Return to sender (RTS) mail for Centrelink 102-10030010

Customers must tell Services Australia of a change of address within 14 days of moving. When mail is returned from the address on the customer's record, the customer may be considered 'whereabouts unknown' (WUK).

Customers contacting to provide a change of address must be encouraged to complete the transaction through their online account or Express Plus App if capable of self-management.

When a customer contacts about a change of address:

• encourage them to use self service
• tell them they can complete these updates through either:
• their online account
• the Express Plus App

Do not offer self service options if:

• they are not eligible to use self service for change of address transactions
• they are unable to use self service
• it is unsuitable, either temporarily or long term
• self service channels are unavailable (confirmed by NNU, Newsflash and Bulletins)

Encourage customers to use self service to complete their updates if they receive:

• Age Pension (AGE)
• Austudy (AUS)
• Australian Apprentices
• Child Care Subsidy (CCS)
• Dad and Partner Pay (DAP)
• Family Tax Benefit (FTB)
• JobSeeker payment (JSP)
• Parental Leave Pay (PPL)
• Parenting Payment (PP)
• Trainees
• Youth Allowance (YA) (full time students and job seekers)

See Accessing and using Centrelink self service and Update address, accommodation or contact details online for more details.

Returned mail is scanned to a customer record. In most cases, this process triggers an automatic suspension or cancellation of the customer’s payment, as they are ‘whereabouts unknown (WUK)’.

The payment will not suspend or cancel if:

• a customer is identified as vulnerable
• follow up action is needed on their record

A work item is created and processed by staff with this skill tag.

Staff must determine if the customer has remained qualified and retained payability during the entire period of the suspension/cancellation, before their payment may be restored with full arrears. Including when the customer contacts more than 13 weeks after the decision to suspend or cancel and the notice advising the customer of the decision has been returned to the agency.

Note: this is because the customer would be taken not to have received advice of the decision to suspend/cancel. The date of effect of the favourable determination (restoration) is the date of the original decision (date of suspension/cancellation), as per legislation. See the References page for legislation.

See Request for an explanation or application for a formal review for requests for review of decision.