Change in relationship status from single to partnered 102-05010000

When a single customer receiving Centrelink payments and services becomes partnered, they must advise Services Australia of the change in relationship status. Entitlement to payments or services is reassessed (for both the customer and their partner if their partner also receives payments or services).

The customer and/or their partner may no longer qualify for income support payments and may have to claim another payment. If they remain eligible, they may have a change in their rate of payment.

At every contact, staff must check/update the customer's address (including postal address) and phone details (including mobile phone numbers).

Failure to advise becoming partnered may result in an overpayment. Debt shell activities that generate due to linking a customer to their partner should be left for Debt Staff to investigate. This includes debts due to new claims where a customer now advises they were partnered during a past period of payments where they were paid at the single rate. See Debt identification.

If staff need any assistance with updating a customer’s record and/or determining the start date of relationship, they need to follow the standard escalation procedures. See Tier 0 technical support - self-sufficiency.

Under associated law and policy (see References), a person is considered to have a partner (and therefore be a member of a couple) if they are either:

• 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 where they live
• not living separately and apart on a permanent or indefinite basis

See the References page for a link to the Social Security Guide for the full definition of a member of a couple and the applicable age of consent per state/territory.

When a PPS customer becomes partnered, they may be transferred to Parenting Payment Partnered (PPP) if the youngest child in their principal care is under 6 years of age. See Transfer from Parenting Payment Single (PPS) to Parenting Payment Partnered (PPP).

When one person advises they are partnered and the other person denies they are in a relationship with them, a Member of a Couple (MoC) assessment is needed. As the parties have provided conflicting information, an assessment is needed to confirm if a member of a couple relationship exists or not. This is to make sure the correct rate/entitlements are paid.

If a MoC assessment is needed and family and domestic violence (FDV) concerns have been identified, care must be taken in determining who should be issued forms. For more details, see Confirming a partnered relationship.

When family and domestic violence (FDV) issues are identified, care must be taken when any contact or confirmation of the relationship is needed. See Family and domestic violence for more details on how to protect a customer’s privacy, relevant updates to make, and what support to offer.

Service Officers must establish whom the FDV claims are against:

• customer claiming FDV against the partner
• partner claiming FDV against the customer
• both parties claim FDV against each other

If a MOD P form or a MoC assessment is needed, take care to check any FDV concerns before issuing any forms. If one person denies the relationship and identifies FDV concerns, forms must not be issued to the alleged perpetrator.

If one person denies the relationship exists and a MoC assessment is needed, there may be times when both parties have identified FDV concerns against each other. If both are current Centrelink customers, issue forms directly to each person and do not contact the other party about the person’s MoC assessment.

If a current customer has lodged a MOD P, and they have been identified as an alleged perpetrator of violence, the MOD P assessment may be delayed pending the outcome of the MoC assessment. If a customer contacts to question any delay in finalising their MOD P assessment:

• they must not be advised that a MoC assessment is needed
• tell them the assessment is still in progress and they will be advised of the outcome as soon as possible (priority processing can be considered if not already done)

If a partner has denied the relationship, see Confirming a partnered relationship.

A current customer or their partner may lodge a Partner details (MOD P) form but after the assessment is completed, deny they are in a relationship.

This may occur for a number of reasons, including but not limited to:

• indications of FDV – the person may have been under duress to sign the form
• they were confused and did not understand why they were signing the form. This may be possible if a third party has aided (e.g. hospital social worker) or English is a second language
• there are medical issues that may indicate the customer did not understand e.g. mental health, Dementia

If a customer requests a formal review of the partnered decision, Authorised Review Officers (AROs) need to consider policy and legislation (i.e. the five factors) in determining a member of a couple (partnered) relationship status under associated law. This may require a request for further information as part of the ARO review process.

A current single customer may give details to support claims for other services/payments. This may result in a conflict with the relationship status a customer has recorded on their record, for example, proof of birth listing partner details.

In these circumstances, attempt to contact the customer to clarify the discrepancy and provide the customer the opportunity to confirm their relationship status. If the customer denies they are partnered, despite the conflicting information provided and a Service Officer has doubt about the customer’s claims about their relationship status, an assessment must be escalated using the Report Suspected Fraud and Corruption system.

When a customer receiving Centrelink payments or services becomes partnered (or has a change in partner), they must advise the change in relationship status.

Partner details are provided via:

• a completed Partner details (MOD P) form for current customers
• the online claim or Assisted Customer Claim (ACC) workflow for customers making a new claim

Sometimes partner details may be assessed without a MOD P.

A MOD P is not needed when:

• The customer is only getting Carer Allowance (CA) and they are exempt from providing income details for the CA income test
• The customer receives Parenting Payment (PP) at the single rate and they are claiming PP as a partnered customer. Partner details will be collected as part of the new claim. See Transfer from Parenting Payment Single (PPS) to Parenting Payment Partnered (PPP)
• The customer is only getting Parental Leave Pay and the new partner is not receiving or claiming an income support payment
• All the required information is available by any of the following:
• an unfavourable MoC decision where the partner is already a Centrelink customer – records can be linked immediately
• the partner being present (in person or over the phone)
• a completed paper claim form that contains full partner details and is signed by both the customer and their partner. Note: if a partner refuses to provide their details in the customer’s claim form (some couples keep their financial affairs separate and private from each other), a MOD P will be needed before assessing the claim
• an online claim, if it contains partner details and their partner has completed their task through the 'Partner Confirmation Logon' portal on the Services Australia website, using a TAC. See Confirming a partnered relationship
• a combined partner online claim, e.g. Age Pension or Farm Household Allowance

The Newborn Child Declaration (FA081) form is not to be used for linking customers. A MOD P must be issued. The FA081 form is only a declaration of a newborn child. It does not request all the information needed for an accurate assessment of the customer's relationship status.

