Group payments to organisations 104-24092648

Group payment arrangements are only available for customers on a pension (PEN) system payment:

• Age Pension (AGE)
• Disability Support Pension (DSP)
• Carer Payment (CAR)
• Parenting Payment Single (PPS)

If a customer on a non-pension payment wants to direct their payment to an organisation, they can do this via a payment nominee arrangement. The customer and the organisation representative must complete an Authorising a person or organisation to enquire or act on your behalf form (SS313).

A group payment arrangement is different to a nominee arrangement.

A group payment arrangement for a customer can only be started if the organisation is already approved for the Group Payment Scheme.

A customer's existing group payment arrangement may be changed or ceased by a group payment Administrator or financial institution representative. The customer can also change their payment destination unless the group payment arrangement is made under an involuntary arrangement, for example via a court order and where the customer is under involuntary nominee arrangements. See Changing payment destination for more details.

Note: many customers who have their payments updated to be paid to an organisation by group payment, are in residential aged or disability care. Therefore, it may not be possible or suitable to contact these customers directly. Use existing Nominee, Power of Attorney or Guardian arrangements to confirm details for these customers where possible.

Enquiry from a customer

If the customer:

• enquires about arranging to have their payments delivered to an organisation by group payment, go to Step 2
• is lodging or has lodged, a completed Send my payment to an institution - Group Payment (SS270) form/Start or end group payment arrangement (SS270) form or an Authorising a person or organisation to enquire or act on your behalf (SS313) form, go to Step 3

Enquiry from a group payment organisation

If an organisation:

• is the customer’s payment nominee and requests that the payment be made on group schedule, go to Step 2
• advises updates to the organisation details are required, see Table 4 > Step 1
• advises that they have not received their group payment schedule via Organisation Online Mail (OOM) in Centrelink Business Online Services (CBOS) or Letters in Business Hub, see Table 4 > Step 2
• contacts about the details contained on a group schedule or would like to register to receive their group payment schedule online, see Table 4 > Step 3

The correct form required for a customer’s payment to be sent to an organisation using the Group Payment Scheme depends on what authority that organisation has for the customer. It also depends on if the organisation is approved to use the Group Payment Scheme and has an existing Group Payment Code.

Certain organisations, such as public trustees and some aged care homes, are payment nominee for customers and receive their payments through the Group Payment Scheme. In these cases, an SS313 should be used. If the SS313 is being used an SS270 is not required. Tell the organisation to provide the Group Payment Code in Part D Question 11 of the SS313 form (not their bank account information).

Where the organisation is only a group payment organisation, and not also a nominee, only an SS270 should be used.

If it is not known whether the organisation is a nominee or group payment organisation, go to system environment B and conduct a search on the Organisation Name (ON) screen.

• Enter their ABN in the Organisation ID: field
• Key ATO in the Organisation Code: field
• Key ABN in the ID Type: field

Nominee organisations who are also registered for group payments will have at least two organisation records:

• one with a stakeholder code of NOM
• one with a stakeholder code of TPP

Group payment organisations will only have a record with stakeholder code of TPP.

If an organisation is not already approved for the Group Payment Scheme, see Organisation wants to become a Group Payment organisation.

The Resources page contains a link to the forms.

If processing an SS313 form, see Adding or rejecting a nominee request.

If processing an SS270 form, go to Step 4.

There are currently two versions of the SS270 forms permitted for use:

• Send my payment to an institution - Group Payment (SS270.2212) published December 2022. This version is only used to add a group payment arrangement
• Start or end group payment arrangement (SS270.2412) published December 2024. This version is either used to add or end a group payment arrangement

Both versions of the SS270 form are acceptable for processing.

When the form is received the work item Group Payment Request SS270 (ZALL_NOM_GRP_PYMT) is created and allocated to staff with General NNCL Payments and Nominees skill tag.

The form must be checked before processing to either:

• Add a group payment arrangement
• Send my payment to an institution - Group Payment (SS270.2212) received, or
• Start or end group payment arrangement (SS270.2412) received and Part A Question 2: 'Start a group payment arrangement' selected
• Go to Table 2
• End a group payment arrangement
• Start or end group payment arrangement (SS270.2412) received and Part A Question 2: 'End a group payment arrangement' selected
• Go to Table 3

Check the information on the customer’s record matches the information in Part A – Customer details, to ensure it is the correct person.

