Return to sender (RTS) mail for Centrelink 102-10030010

Note: staff must not cancel any work items for correspondence returns to Centrelink ‘Whereabouts unknown’.

When mail is returned to Centrelink, the customer’s record will either:

• be automatically suspended or cancelled Whereabouts Unknown (WUK), or
• have a Work item created for follow up

Has a person contacted as they have received mail containing personal information for someone else?

• Yes, see Procedures for handling misdirected correspondence. Procedure ends here
• No, go to Step 2

• On the Document List (DL) screen select Notes
• Take note of the following, to search for the returned mail:
• Unique Letter ID. The first 10 digits are needed
• Date
• Any text on the DOC that will provide more details

Note: staff may need to search a few days each side of the date. This is because the letter date on the DOC and the letter date on the system do not always align.

Note: if the customer has a nominee, check both the customer and nominee records for the correspondence.

To locate mail in Process Direct or Customer First, see Viewing or reissuing a letter or electronic message.

Can the returned mail be located?

• Yes, go to Step 4
• No,
• seek Local Peer Support (LPS) before sending an email to the Customer Details helpdesk
• Annotate the work item with action taken
• Place the work item on hold for 14 days
• Procedure ends here

Select from the below options to view the keywords:

In Customer First:

• Go to the Activity List (AL) screen in the customer’s record
• Select the activity:
• Select (k) keywords
• Select ‘continue’

This will show a list of keywords for this work item.

In Work Optimiser:

• Go to worklist
• Select the activity: ‘Work Item Attributes’

This will show a list of keywords for this work item.

• If payments are suspended or cancelled WUK and customer has contacted, go to Step 6
• If correspondence returned and work item created in Customer First, go to Step 7

Compare the address on the letter to the current postal address on the Address Summary (ADS) screen.

If there is any reason to doubt the customer is living at the address they must provide evidence they are still living at the recorded address before the payment is restored.

Evidence may be required if:

• mail has previously been returned from the address
• there is a suspected marriage-like relationship
• the customer cannot provide a satisfactory reason for returned mail
  Note: only issue a Rent Certificate (SU523HD) where a change to or verification of accommodation and rent details is required. It cannot be issued for the customer to use as evidence that they still live at their last recorded address. See Rent Assistance verification

Tell the customer the advantages of receiving correspondence using their myGov inbox through their Online Services and/or myGov Express Plus.

Update preference on Electronic Messaging Overview (EMO) screen if required.

If suitable, assist customer to register for myGov, see How users create a myGov account and link services.

Has the customer’s address changed?

• Yes:
• Update address details
• Restore the payment
• Resend correspondence, go to Step 16
• No, if there is:
• reason to doubt the customer is still living at the address, tell the customer they must provide evidence that they still live at the recorded address before payment can be restored. Place the work item on hold for 14 days (28 days if overseas). Annotate the Return to Sender DOC with action taken. Procedure ends here until evidence provided or work item falls due
• no reason to doubt they are still living at the address, restore the payment and resend correspondence, go to Step 16

See the Resources page for a list of Keywords and Work Item details.

If mail has been returned and:

• for a deceased customer, go to Table 2
• from the correspondence nominee's address, this includes where a nominee may not be a current customer, go to Step 8
• it is a notification letter about unauthorised activity, go to Table 3
• is about a Youpla Resolution Payment, go to Table 5
• is a current Aged Care (RCA) customer, go to Step 9
• is a Restricted Access record, it can only be updated by staff with access to the customer’s record, go to Step 10
• work item has come off hold after sending a Q999 requesting evidence or where the Q999 or Q062 letters have been returned, go to Step 15
• an address that is different on the system to the one on the letter, go to Step 16
• Letter returned from a financial institution (for example, NAB, UBANK, Westpac), go to Table 6
• any other reason, go to Step 10

Where a nominee is not a current customer, their address must remain current to ensure they receive the customers mail at the correct address.

Select the appropriate option:

Go to the Nominee Link Summary (NOLS) screen to select the nominee.

Compare the address on the letter to the address on the Nominee Address Summary (NOADS) screen.