When a customer is:

• claiming or receiving an Australian income support payment while living overseas, they must also advise the agency of a change in their relationship status:
• The customer and partner may have to complete a Partner details (AUS174) form, or
• The partner can confirm via the 'Partner Confirmation Logon' portal on the Services Australia website, with the temporary access code (TAC) given to the customers at the end of the claim

Note: the AUS174 is available in some other languages. Refer to online forms.

Staff must code the appropriate relationship qualifier (OVP) to reflect that the partner is living overseas if the:

• customer is partnered, and
• customer’s partner lives overseas and never lived in Australia

This will make sure any address and/or accommodation updates can be made independently for the customer and their partner.

See Assessment of relationship status - processes, roles and responsibilities for more information on relationship qualifier codes.

See Process for more information on how to code the relationship qualifier code.

If a non-current customer’s partner is

• also, not in receipt of payments or services
• Updating relationship details for customers wishing to claim, but not currently receiving Centrelink payments or services is not required. If a new claim for income support or another payment/concession card is being lodged, updates will be done as part of the new claim. This may result in an overpayment being generated as part of the claim if the customer states their relationship commenced during a period they were previously paid at the single rate. Debt shell activities that generate due to linking a customer to their partner should be left for Debt Staff to investigate. See Debt identification.
• If a non-current customer notifies of becoming partnered (via a MOD P) their record must still be updated. If they contact by phone to advise they are partnered, the same procedures apply as if they were receiving payments or services. This makes sure the agency holds information about the customer and partner that is accurate, up-to-date, and complete, as required under the Australian Privacy Principles. Verification of the relationship with the partner is still required for non-current customers.

• in receipt of payments or services
• a MOD P is required from the partner unless the partner is present and able to provide all required information
• as the partner is a current customer, they are required to advise a change of circumstances within 14 days

Exception: there is no need to obtain details of the new relationship and partner details if they have provided the details via:

• a completed MOD P form and both have signed
• the online claim or Assisted Customer Claim (ACC) workflow for customers making a claim, where the Partner Confirmation service has been completed by the partner

Details on follow up with the partner where they are in receipt of payments or services is outlined on the Process page.

Note: if the partner is in receipt of Parenting Payment Single (PPS), see Transfer from Parenting Payment Single (PPS) to Parenting Payment Partnered (PPP).

If it has been determined that the partner needs to provide relationship and new partner details, send a Request for Information from their record.

Non-current parents of students

A MOD P is not needed for parents/guardians of dependent YA/ABY customers who have partnered where the parents/guardians are not receiving an income support payment. See Changes, which may affect the Parental Income Test (PIT) for more details.

When all required information is available (by the customer and partner being present face-to-face or on the phone) for records to be linked, record on a DOC the information provided by the customer and their partner.

If assistance with determining the date for linking/start date of relationship is required, staff need to follow the standard escalation procedures. See Tier 0 technical support - self-sufficiency

Confirmation of the relationship

Confirmation of the relationship by both the customer and partner is required before updating and linking customer and partner records. If there is documented family and domestic violence on the customer or partner's record, see Family and domestic violence.

Confirmation of partner identity

If a customer or the partner does not have a Confirmed Identity Confirmation Indicator (ICI), they may need to provide documents, which establish commencement of identity (COI), and use of identity in the community - Primary Use in the Community (PUiC) and Secondary Use in the Community (SUiC). The link between the identity and the person will then be established via a photographic identity document. For more information, including payments and services it applies to, see Identity Confirmation.

If it appears a customer may be placed in financial difficulty by being assessed as partnered and special circumstances exist, payment under Section 24 provisions may be considered.

Customers must be advised that a change of circumstances may result in their circumstances being reassessed. This may result in their rate changing to the partnered rate if they are no longer eligible under Section 24 provisions.

Customers should be advised that information used for their Centrelink, Child Support and Medicare payments and services is not routinely transferred within Services Australia.

To update relevant information, the customer may have to contact Centrelink, Child Support or Medicare separately.

Only one member of a couple can be assessed as a principal carer of a dependent child at any time for income support purposes.

If 2 single parents become partnered, a decision must be made about who is the principal carer. Principal carer status must be updated for one customer before linking their records are linked.

If one member of a couple receives Parenting Payment (PP), they are considered the principal carer. If both currently receive PP, one member of the couple must transfer to another payment, for example JobSeeker Payment (JSP).

Customers receiving Family Tax Benefit (FTB), or Child Care Subsidy (CCS) must:

• provide or revise their family income estimate and Activity Test details for CCS
• details of their and their partner's Tax File Number (TFN)

Check if there is a shared care arrangement for any of the children in the household.

If reconciling with a parent of an FTB child, child support/maintenance action and income details must be checked, and they must decide who will claim FTB for the children.

Members of a blended family may choose each to receive FTB.

For more information, see Family assistance customer becomes partnered and Customer advises care arrangements for FTB.

Customers claiming or receiving Youth Allowance (YA) or ABSTUDY need to advise their relationship status as it affects whether they are:

• considered independent (if other independent criteria are not met), or
• assessed under the Parental Income Test if under 22 years of age

If either the customer or their partner is a dependent YA or ABSTUDY customer:

• there is no need to collect partner details
• their records must not be linked until they both meet the YA/ABSTUDY independence criteria

See YA or ABSTUDY customer becomes partnered.

Customers under 21 years of age who are claiming or receiving Disability Support Pension (DSP) also need to advise their relationship status. It can affect whether they are paid at the independent or dependent rate.

DSP customers are not subject to the Parental Income Test. If the customer becomes partnered, the records must be linked.

See Assessing payment rates and independence for DSP customers under 21.