If the details do not match, search the system for the correct customer’s record. See Searching for a customer on the system.

If the SS270 form has been uploaded to the incorrect customer’s record move it to the correct record. See Moving and/or updating Centrelink digital images via Document Tools.

If the customer’s address details are different, see Updating address details. Check all recent DOCs on the Document List (DL) screen relating to accommodation updates - particularly for residential aged care.

If the customer’s contact details, such as phone numbers and email have changed, update these.

Has the customer ticked they are signing this form for themself?

• Yes, go to Step 3
• No, third party signing on behalf of customer, go to Step 2

Is the third party authorisation in Part B complete and the declaration signed?

• Yes, go to Step 3
• No, reject the SS270
• Make a genuine attempt to contact the third party or customer to advise the form cannot be processed. Tell them they must sign and/or answer the appropriate questions and/or provide appropriate supporting documentation
• If contact cannot be made with the customer or third party place a DOC on the customer’s record advising when contact attempt was made and why SS270 was rejected
• Close the SS270 work item. Procedure ends here

Go to the Customer Link Summary (NOLS) screen to check for any current nominee arrangements.

Note: the nominee can be an individual or an organisation.

Does the customer have any current nominee arrangements in place?

• Yes, select the arrangement from the NOLS screen and then select the Nominee Relationship Summary (NORS)
  Note: the customer may have a correspondence nominee (NOC) and a payment nominee (NOP). The ‘Reason for Arrangement’ must be checked for each
  If the Reason for Arrangement is:
• Voluntary (this will show as VOLUNTARY or POWER OF ATTORNEY), go to Step 5
• Involuntary (this will show as COURT APPOINTED or POWER OF ATTORNEY_INV), go to Step 4
• No, go to Step 5

Check who has signed the SS270. If:

• the nominee has signed the form, go to Step 5
• the customer or someone other than the nominee has signed the form, make 2 genuine attempts to contact the nominee to discuss the form that has been received. If:
• the nominee provides approval for the update to payment destination, add a DOC on the customer’s record advising the nominee gave verbal consent, go to Step 5
• the nominee does not approve update, reject the SS270 and place a DOC on the customer’s record advising of the reason for rejection. Close the SS270 digital work item on the AL screen. Procedure ends here
• 2 genuine attempts to contact nominee have been unsuccessful, reject the SS270. Place a DOC on the customer’s record advising when contact attempts were made and why the SS270 has been rejected. Close the SS270 work item. Procedure ends here
• unsure of the correct action, send a referral to the Level 2 Policy Helpdesk

The following third parties can sign the SS270 on behalf of the customer and do not need approval from the customer or a voluntary nominee. The third party may be required to provide a copy of the legal document as evidence of their authority:

• A responsible person such as treating medical officer or social worker, go to Step 6
• A person or organisation named in a legal document such as a Power of Attorney, a guardianship or financial management order and a copy of the legal document has been provided, go to Step 6
  Note: if the legal document has not been included with the SS270, check documents previously uploaded to the customer’s record
• If the third party has not provided a copy of the legal document and one has not been previously uploaded to the customer’s record, make 2 genuine attempts to contact the nominee or customer

Has contact been successful?

• Yes, advise the SS270 form needs to be resubmitted with a copy of the legal document or alternatively it can be signed by the customer or the nominee. Place a DOC on the customer’s record with outcome of the conversation or contact attempts and why the form could not be processed. Complete the SS270 work item. Procedure ends here
• No, reject the SS270. Place a DOC on the customer’s record with why the form could not be processed. Complete the SS270 work item. Procedure ends here

Note: a representative of the group payment organisation is not permitted to sign on behalf of the customer.

In Part C - Institution declaration, the organisation representative (also known as the group payment administrator) will provide their details:

• the organisation name
• CRN (if known)
• contact information, and
• the 3-character group payment code

If they do not provide the group payment code, contact must be made with the organisation to confirm the correct code. The organisation representative must also sign the form.

If the organisation has not already been approved for the Group Payment Scheme with an existing group payment code, the SS270 form is not the correct form to use to receive the customer’s payment. The customer and the organisation must use the SS313 form to appoint the organisation as payment nominee.

Has the organisation representative provided their details, group payment code and signed the SS270?

