number used (if applicable)
  • cheque or money order number (if applicable) and the address it was sent to
  • EFT remittance details (if applicable)
  • the intended CRN/s for the payment

4

Processing time

Most payments take at least 3 working days to show on a customer's record. Cheques and money orders will take longer when posted. Allow at least 10 days.

Has enough time passed for the payment to display on the customer's record?

Procedure ends here

5

Payment method

For:

  • Australia Post, direct debit, BPAY and Money You Owe payments, see Table 2
  • withholdings, see Table 3
  • EFT and mailed payments, see Table 4

Australia Post, direct debit, BPAY® or Money You Owe repayments

Table 2

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Step

Action

1

Payment method

For payment method:

2

Australia Post

Does the customer have a receipt?

  • Yes, go to Step 3
  • No:
    • do not credit the payment. The customer must provide more information, for example, cashed cheque details, receipt number
    • advise the customer to call back once they have more information
    • record a DOC

Procedure ends here

3

Receipt details

The receipt must show Services Australia - Centrelink. The receipt must have the same customer reference number as the Extra Details (OPXD) screen.

Does the receipt show Services Australia with the correct reference number?

4

Customer to contact Australia Post office/outlet

If the customer paid someone else in error, the customer must correct the error:

  • customer can contact the Australia Post office/outlet where they made the repayment, and request they apply the payment to the agency, or reverse it
  • record details on a DOC

Procedure ends here.

5

Direct Debit

Confirm the deduction has occurred. Check the customer's bank statement. The statement will show a reference number for the deduction. This should match the reference number on the OPXD screen.

Did the payment deduct from the customer's account?

6

Check account details

Go to the Direct Debit (OPVD) screen. Check the account details and start date of the deduction.

Are the account details correct and has the deduction commenced?

7

BPAY

Does the customer have a BPAY receipt number?

  • Yes, go to Step 8
  • No:
    • advise the customer to call back once they have a receipt number
    • record detail on a DOC

Procedure ends here.

8

Check Biller Code used

Check the customer has used the correct Biller Code, see General Centrelink debt recovery information. If the customer used another biller code by mistake, the customer is responsible for correcting the error.

Has the customer used the correct Biller code?

  • Yes, see Table 4
  • No, the customer should:
    • contact the financial institution and have the payment reversed or directed to the agency

Procedure ends here.

9

Money You Owe

Credit and debit card payments made via A self service option is available Money You Owe can take up to 48 hours to:

  • adjust the debt balance, and
  • show on the customer's record

Check manage receipt in Process Direct:

  • go to the Customer Summary tile
  • key the customer’s CRN, select Go
  • select the customer from the search results
  • select More Options icon from the bottom right hand corner of the screen
  • select Manage Receipts

See the Resources page (Table 4 and Table 6) in Process Direct navigation, common screens and functions.

Is the Payment showing in Manage Receipts?

10

Payments made 48 hours ago or more

Did the customer make the payment more than 48 hours ago?

  • Yes, see Table 4
  • No, and payment is not showing in Manage Receipts:

Procedure ends here.


Withholding (WHS) repayments

Table 3

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Step

Action

1

Check the Payment Summary (PS) screen

Ensure the correct system is used to view the payments:

  • go to the PS screen
  • select the relevant payment, press [Enter]
  • on the Payment Details (PD) screen check for a WHS amount in the deduction column

Does the PD screen show a WHS amount in the deduction column?

2

Income support or Reconciliation payment type

Check the payment type field on the Payment Details (PD) screen.

Is the payment type for reconciliation?

3

Check the Withholding Instruction (OPWH) screen

Go to the Payment Arrangement List (OPAL) screen. Check the start and end date of the WHS arrangements.

Did the WHS arrangement start before the date of the deduction?

4

Check the deductions hierarchy

WHS will only apply if there is enough money after:

  • payment penalty
  • immediate payment recovery, and
  • advance payments

See General Centrelink debt recovery information for the Deductions from payment hierarchy.

Are there enough funds remaining in the customer's payment for WHS to apply?

  • Yes, go to Step 5
  • No:
    • advise the customer there was not enough money left over for WHS to apply after other deductions
    • record details on a DOC

Procedure ends here.

5

Processing delay

WHS should apply to a debt on the same day a customer received their payment. Occasionally there may be a delay.

Have 3 business days passed since the delivery date on PS screen?

  • Yes, see Table 4
  • No:
    • advise the customer there is a delay in the payment applying to their debt. They can check Money You Owe for their payment history
    • record a DOC

Procedure ends here.

6

FAO offsetting WHS

Withholdings from Reconciliation payments will not display on the OPAL screen.

Locate the WHS destination:

  • go to the PD and check the financial year for the reconciliation payment
  • go to FRCS:
    • press [Enter] twice
    • key the relevant financial year in the Financial Year field
    • press [Enter]
  • check the Calculation Status field for a completed reconciliation
  • go to the FTB WHS for Debt Recovery (FWDC) screen by keying 'W' in the available field next to the completed reconciliation line

Any amount withheld will show under the current and other years debt withheld section. WHS did not apply to the reconciliation payment if no amounts display.

Did WHS apply to the reconciliation payment?

7

Locate the WHS Debt ID

Check the OPRH screen of each debt listed on FWDC. If the debt does not show on OPDL check Parked Debt List (OPDLP) screen.

Were the WHS located?

  • Yes:
    • advise the customer where the payment went
    • record details on a DOC
    • procedure ends here
  • No, see Table 4

Escalation

Table 4

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Step

Action

1

Debt Staff or Quality Development Officers (QDO)

For:

2

Escalate to QDO

To refer to a QDO:

  • record a DOC, include payment details
  • refer to a QDO via email for follow up
  • check the customer's phone numbers are correct
  • advise the customer the enquiry has been referred for follow up

Procedure ends here.

3

Investigate

Check the record for the missing payment, using the details provided by the customer. This includes:

  • rechecking the customer's record for the payment
  • checking all CRN's the payment relates to. The payment may be receipted against one CRN instead of two or more
  • checking the reference number used to make the payment matched the reference number on the Extra Details (OPXD) screen
  • requesting any receipts or additional information from the customer

Was the payment located?

4

Further intervention

Do not manually correct any payments. If the payments are not located, or requires further intervention to correct, refer the enquiry to the appropriate area.

Does the payment require further intervention?

  • Yes, go to Step 5
  • No, respond to the Debt Staff member. Request they call the customer to advise the payment has been located

Procedure ends here.

5

Specialist areas

If a payment cannot be located or requires action by a specialist team refer the enquiry to the relevant team. For:

6

MySupport

Lodge a mySupport request. Refer the following details to Debt and Compensation Program Branch:

  • Customer Reference Number (CRN)
  • total amount withheld
  • payment type
  • delivery date
  • mySupport details
  • record details on a DOC

Procedure ends here.

7

Refer details to the Debt Administration and Bankruptcy Team

Refer the following details to the Debt Finance Team:

  • Customer Reference Number (CRN)
  • intended CRN's and debts ID's
  • payment method
  • total amount paid
  • date of payment and receipt numbers
  • any relevant payment codes and customer reference numbers
  • cheque details including date, number and account holder (if applicable)
  • EFT remittance details including date number and receipt number
  • record details on a DOC

Procedure ends here.