• If the nominee’s address has:
• an error (for example, wrong suburb or street number), correct the address and reissue the returned mail, go to Step 16
• changed, go to Step 16
• not changed, See Table 1 > Step 8 in Cancelling the nominee arrangement
  Go to Step 11

Go to Step 11.

Check:

• the customer has a status of RCA/CUR
• the RCA Institution Summary (RIS) screen in the RCA system for:
• Care Type: Residential
• Admission Date: date of entry
• Confirm address of residential care provider using available online resources such as Google search
• for a current correspondence nominee
• Nominee details on the Nominee Relationship Summary (NOLS) screen

If the:

• letter has been returned from a postal address, reissue to home address, go to Step 16
• address on the system is different to the one on the letter, go to Step 16
• address has not changed, attempt to call the customer or their nominee on their last known telephone number. Go to Step 11

Check if the customer is current on any payments or concessions via the Benefit Status (XBS) screen. Note: current customers include FTB and CCS customers.

Compare the address on the letter to the current postal address on the Address Summary (ADS) screen.

If the customer:

• is no longer current and is not a nominee for another customer, go to Step 15
• has a new claim activity and there is:
• a new address in the claim, update the address and then go to Step 16
• no new address, try to contact the customer. Note: it may be necessary to view the claim to check the address they have provided. Go to Step 11
• is current on a payment or is a nominee for a current customer and the address:
• has changed, go to Step 16
• has not changed, contact the customer or nominee. Go to Step 11

Attempt to call customer or nominee on their last known telephone number. Calls to nominee organisations should be made during business hours only.

Do not attempt to call a customer or nominee if they are overseas.

At least 2 calls should be made over a 2 day period. See genuine attempts to contact.

Note: all payments must stay current while trying to contact the customer/nominee.

Can the customer or nominee be contacted?

• Yes, go to Step 13
• No:
• customer or nominee does not have a telephone, go to Step 14
• customer or nominee is overseas, go to Step 14
• 1^st call attempt unsuccessful, annotate the Return to Sender DOC recording unsuccessful contact attempt, and place work item on hold until the next day. Procedure ends here
• for RCA customers, go to Step 12
• for all other customers, go to Step 14

Delegation to change a Centrelink address based on data exchange information only is limited to staff at the APS4 level or above. If a customer’s address needs to be updated to a residential care address, Service Officers below APS4 level must refer the address update to Aged Care Local Peer Support (LPS) who will complete the address update.

Address updates in Customer First will flow to the Aged Care Staff Portal (ACSP) and Aged Care Management Payment System (ACMPS).

Is this customer currently in Residential Aged Care and in receipt of an ISP or a concession card?

• Yes:
• Do not suspend payments
• For assistance in updating address, See Table 3 in Change of address to an aged care home
• Staff at APS3 level and below are to refer the address update to Aged Care Local Peer Support
• Once the address has been updated, go to Step 17
• No:
• Customer is currently in home care
• Mail has been returned from their home address
• Go to Step 14

Advise of returned correspondence and discuss reasons for return. Consider the reasons for the returned correspondence, such as:

• The customer’s medical conditions, for example, acute psychiatric disability or Acquired Brain Injury (ABI)
• Other circumstances, for example, hospitalisation or remoteness
• Depending on the reasons for returned correspondence, other arrangements for receiving mail may be more appropriate, for example, having a correspondence nominee receive their correspondence or using myGov inbox

Tell the customer the advantages of receiving correspondence using their myGov inbox through their Online Services and/or myGov Express Plus.

Update preference on Electronic Messaging Overview (EMO) screen if required.

If suitable, assist customer to register for myGov, see How users create a myGov account and link services.

Compare the address on the letter to the current postal address on the Address Summary (ADS) screen.

Has the customer’s address changed?

• Yes:
• Update the record with the new address and rental details. See Changing address (CLK)
• Go to Step 16
• No, if there is
• reason to doubt the customer is still living at the address, they must provide evidence that they still live at the recorded address. Place the work item on hold for 14 days. Annotate the Return to Sender DOC with action taken. Procedure ends here until evidence provided or work item falls due
• no reason to doubt they are still living at the address, resend correspondence, go to Step 16

Does the customer have no fixed address or no mailing address?

