New Financial Year Assessments (NFYA) for Family Tax Benefit (FTB) and Child Care Subsidy (CCS) 007-07130000

From 1 April, customers can provide their family income estimate for the new financial year. A task will display in their online service and Express Plus Centrelink mobile app to prompt them to provide their next financial year estimate.

In early May, an Electronic Message (EM) (SMS or email) is sent to eligible customers requesting them to provide their new financial year income estimate using online services or the Express Plus Centrelink mobile app.

Services Australia issues NFYA letters to eligible customers from mid-May. Customers not selected in the initial bulk mailout may be sent a NFYA letter if they claim FTB/CCS or become partnered after the bulk mailout and before 1 July of the new financial year.

The NFYA letter sent to the customer:

• requests the customer provide a new financial year family income estimate via self-service channels
• advises the default estimate that will be used if they do not provide their own estimate. The default estimate is calculated as part of the Automatic Uplift process and is calculated using their most recent estimate at the time the letter is sent
• can contain variable text, bilingual text, or targeted text for customers deemed at risk of overpayment
• informs customers of separate income reporting requirements for income support payments
• contains reminders to CCS customers to review their Activity Test details

All income components for the new financial year must be recorded even if the details are the same as for the previous financial year. The estimate must be considered reasonable for it to be used.

Customers may choose not to reply. If they do not provide a reasonable estimate by 1 July (or within 21 days of the date the NFYA letter is sent, if that is later), the default estimate will be used to work out their ongoing FTB legislative rate.

Customers may provide their own reasonable estimate before the new financial year starts to override a default estimate.

Payments will not be cancelled because the customer failed to reply to the letter.

Customers can update their new financial year estimate using any of the following self-service options:

• the Update family income estimate option online
• Express Plus Centrelink mobile app

If the customer is unable to use self-service options, they can contact Services Australia on the Centrelink Families line.

Note: if the customer phones the Centrelink Families line between 1 May and 30 June and has Voice Print authentication, the IVR will ask the customer to confirm both their current financial year family income estimate and their future financial year family income estimate (if there is an estimate on file) while the customer is waiting in the phone queue. The Income estimate instructions on Customer Overview will then show the Service Officer if action is required.

If a customer or their current partner are receiving a taxable or non-taxable ISP, the online service and app will prohibit a $0 next financial year income estimate for the relevant income component. To provide a $0 next financial year income estimate for an ISP current customer, they will need to contact Services Australia on the Centrelink Families line.

After determining that the $0 estimate is reasonable, Service Officers may record a $0 next financial year income estimate for an ISP current customer using the Family Income and Choices workflow.