• Yes:
• If there is no payment nominee arrangement in place, go to Step 7
• If there is a payment nominee arrangement in place, cancel this arrangement. Do not cancel a correspondence nominee. See Table 3 in Cancelling a nominee arrangement. Once the nominee arrangement has been cancelled, go to Step 7
• No:
• If the SS270 has not been signed by the organisation representative, make 2 genuine attempts to contact the representative and tell them to send in a new SS270 with their signature. DOC the conversation or contact attempts on the customer’s record and why the form could not be processed. Complete the SS270 work item. Procedure ends here

If the group payment code is not provided and contact with the organisation is not successful, use the Group Payment Organisations link on the Resources page, and search for the organisation name or CRN (if provided) to get the code. If the correct code is not located, place a DOC on the customer’s record advising unable to identify the correct group payment code to process the SS270.

Check the Payment Summary (PS) screen on the customer’s record to see if the customer has weekly payment arrangements in place.

Is the customer receiving their payment weekly?

• Yes, they must be changed to fortnightly before updating the payment destination to the group payment code. If payment frequency is not updated to fortnightly, the customers payments will fail to deliver to the organisation by group payment. See Assessing and coding weekly payments for the process of removing customer from weekly payment frequency. Once customer is not on weekly payments, go to Step 7.
• No, go to Step 8

Do not use the Change Payment Destination workflow in Customer First or Process Direct. They do not update a customer’s payment destination to group payment successfully.

Update the customer’s payment destination manually in Customer First.

• Key ‘PA’ in Nxt: field. The Payment Destination Summary (PAS) screen will show if the customer has received, at any time, different payments (for example JobSeeker Payment (JSP), Disability Support Pension (DSP), etc.) from Centrelink. If the customer has only ever received one payment the appropriate payment destination screen will show. ‘S’elect the pension payment from the PAS screen and the appropriate payment destination screen will show on the Payment Destination Details (PAD) screen
• The following fields must be blank (remove any pre-existing entries):
• Direct Credit FI Code:
• Account Number:
• Account Title:
• Direct Credit Exemption Reason:
• Complete the Schedule Group Home Code: field with the Group Payment code (a 3-character code)
• Make sure the partner’s payment destination is not updated, unless the partner has also requested to have their payment destination changed via a separate SS270 form
• Complete the Source: and DOR: fields, and press [Enter]

A warning message will show ‘W021-I - Check that payment delivery day code is D on the RAD screen’. Updating the customer’s payment destination to a group home code will usually change the customer’s EPED to B and delivery day code (DDC) to D. The Entitlement Delivery (RAD) screen must be checked to make sure these have changed. If not changed, update the EPED to B. For more details see Changing Entitlement Period End Dates (EPED).

Check the Payment Summary (PS) screen to ensure the group payment code is showing in the Sent to column. If it is not showing, check the RAD screen has updated to EPED B and DDC D. Manually update if needed. There may be a delay in the updates appearing on the customer’s record. Clear the customer’s record and flick (FL) back into the record by keying FL in the Next: field. Go to the PS screen and if the group payment code is still not showing, a system issue may have occurred. Create a mySupport request. See Resources page for a link.

Record a DOC to ensure all Service Officers are aware of the group payment arrangement in place. Use Fast Note - select Auto text, use Generic > Update > Group Payment Arrangement.

Insert information required in the text with action taken, including:

• the group payment organisation name
• checks the SS270 was completed correctly and signed; by third party name if applicable
• address update if required
• customer not on weekly payments
• entitlement delivery - EPED B
• update to customer’s payment destination
• group payment code used

Complete the SS270 work item.

Procedure ends here.

Only Part A - Customer details and Part D - End a group payment arrangement on SS270.2412 are required to be completed for ending a group payment arrangement.

The SS270 can only be completed by the organisation to end the group payment arrangement, not the customer or an authorised third party. Follow up will be required with the customer or their authorised representative to obtain the customer’s new payment details and new address information if applicable.

The SS270 form is only to be used to end a group payment arrangement when a customer has been discharged from a residential facility, not when they are deceased.

Check it is the correct person by checking the information on the customer’s record matches the information in Part A - Customer details.

If the details do not match, search the system for the correct customer’s record. See Searching for a customer on the system.

In Part D - End a group payment arrangement, the organisation representative (also known as the Group Payment Administrator) will provide their details:

• the organisation name
• CRN (if known)
• contact information, and
• the 3-character group payment code

The group payment code should match what is on the customer’s Payment Destination Summary (PAS) for the PEN benefit type.

