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28 day rule for bereavement 110-08040050

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This document outlines the principles and application of the 28 day rule for bereavement. The majority of customers have 28 days in which to notify of the occurrence of a bereavement event, as it is considered that at these times customers require additional adjustment time before approaching government agencies. The 28 day notification period starts from the day after the date the person died.

28 day rule for bereavement

This table describes the actions to be taken in the assessment and application of the 28 day bereavement rule.

Step

Action

1

Customer notification + Read more ...

A customer notifies Services Australia of a bereavement event.

Identify if the deceased is:

  • a single customer
  • a partnered customer but the partner is not a Centrelink customer, or
  • either single or partnered as above, but without a nominee

Is the deceased any of the above?

2

Type of notification + Read more ...

Is the customer notifying of a bereavement event within 28 days?

Note: the 28 day notification period starts from the day after the date the person died.

3

Notified within period + Read more ...

Apply the date of effect rules for customers who have notified of an event within the notification period.

See the References page for more information on the date of effect rules.

Procedure ends here.

4

Not notified within period + Read more ...

Apply the date of effect rules for customers who have not notified of an event within the notification period.

See the References page for more information on the date of effect rules.

Procedure ends here.

5

Notification provisions do not apply + Read more ...

To avoid any debt to the deceased single customer's estate, the notification of death must be advised to the agency promptly:

  • for single pension customers, the estate is entitled to the payment up to the first entitlement period end day (EPED) following death
  • for deceased single social security benefit customers, the estate is only entitled to payments up to the day before date of death

Any payments made after this would be an overpayment. See Requesting refunds and raising debts for deceased customer.