Organisation wants to become a Group Payment organisation 104-24092617

An organisation may contact Services Australia requesting group payment for the residents in its care, or customers whose financial affairs they manage. A group payment is where the payment of pensions for a group of customers is made in one bulk bank deposit (the schedule) directly to an approved organisation. Customers must give their authority voluntarily, unless

• there is an involuntary arrangement in place or
• the customer is not able to make their own decisions

In these cases, the authorisation must be provided by the person or organisation that has legal authority to manage the customer's affairs. For example:

• the customer’s nominee
• the holder of an Enduring Power of Attorney, or
• guardianship order issues by a court

If there is no involuntary arrangement in place, an appropriate responsible person such as a treating medical officer or social worker can give authorisation.

There are a number of criteria that must be met before an organisation can be approved to participate in the Group Payment Scheme. When a group payment arrangement has been entered into, the organisation has an obligation to notify Services Australia of changes in circumstances.

In order for an organisation to qualify for payment under the group payment method, the organisation must meet all of the following conditions and obligations:

• The organisation must have a minimum of 10 pensioners in its care at all times that have their pensions paid by this method
• The organisation must be registered as accredited with the Department of Social Services (DSS) or be a reputable organisation (such as a religious order)
• The group payment can only be made by direct credit to an account in the name of the organisation
• The pensioners, other than where the group payment organisation is their nominee and the basis for the nominee arrangement is an involuntary one (for example, public trustees), remain free at any time to end this arrangement and choose to receive payments into their own bank accounts
• The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the organisation or the person they nominate must agree to be legally responsible as stated in the Service Level Agreement which will be drawn up between the organisation and Services Australia

When an organisation enquires about participation in the Group Payment Scheme, Service Officers should direct the caller to the National Business Gateway (NBG). Service Officers in NBG can provide the organisation with a copy of the Group Payments Scheme factsheet. See Resources page for a link to the factsheet. This allows the organisation to determine their suitability for the scheme.

Once approved, organisations have an obligation to advise Services Australia of:

• any new customers who will be on the group payment schedule
• any customers to be removed from the group payment schedule
• admissions, discharges and deaths in the case of residential care organisations

Admissions and discharges from Commonwealth-funded aged care homes are advised by DSS electronically. However, aged care homes should still inform Services Australia of admissions and discharges, because they are not all Commonwealth funded facilities.

If a pensioner (whose name appears on the group payment schedule) has died, the Advice of death form (SA116) may be completed and returned to Services Australia.

Organisations should not redirect payments to customers on their discharge from the organisation or to the executor of the estate on the death of the customer. This is because, when details of the change of address/date of death have been received, Services Australia will reissue the required payments and recover any amounts from the next available group schedule.

Organisations can receive their group payment schedule (report) through business online services in Business Hub.

The schedule can be viewed in Letters in Business Hub on Thursday, delivery day code D (traditional pension payday). The fortnightly schedule can be viewed and printed from the History Summary (HS) screen on the Group Payment organisation Centrelink record by Service Officers if the organisation requests a paper copy be issued to them.

If the organisation does not receive their group schedule letter, Services Australia can issue another letter for them, see Group payment schedules and payments to organisations.