Urgent payment requests using self service 133-18071206

The service rejects requests if the customer:

• has had 2 or more urgent payments in the last 12 months. The services will only look for urgent payments that have been issued to the customer due to exceptional and unforeseen circumstances or extraordinary circumstances
• has no available funds
• selects a reason that is ineligible for an urgent payment

If a customer is not eligible for an urgent payment and they are using:

• phone self service, the IVR tells them why they are not eligible. Depending on the reason, the customer may be transferred to the relevant phone queue (in business hours)
• their online account, the service will advise the customer to contact Centrelink

Customers will not be able to use this self service option in the following circumstances. They will need to contact a Service Officer to request an urgent payment.

Requests for an urgent payment due to:

• Centrelink delay
• expenses due to funeral costs of an immediate family member
• extraordinary circumstances (third or subsequent request)

Phone self service, Centrelink online account and Express Plus Centrelink mobile app:

• Income Managed customers
• weekly payment customers
• customers who live overseas
• customers who have a nominee
• customers who have already applied on the same day
• customers who have already received 2 urgent payments in a 12 month period
• customers receiving an ineligible payment
• Farm Household Allowance (FHA) customers

This service is not publicised on the Services Australia website.

However, staff should encourage customers who can use self service to request an urgent payment online or through phone self service, unless:

• self service platforms are unavailable (confirmed by a Network News Update (NNU) Hot News and Bulletins), or
• the Service Officer determines the transaction is not appropriate to be self-managed in this instance

The customer's ability to self-manage each transaction should be considered on a case by case basis.