The representative of the ‘institution’ (group payment organisation) must certify the request by signing the form.

Has Part D been signed?

• Yes, go to Step 4
• No, make 2 genuine attempts to contact the organisation using the phone number on the SS270 form

Complete the SS270 work item.

Place a DOC on the customer’s record advising the SS270 could not be processed and group payment ended as the organisation representative had not signed the form. Procedure ends here.

When a group payment arrangement is ended, the customer’s new payment destination details must be manually updated so their payment does not continue to be paid to the organisation.

See if this information has been received. Check:

• recent DOCs on the DL screen
• correspondence uploaded to the customer’s record

Customers using group payments are mostly in residential aged or disability care. Therefore, any contact should be attempted with an authorised representative (for example a nominee, Power of Attorney, or guardian) before contacting the customer directly. Two genuine attempts must be made to obtain the customer’s bank account details. The customer’s residential address must be confirmed and updated if required.

Has contact been successful?

• Yes, and:
• able to confirm and update customer’s payment destination and any other information that has changed, such as home and postal address. Go to Step 6
• not able to confirm customer’s payment destination. Advise the customer or authorised representative they need to provide this information as soon as possible. Confirm and update the customer’s home and postal address. Go to Step 5
• No, go to Step 5

Manually suspend the customer's payment to prevent it from being delivered to the group payment organisation.

Go to Suspension of payments (CLK) then select the relevant link for the customer’s payment type. For example, if customer is on Age Pension, go to Suspension of Age Pension.

Use reason for suspension: 'OTH' (other) and the date of effect is Date Paid to plus 1 (DPT+1).

A Q134 letter must be issued and include:

• the payment types the request relates to
• the request for payment destination details
• when the details should be provided
• what happens if the details are not provided in the specified timeframe
• the section of the relevant Act under which the suspension has been made. In these cases, the relevant act is Social Security (Administration) Act 1999

See Creating a Q134 letter for instructions on how to create a Q134 letter and options to select.

Do not send a Q164 Request to contact. This has text that is not appropriate in this situation and may cause distress to the customer.

Note: if the customer has a correspondence nominee, a nominee copy of the Q134 letter must be manually created and sent.

Place a DOC on the customer’s record with actions taken and call attempts made.

If help is required with any of these steps, contact Local Peer Support.

Place a DOC on the customer’s record advising the SS270 form to end the group payment arrangement was received and record any actions taken on the customers record.

Only Service Officers with the appropriate ISP access have the ability to update a change to a Group Payment Organisation’s record or details, including:

• Change of name or ownership for an organisation
• Change of group payment bank account details or other bank account details where a nominee is linked to more than one customer
• Change to an organisation’s contact details

If a Group Payment organisation contacts the agency to update their details, record a Fast Note referral from the organisations record. Use Fast Note – select Auto text, use Third Party Organisation > Update > Nominee/Group Payment – Update Details. Fill in the template with sufficient detail to enable the update to be completed, including if the SS270 needs to be processed. See Nominee organisations for more details.

Check that the organisation is approved for this service:

• The Resources page contains a link to a listing of organisations approved for this service. Use the organisation’s 3-character Group Payment code to locate the organisation name and Customer Reference Number (CRN) on the listing
• If the organisation is not listed, tell the organisation to contact the National Business Gateway by phone
• If the organisation requires a copy of the Group payment schedule, the schedules can be reprinted from the History Summary (HS) screen up to 62 days after the date of payment
• Enter the organisation’s CRN (with stakeholder code and service reason TPP - Third Party Payment)

In the organisation’s record:

• ensure that the record has a stakeholder code and service reason ‘TPP’
• reissue the letter from the HS screen
• record details on a DOC
• if the organisation has enquired about their group payment schedule, go to Step 3

Procedure ends here.

Where an organisation:

• has questions about information contained in their group payment schedule, the Service Officer should try to answer the query
• has an issue with their online account or viewing their schedule, tell the organisation to contact the National Business Gateway by phone for further investigation and action
• currently receives their group payment schedules via mail and would like to register to access the schedules online, tell them to contact the National Business Gateway by phone to request this action
• wants to receive customers payment by group payment, see Organisation wants to become a Group Payment organisation