• Yes, Q999 cannot be sent. End date all address types from today’s date and annotate the Return to Sender DOC before completing the activity. Go to Step 15
• No:
• Send a Q999 letter to the last recorded address using the following free text:
  ‘We recently sent correspondence to this address, and it was returned to Centrelink. Please contact to confirm your current postal address. Your payments may be suspended or stopped if you do not respond to this notification within 14 days’
• Place the work item on hold and allow 14 days (28 days if overseas) for the customer to respond
• Annotate the Return to Sender DOC with findings and actions taken. Procedure ends here until customer contacts or work item falls due

Has the address been updated?

• Yes, go to Step 16
• No, select from the below options:
• If the customer is no longer current on any payment or the information in the letter is no longer relevant, annotate the Return to Sender DOC with findings, go to Step 17
• If the customer is current and/or the information on the letter is still relevant, end date all address types from today’s date. This will automatically suspend or cancel payment for the reason ‘WUK’. Annotate the Return to Sender DOC with actions taken. Go to Step 17
• If the mail was returned from a Nominees address, see Cancelling a nominee arrangement. Annotate the Return to Sender DOC with actions taken. Go to Step 17

• Issue a covering manual free text Q062 letter with the following free text
  ‘The attached correspondence was returned to Centrelink. It is now forwarded to you for your information’
• Print the Q062 locally and attach the original correspondence
• Resend correspondence to the new address or if the returned mail was an SU523, see Manually issuing a Rent Certificate (SU523HD)
• Annotate the Return to Sender DOC with findings and actions taken
• Go to Step 17

Note: staff must not cancel the Return to Sender Processing work item.

To complete the work item/activity in Customer First:

• Go to the Activity List (AL) screen in the customer’s record
• Select (S) the activity:
• Select Continue
• Select Complete

If error E103AM shows, remove the workgroup and position from the activity information section and select complete.

Procedure ends here.

Review the date of issue on the letter and documents on the record.

Was mail returned more than 12 months after it was issued or is there suspected fraud or suspicious activity on the record?

• Yes, escalate via email to the Customer Details Helpdesk
• No, go to Step 2

Is the information on the letter still relevant? For example, the customer has an outstanding debt, adjusted tax payment summaries, letters returned from the executor or estate?

• Yes, go to Step 3
• No, complete activity. Go to Step 5

• Yes, go to Step 4
• No,
• create a Display on Access (DOA) DOC on the record.
  Reason: field, select SCC Special Contact Considerations from the drop down list
  Expiry: field, select a date of 12 months or as long as required
  Text: field, include the following text:
  Mail was returned from (Insert Address here). Do not send further mail to this address before confirming that this is the correct address with the Executor or next of kin
• Note: if the address is updated with contact from Executor or next of kin, see Table 1 > Step 16
• Complete activity, go to Step 5

Find the DOC the debt letter relates to and annotate it with:

• mail has been returned
• the address it was returned from

Complete activity. Go to Step 5.

Note: staff must not cancel the Return to Sender Processing work item.

To complete the activity/work item in Customer First:

• Go to the Activity List (AL) screen in the customer’s record
• Select (S) the activity:
• Select continue
• Select Complete

If error E103AM shows, remove the workgroup and position from the activity information section and select complete.

Procedure ends here.

Review the work item. A work item for an unauthorised activity letter will have the keyword SCANNDB.

Check if the customer is current on payment on the Benefit Status (XBS) screen.

Is the customer on a current payment?

• Yes, go to Step 2
• No, check if the customer subscribes to online letters. Go to Step 4

Compare the address on the letter to the current postal address on the Address Summary (ADS) screen.

Has the customer’s address changed?

• Yes, go to Step 6
• No, go to Step 3

Before attempting to call a customer, review Centrelink - customer notification letters about potential unauthorised access.

Attempt to call the customer or their nominee on their last known telephone number.

• At least 2 calls should be made over a 2 day period. See genuine attempts to contact
• Email the Customer Details Helpdesk for processing advice, if the customer or nominee:
• does not have a telephone
• is overseas (no calls should be attempted)

Note: all payments are to remain current whilst attempting to contact customer/nominee.

Can the customer or nominee be contacted?

• Yes, go to Step 5
• No, check if the customer subscribes to online letters. Go to Step 4

Go to the EMOL screen in Process Direct to check if the customer subscribes to online letters. It will show if they received the letter online.

