Starting, changing and cancelling a Centrepay deduction at the request of a customer 103-09030030

With the exception of court fines (CRT) and court infringement (CTI) deductions, a Centrepay deduction may be started, changed, or cancelled by:

• using the Express Plus Centrelink mobile app
• using the Centrelink online account
• calling the smart centre
• attending a service centre, or
• a customer providing consent to a Centrepay Business to start or increase their Centrepay deduction via Centrelink Business Online Services (CBOS)

The preferred method for customers to manage their Centrepay deductions is via Services Australia's self service options using their Centrelink online account or Express Plus Centrelink mobile app account.

If a customer makes a request to start a Centrepay deduction over the phone or in person at a service centre, Service officers are to process the request via the Centrepay Guided Procedure or Centrepay workflow.

It is important when starting a Centrepay deduction that Service Officers remind customers of their responsibilities to manage their Centrepay deductions and ensure they are kept up to date to prevent potential overpayments to Centrepay businesses.

Customers living at an address where they are not the account holder or where the utility is not in their name are still able to start a Centrepay deduction for a utility service if they are using it as a resident of that address.

New Centrepay deductions can only be started from current or suspended income support payments eligible for Centrepay. A new Centrepay deduction may not be set up while processing a new claim activity.

Customers may request to:

• change or suspend a deduction for a specified period
• change or cease a future or current suspension
• change a Centrepay deduction from a future date, or
• add or change an account reference number

If a customer makes a request to change a Centrepay deduction over the phone or in person at a service centre, Service Officers should process the request via the Centrepay Guided Procedure or Centrepay workflow.

If a customer asks for a Centrepay deduction to be cancelled over the phone or in person at a service centre, it should be actioned immediately to prevent any overpayment to the Centrepay Business. Service Officers should process the request via the Centrepay Guided Procedure or Centrepay workflow.

If a Centrepay business requests the cancellation of a deduction, see Starting, changing or cancelling a Centrepay deduction at the request of a business.

An involuntary nominee arrangement is where a third party has been given legal right, as the result of a court, tribunal, guardianship or administration order, to administer the customer's affairs.

• In all instances of an involuntary nominee arrangement, Service Officers must contact the nominee or the customer's case manager from the public trustee to obtain approval to process any requests from the customer to start, change or cancel a Centrepay deduction
• If the nominee does not provide approval to start, change or cancel the Centrepay deduction, or cannot be contacted, the Service Officer must reject the request. The name of the nominee, or the name of the officer from the nominee's organisation with whom contact was made or attempted, must be included on a DOC
• If the nominee approves the request to start, change or cancel a Centrepay deduction, details of the approval must be annotated on a DOC. If the nominee is an organisation (for example, public trustee) the name of the officer from the organisation who provided the approval, together with the organisation's name and contact details must be included on a DOC

Customers with a voluntary nominee arrangement can still contact the agency and conduct their own business, if they wish. No permission is required from a nominee (correspondence (NOC), payment (NOP) or both correspondence and payment (NOB) when the arrangement is voluntary.

If a customer with a voluntary nominee arrangement wishes to use the deduction service via self service channels there are restrictions in place as follows:

• Centrelink online account
• A customer cannot action deduction updates when they have a voluntary nominee arrangement (NOC, NOP or NOB)
• Express Plus Centrelink mobile app
• A customer cannot action deduction updates when they have a payment nominee (NOP or NOB) arrangement in place

The following restrictions are in place for a nominee using the Deduction service via self service channels as follows:

• Centrelink online account
• A correspondence nominee (NOC) cannot action deduction updates when the customer has a payment nominee (NOP) who is a different person
• If a nominee is both the correspondence and payment nominee (NOB) they can make deduction updates
• Express Plus Centrelink mobile app
• All nominees (NOC, NOP and NOB) are unable to access the Centrelink Express Plus App on behalf of the customer

If a customer requests a Centrepay deduction be started or cancelled because of a change of address, Service Officers must remind customers of the importance of cancelling any deductions for rent or utilities related to their previous address. Service Officers should review relevant existing deductions with the customer.

Service Officers should discuss with the customer the benefits of self-service options via online or via the Express Plus Centrelink mobile app. If the customer is unable to use self-service options, please action the customer's requests.

Service Officers must ensure the customer understands that if they do not cancel deductions related to their previous address this would result in an overpayment of monies to the relevant Centrepay business/es.

Customers living at an address where they are not the account holder or the utility is not in their name are still able to start a Centrepay deduction for a utility service if they are using it as a resident of that address.

Under no circumstances should a Service Officer start a new Centrepay deduction for court fines (CRT) or court infringements (CTI), unless the court fine or court infringements is for the Department of Justice Tasmania (Monetary Penalties Enforcement Services). For all states and territories except Tasmania, advise the customer to contact the relevant Court Administration Office to start a new deduction.

A customer cannot start, change (including suspend) or cancel a court fine or court infringements Centrepay deduction online or via the Express Plus Centrelink mobile app.

Once a Centrepay deduction has been set up for a court fine or court infringements, a customer may request to change or cancel their deduction by contacting a smart centre or attending a service centre at any time. Service Officers should suggest the customer contact the relevant State or Territory Court Administration Office to find out the impacts of requesting the change or cancellation and offer alternatives such as advance payments or a referral to a money management course instead. Only after these actions have been undertaken should Service Officer's action the customer's request.

Note: if a customer requests a Centrepay court fine or court infringement deduction come out of a different payment, refer the customer back to the relevant Court Administration Office to cancel the current deduction and start a new deduction from the customer's preferred payment.

The Department of Justice (Monetary Penalties Enforcement Services) in Tasmania is the only Department of Justice that allows:

• court fines to be set up using Centrepay using the service reason CTI
• a Smart Centre Service Officer to set up such a deduction

The customer must provide an eight digit account code which commences with the numbers '1' or '2'.

If a customer transfers from one Centrepay eligible income support payment to another eligible payment type, their Centrepay deductions may not transfer to the new payment. At the completion of a transfer activity, the Service Officer must check to ensure any current Centrepay deductions have also been transferred to the new payment and are showing as being deducted from future income support payments. If the instructions have not automatically transferred, the Service Officer must recode the deduction instructions.

Centrepay deductions can only be made from an eligible Centrelink administered payment.

There are also deduction rules and limitations that mean a request cannot be processed.

If a Service Officer is having difficulties coding a Centrepay deduction request, the National Business Gateway - Centrepay helpdesk can be contacted to assist with identifying the issue. The Centrepay helpdesk will identify and advise the Service Officer of a workaround, or, if the issue is to be referred to ICT for investigation.

A customer must be referred back to the relevant State/Territory government housing authority if they wish to start a new or vary a current deduction for government housing. See Commencing a Rent Deduction Scheme (RDS) deduction or Varying a Rent Deduction Scheme (RDS) deduction.

Cancellation requests can be actioned by Service Officers in Smart Centres or service centres by manual processing via the Payment Instruction Deduction Detail (PIDD) screen. State/territory government housing deductions cannot be cancelled by the Centrepay guided procedure. See Terminating a Rent Deduction Scheme (RDS) deduction.

Centrepay deductions are voluntary and are placed within the hierarchy of all Centrelink deductions that can be taken from a Centrelink payment. Mandatory deductions will be made before voluntary deductions.

Centrepay deductions will be made in the order they are set up, however customers have the option of changing the order in which their Centrepay deductions are made. They can make this request through the Smart Centre or service centre.