Self service for nominees 133-02080000

Tell the nominee they can access their principal’s online account if they have access to their own Centrelink online account linked to their myGov.

Nominees no longer need to register for nominee self service access through:

• Access Management for Self Service (AMSS), or
• the nominee registration portlet in their Centrelink online account

See:

• Adding or rejecting a nominee request for individual nominees
• Online services for organisation nominees
• Aged care request for a nominee or executor

Nominees acting on behalf of their principals cannot record a voiceprint for their principals through phone self service.

Individual nominees

Customers can use Centrelink online accounts for themselves and their principal.

To register for a Centrelink online account, the nominee needs to create a myGov account and link Centrelink services to it. For more information, see Accessing and using Centrelink self service.

The principal does not need to have a MyGov account linked to Centrelink in order for their nominee to act on their behalf via online services.

Organisation nominee

Organisations must register for a Provider Digital Access (PRODA) account and link their account to Business Hub. Once active, customers can ask for a nominee organisation to act on their behalf through Nominee Services.

Nominee details must be recorded for them to access information through a Centrelink online account on behalf of a principal.

Ensure the nominee relationship details are on the:

• principal's electronic record on the Customer Link Summary (NOLS) screen, and
• nominee's electronic record on the Nominee Link Summary (NOLS) screen

Check there is a password on the Nominee Relationship Summary (NORS) screen

If these details are missing, see, How to convert old nominee arrangements to the new nominee cluster.

Nominees can conduct business for themselves or for their principal/s by accessing their Centrelink online account through:

• their myGov account, or
• the Express Plus Centrelink Mobile App

Nominees can act as a nominee for multiple principals. Registering for a Centrelink online account, allows the nominee to view details/make updates for all their principals online.

Nominees for partnered principals will not have access to the principal’s partner's information unless:

• the partner's PPE is Yes and
• the partner is the nominee, or
• they are also nominee for that partner

Nominees cannot link their myGov account to their principal. Once they sign into myGov as themselves, they can select Centrelink to go to their Centrelink online account. They can then conduct their nominee business by selecting the person they want to act for.

Act for someone else page (Centrelink online account homepage)

When the nominee signs in to myGov and selects Centrelink services, the Act for someone else page displays.

This page allows the nominee to choose whether they want to access services for themselves or one of their principals.

It will display any tasks that require action for themselves or their principals.

If the nominee has:

• no more than 11 principals, principal details will show in a ‘tile view’ format
• more than 11 principals, principal details will show in a ‘list view’ format

Nominees can choose the account they need by selecting the Select <name> button on the appropriate principal’s account.

Express Plus Centrelink mobile app

Nominees who use the Express Plus Centrelink mobile app and want to manage information on behalf of their principal need to select the:

• More icon at the bottom of the app home screen
• Nominee access option. A warning will advise they will be taken to their Centrelink online account and will be exiting their mobile app session
• person they want to act for

They can switch between online accounts using the Select someone else to act for option on their Centrelink online account homepage.

Switching between accounts (hot swap function)

Nominees can use the Select someone else to act for dropdown list (hot swap) to switch to a different online account. After selecting a name from the dropdown list, the nominee will go to the selected person’s online account.

The hot swap functionality is not available for nominees with more than 11 principals. They will need to select the Act for someone else link. Once selected, the nominee will return to the Act for someone else page to access the appropriate account.

Alerts and displays when switching between accounts

Alerts will display when a nominee switches to a new account. This ensures the nominee is aware of the account they are in.

A header will indicate which account the nominee is accessing. This includes the principal’s name if in a principal’s account.

Correspondence nominee individuals can submit an online claim on behalf of their principal. Nominee individuals can claim the following Centrelink payments and concession cards:

• Age Pension and Pension Bonus Scheme
• Transfer to Age Pension
• Carer Payment and/or Carer Allowance
• Crisis Payment
• Commonwealth Seniors Health Card
• Disability Support Pension
• Foster care Health Care Card
• Ex-Carer Allowance Child Health Care Card
• Home Equity Access Scheme (can only submit if nominee has legal authority to manage principal’s real estate and finances)
• Low Income Health Care Card
• JobSeeker Payment (JSP)
• Parenting Payment
• Pensioner Education Supplement
• Youth Allowance (YA) (job seeker)
• Aged Care calculation of your cost of care
• Family Tax Benefit
• Parental Leave Pay
• Single Income Family Supplement
• Stillborn Baby Payment
• Child Care Subsidy and Additional Child Care Subsidy

For Centrelink payments and concession cards not listed above, offer an Assisted Customer Claim (ACC) to correspondence nominees. If they decline an ACC, or it is not available, issue a paper-based claim form.

Note: Nominee organisations can claim:

• Age Pension and Pension Bonus Scheme
• Transfer to Age Pension
• Aged Care calculation of your cost of care
• Commonwealth Seniors Health Card
• Crisis Payment
• Home Equity Access Scheme (only if nominee has legal authority to manage principal’s real estate and finances)
• Disability Support Pension
• Family Tax Benefit
• Parental Leave Pay
• Single Income Family Supplement
• Stillborn Baby Payment
• Child Care Subsidy and Additional Child Care Subsidy

Correspondence nominees can start and submit a principal's online claim by:

• accessing their online account, and
• selecting the principal from the Act for someone else page, for individual nominees
• selecting an individual from the Arrangements tile in Business Hub, for nominee organisations
• selecting one of the following in the principal’s account:
• Yes, make a claim link in the centre of the screen (if displayed), or
• Payments and Claims > Claims > Make a claim menu option
• selecting the appropriate life event / payment for their principal based upon their circumstances
• following the online claim workflow for the relevant payment
• accepting the privacy and information declarations on behalf of their principal

Nominees can also cancel or withdraw an online claim on behalf of their principal for the Centrelink payments and concession cards listed above.

Nominees may need to lodge a claim for a payment without the customer being aware in certain situations:

• A customer refuses to claim a payment that might be more suitable to their circumstances
• It would be harmful for the customer to be aware they are claiming/ receiving a payment from Services Australia. Service Officers should issue the nominee a paper claim

If the nominee claims online, and the principal is registered for online services, the principal can:

• view the started claim through their Centrelink online account, and
• may also receive notifications via SMS or email throughout the claim process

Once the nominee relationship ends, the online account will not display any cancelled principals.

Nominees can register to receive mail and publications for themselves online. If they choose to receive their mail online, they will also receive any nominee correspondence online.

Individual nominees can subscribe to Electronic Messaging themselves.