If the customer:

• received the letter online:
• Annotate the Return to Sender DOC with findings and actions taken
• Go to Step 7
• did not receive the letter online:
• Place the work item on hold for 14 days
• Annotate the Return to Sender DOC that this has been escalated
• Email the Customer Details Helpdesk for processing advice

• Tell the customer:
• of returned correspondence and discuss reasons for return
• the advantages of receiving correspondence using their myGov inbox through their Online Services and/or myGov Express Plus
• Update preference on Electronic Messaging Overview (EMO) screen if required
• If suitable, assist customer to register for myGov. See How users create a myGov account and link services

Check the customer’s current address information on the Address Summary (ADS) screen.

Has the customer’s address changed?

• Yes:
• Update the record with the new address and rental details. See Changing address (CLK)
• Go to Step 6
• No, if there is:
• reason to doubt the customer is still living at the address, they must provide evidence that they still live at the recorded address. Place the work item on hold for 14 days. Annotate the Return to Sender DOC with action taken. Procedure ends here until
• no reason to doubt they are still living at the address, resend correspondence, go to Step 6

Check if the customer was subscribed to online letters when the letter was sent.

Go to the EMOL screen in Process Direct to check if the customer subscribes to online letters. It will show if they received the letter online.

If the customer:

• received the letter online:
• Annotate the Return to Sender DOC with findings and actions taken
• Go to Step 7
• did not subscribe to online letters at the time the letter was issued:
• Issue a covering manual free text Q062 letter with the following free text
  ‘The attached correspondence was returned to Centrelink. It is now forwarded to you for your information’
• Print the Q062 locally and attach the original correspondence
• Resend correspondence to the new address
• Annotate the Return to Sender DOC with findings and action taken
• Go to Step 7

Note: staff must not cancel the Return to Sender Processing work item.

To complete the work item/activity in Customer First:

• Go to the Activity List (AL) screen in the customer’s record
• Select (S) the activity:
• Select Continue
• Select Complete

If error E103AM shows, remove the workgroup and position from the activity information section and select complete.

Procedure ends here.

Is the information on the letter regarding an outstanding IRS review?

• Yes, go to Step 2
• No, see Table 1

• Find the review DOC the letter relates to and annotate it with:
• mail has been returned
• the address it was returned from
• Annotate the Return to Sender DOC with findings and action taken
• Go to Step 3

Note: staff must not cancel the Return to Sender Processing work item.

To complete the work item/activity in Customer First:

• Go to the Activity List (AL) screen in the customer’s record
• Select (S) the activity:
• Select Continue
• Select Complete

If error E103AM shows, remove the workgroup and position from the activity information section and select complete.

Is the information in the letter about Youpla Resolution Payment?

Note: the work item will have the keyword SCANPLA.

• Yes, go to Step 2
• No, see Table 1

Specialised staff in the Youpla Support Team project process all Return to Sender processing work items.

For staff not in this team:

• Do not complete or cancel the activity
• Annotate the Return to Sender DOC so it details the Youpla Support team project will assess the returned mail
• Place the work item on hold for 14 days
• Send an email to Youpla Support Team - complaint management. In the:
• Subject line include Return to Sender YSP
• email body include the CRN

Is the letter from a financial institution (for example, NAB, UBANK, Westpac)?

• Yes, go to Step 2
• No, see Table 1

Escalate by email to the Payment Delivery Team

• In the email provide:
• the financial institution name
• date the letter was sent
• address it was sent to
• Place the work item on hold for 14 days
• When a response is received reissue the letter to a new address if the address has changed, alternatively if the address is still current reissue the letter to the same address. See Table 3 > Step 10 in Request the return of a payment made to an incorrect recipient

• Find the review DOC the letter relates to and annotate it with:
• mail has been returned
• the address it was returned from
• Annotate the Return to Sender DOC with findings and action taken
• Go to Step 4

Note: staff must not cancel the Return to Sender Processing work item.

To complete the work item/activity in Customer First:

• Go to the Activity List (AL) screen in the customer’s record
• Select (S) the activity:
• Select Continue
• Select Complete

If error E103AM shows, remove the workgroup and position from the activity information section and select complete.

Procedure ends here.