Claiming Parenting Payment (PP) 007-01030100

Check the customer has a Centrelink online account linked to myGov.

If they do not have a Centrelink online account linked to myGov:

• See How users create a myGov account and link services
• tell customers how to create a myGov account and link their Centrelink online account to it. This will also enable them to receive Centrelink mail online through the myGov Inbox

Before the customer submits a claim, they may need to meet some more identity requirements. This could include bringing acceptable photo identity documents to a service centre or uploading a document in their Centrelink online account or the Express Plus Centrelink mobile app. The agency will let the customer know if they need to do this.

Service centre staff can help customers with their online claim through Self Service Terminals.

To check if Parenting Payment (PP) is the most appropriate service offer, customers can access the Payment and Service Finder:

• in their Centrelink online account, or
• on the Services Australia website

When discussing online claim options, Service Officers must check if the:

• remote indicator is showing on the Customer Overview, or
• residential address is in a remote location

To check if the address is in a remote location:

• search the town name in Office Locator
• view the Towns Result List
• view the Remoteness column

Customers who access Services Australia via an agent, Remote Service Centre, or phone, may require assistance to lodge an online claim.

Can the customer submit an Online claim?

• Yes, go to Step 2
• No:
  • If the customer lives in a remote Indigenous community, smart centre Service Officers can transfer the customer to the Remote Claims Processing (RCP) team using CXone Agent Workspace / Services Australia Workspace, to complete their Assisted Customer Claim (ACC). Procedure ends here
  • For all other customers, see the Assisted tab

Once the customer has linked their Centrelink online account to their myGov account, they need to:

• sign into myGov and access their linked Centrelink online account
• from the menu, select My details > Personal and contact details > My profile to make updates
  • The My profile page shows information from their Centrelink record
  • Select Update (relevant service name) in the sections such as Relationship or Interpreter details that need updating. Note: accommodation details are covered within the claim questions

To start an online claim for PP, customers must:

• sign into myGov and access their linked Centrelink online account
• from the menu, select Payments and claims > Claims > Make a claim
• select Get started in the Families category
• on the What would you like to do? window, select Apply for Parenting Payment
• Eligibility check for Parenting Payment question set will start. The customer must answer the streaming questions to check they are claiming the most appropriate payment based on their circumstances, and if they are eligible for a reduced question set claim. If they are not eligible for PP:
  • it refers them to the Payment and Service Finder, or
  • advises them to contact Services Australia to discuss a more suitable payment
  • they can select Back to return to the Make a claim page to begin another claim type
• if eligible after completing the questions, customers can start the claim
• The Claim navigation page will display sections of the claim required to be completed:
  • Your personal details
  • Your circumstances
  • Your financial details
  • Review and confirm
  • Next steps

Customers who provide a mobile phone number or email address:

• are told they are automatically subscribed to Electronic Messaging (EM) services, unless they have previously declined EM
• are asked to nominate a preferred contact method (SMS or email) for electronic messages
• are automatically subscribed to receive their Centrelink mail online in their myGov Inbox
• can opt out of these services at any time

To access the online claim, customers must:

• sign into myGov and access their linked Centrelink online account
• select MENU > Payments and claims > Claims > My online claims. A list of all online claims started by the customer will display

If the status of the claim is incomplete, the customer can choose to:

• Continue claim to display the next question set for completion, or
• Cancel claim. Page will display to confirm customer wants to do this. Once cancelled, the online claim cannot be viewed or continued. No claim information is recorded. The customer can start a new online claim at any time

The Claim navigation page displays the sections of the claim that must be completed. The sections must be completed in order and the next section cannot be started until the previous section is complete.

Select Start to begin each step.

Each section contains modules with relevant questions. On each question page, the customer can select Previous, to go back to the previous question. When each module is completed and the end of the section is reached, the customer is returned to the Claim navigation page to select the next section.

Customers can select Launch the digital assistant for help with the questions on the current page.

As a section is completed the customer has the option to return to a previously completed section to change their answers by selecting the Edit option. They can then go directly to the module they wish to update.

If a question is answered incorrectly, a red cross will appear in the dots on the right side of the page. Customers can select the red cross and it will take them directly to the page containing the error.

The claim does not have to be completed in one session. Customers can leave the Claim navigation page at any time and responses will be saved. The claim can be continued later.

Question sets include:

• Relationship details
  Note: where a customer advises they are separating, the process in Separating safely - protecting personal details must be followed to ensure personal information is kept safe.
• Contact Requirements - Aboriginal, Torres Strait Islander, Australian South Sea Islander, Interpreter, Permit to Enquire, Nominee
• Australian Residence
• Accommodation
• Child details

Question sets will depend on the customer's circumstances and the payment they are claiming. For example:

• Circumstances
• Your previous employer details
• Your Leave and Redundancy payments
• Additional circumstances

This section allows the claimant to supply or confirm information about their financial income and assets before submitting their claim. The module includes questions about:

• payment instructions
• savings
• investments
• business, trust and companies
• other assets
• income
• additional circumstances

Provide details later

If the customer cannot provide all their income and asset information, they can provide this information on a paper form. This is advised at Next steps.

The Confirm Details page contains a summary of all information provided by the customer so they can check what they have entered is correct.

A summary of My profile information also displays. Customers must ensure all information is correct.

To correct online claim or My profile information, the customer can select the Update button relevant to the answers requiring change. This will take them back to My profile or the relevant section of the claim to review/update the particular claim questions and responses.

Declaration

Once all information is correct, the customer must accept the 'Declaration' and the Acknowledgement by ticking the box. This means a signed claim form is not required.

Confirm Information

The customer must read and select the Confirmation Information button to save all the information provided in the claim. No answers in the claim can be changed once this button is selected.

Customers can access their started online claim using their Centrelink online account or the Centrelink Express Plus mobile app to upload documents required to submit their claim.

On the Next steps page, select the Upload button.

If necessary, Service Officers can scan the documents and submit the claim for the customer:

• scan the documents
• run the Request & Manage Customer Tasks guided procedure to submit the claim

If the customer uploaded or provided documents before starting the online claim or Assisted Customer Claim (ACC), the document displays as Required on the Next steps section. The customer can either:

• re-upload the document on the Next steps page, or
• contact by phone or in person to have the Request & Manage Customer Tasks guided procedure run to change the document status from Required to Provided

Customers must:

• answer all mandatory questions
• provide all their required documents
• verify their identify (when no Identity Confirmation Indicator (ICI) is recorded)

Some vulnerable customers may be able to submit their claim before providing all required documents. Note: where cues indicate there is a risk or occurrence of family and domestic violence, see Family and domestic violence.

Claims not submitted within 13 weeks will expire.

The claim cannot be submitted if the Required tasks are not complete. Once the relevant tasks are completed, the button will change to Submit so the customer can submit the claim.

When the claim has been submitted, the customer cannot update their online claim details. They will need to contact to advise changes.

Customers can:

• track the progress of their claim
• withdraw their claim