BasicsCard close an account 103-01230070

BasicsCard accounts should only be closed if the customer is deceased, exempted and/or exits from Income Management and does not wish to use the BasicsCard to reduce their Income Management balance.

For voluntary requests, it is preferable not to close the BasicsCard account but to encourage the customer to keep the BasicsCard in case they can use it as a payment option at a later date.

If not already done so, confirm the customer's identification before proceeding with interview. For assistance see Authenticating a Centrelink customer.

If the payment nominee is contacting, ensure that the BasicsCard was issued to the payment nominee. Check that the payment nominee arrangement exists and the payment nominee's identity. If an Income Managed customer has a payment nominee, the BasicsCard will be issued to the payment nominee on behalf of the customer. This can be confirmed via the BasicsCard Summary screen.

For example, still being income managed but does not want the BasicsCard anymore?

• Yes, go to Step 3
• No, go to Step 4

In a situation where the customer/payment nominee chooses to close their account voluntarily, it is essential that a discussion with the customer/payment nominee is undertaken to ensure their priority needs are being met by other regular deductions and they have no further need for the BasicsCard.

If after the discussion, the customer/payment nominee chooses to keep the BasicsCard account open (which is the preferred option), but they are not using the BasicsCard, the Service Officer is to:

• review current regular allocations/expenses
• investigate if funds on the BasicsCard need to be recalled
• advise the customer/payment nominee to keep the BasicsCard safe and secure, and should they wish to use it as an allocation method again they should contact Services Australia.

Does the customer, after the discussion, wish to continue with the closing of their BasicsCard account?

• Yes, go to Step 7
• No, record details on a DOC. If necessary, update changes to priority needs. Procedure ends here

• Yes, go to Step 5
• No, go to Step 6

For deceased Income Managed customers, see Death of an income managed customer.

Service Officer should confirm the death of the deceased customer. All regular expenses (including allocations to the BasicsCard) should be ceased prior to the Death Action is coded on the customer's record. Service Officer should also tick off any outstanding work items on the Income Management Summary page.

• For assistance in closing the BasicsCard account go to Step 7
• For assistance in coding the Death Action, see Initial contact after someone has died

When a customer is taken off Income Management (for example, their income support payment cancels or they are granted an exemption etc), the BasicsCard can continue to be used for another 60 days.

An automatic future activity is generated in 61 days on the Future Activity (FAL) screen for the Service Officer to check if the customer is still off Income Management. If the customer is still off Income Management after 60 days, the Service Officer will close the BasicsCard account. This will 'recall' the current balance on the BasicsCard to the Income Management account to be included in disbursement to the customer.

The BasicsCard account will be closed after 60 days if the customer is no longer Income Managed.

The Expense Management Summary screen will allow Service Officer to continue to make immediate allocations to the BasicsCard within 60 days of the customer coming off Income Management.

In workflow go to:

• Income Management/BasicsCard menu
• In the Change BasicsCard Status screen, select Close
• Select Finalise to close the BasicsCard Account

Closing the BasicsCard account will automatically recall any funds remaining on the BasicsCard back to the Income Management Account.

Go to Step 9.

Note: if workflow is unavailable, go to Step 8.

This update should only be completed manually if workflow is unavailable.

• Access the BasicsCard task selector (BCTS) screen and 's'elect Close Account or type BCCA in the Nxt: field
• Enter the appropriate option in the Close Reason: field and press [Enter]

Go to Step 9.

• If necessary, review and update any changes needed to the customer's priority needs and expense allocations due to the BasicsCard account being closed
• Record details on a DOC, including full details of any changes made to the customer priority needs and if appropriate, include full details as to why account is being closed voluntary. The File Note Template is available under File Note - Auto Text > Income Management > BasicsCard

Closing the BasicsCard will credit any available funds remaining on the card back to the Income Management account. The BasicsCard account will close at varying times depending on the customer's circumstances:

• Exiting from Income Management - the BasicsCard account will close on the 60th day after the exit date. A review activity is generated, on the FAL screen, 61 days after Income Management ceased for the Service Officer to investigate if the customer is still off Income Management and to close the BasicsCard account
• Deceased customer - account will close at point of notification, no 60 day rule will apply
• Voluntary request - the remaining funds will transfer back to the customer's Income Management account, there is no 60 day rule to apply