Assessing the Separation details MOD S and online updates 106-07100140

There are key steps a customer should consider when separating to protect their personal information. See Separating Safely – protecting personal details. Customers can also find information on the Services Australia website by searching ‘Breaking up’.

If a customer advises they have separated, there are key steps they should consider to keep their personal information safe. The sequence of these key steps is important and all updates need to be made separately for Centrelink, Medicare and Child Support. See Separating Safely - Protecting personal details.

Current customers can tell the agency they have separated from their partner, using:

• a Separation details (MOD S) form, or
• the Update relationship details online service (if they are eligible)

A person is a member of a couple if they are:

• legally married
• in a registered relationship
• in a de facto relationship and
• not in a prohibited relationship
• both over the age of consent in the state or territory they live in
• not living separately and apart on a permanent or indefinite basis

If a marriage, registered relationship or de facto relationship ceases to exist, the partners of that relationship are no longer members of a couple.

Living separately and apart

To be considered to be living separately and apart, it must be established that:

• they are living apart either permanently or indefinitely (physical separation), and
• there has been an estrangement or breakdown in their relationship (emotional separation)

Living separately and apart does not require the customer to have physically moved out of shared accommodation. The customer must establish there is a genuine separation in the relationship and they have established they are living separate lives.

Generally, Services Australia does not accept living separately and apart if the couple are living apart because of ill health. Explore all other options before a determining that a couple are living separately and apart.

A customer's relationship may break down but they continue to live together. Additional assessments may be required for these customers. For information, see Member of a Couple (MoC) and Separated under one roof (SUOR) assessments.

To decide if the agency should issue a MOD S, see Change in relationship status from partnered to single.

When a customer separates, the separation may need to be verified if they meet certain circumstances.

Both the MOD S and Update relationship details online service require customers to provide details of one suitable referee that knows about their separation. The MOD S also lets the customer tell the agency why they cannot provide a suitable referee.

• Customers must answer all relevant questions on the form
• Many questions only need a Yes or No response
• Depending on the answer, some questions may be skipped
• The customer must complete the declaration requirements (see below)
• Customers may need to complete other forms before the module can be assessed. Service Officers can issue the forms if required. For example, a customer indicates on the MOD S their income and assets have changed. They need to attach a completed Income and assets (MOD iA) form
• Customers may indicate on the MOD S that they live in the same home as their ex-partner. They must complete the Relationship Details - Separated under one roof (SS293) form

Helping customers complete the MOD S

Customers may ask for help to complete the form. For information and standard requirements, see Standards for helping customers complete claims and forms.

MOD S - signature and tick box declaration requirements

Customers are required to complete the tick box declaration in all cases (i.e. regardless of whether the form is submitted online or returned by post or in person).

Customers are not required to sign the MOD S when they use the Upload documents service to return the form. This is because the customer has been authenticated via the myGov website.

A signature is required when the form is returned via post or in person.

A multiple relationship is where a person has more than one member of a couple relationship at the same time.

Social security law does not recognise multiple relationships. Assess all other parties to the relationship (outside the central couple) for entitlements under Section 24 provisions.

If a customer in a multiple relationship separates from one partner, take care to update the correct partner's details. Consider changing partner links to another member of the multiple relationship if the customer links to the partner from who they separated.