Child support deductions from income support payments 277-51020030

From 1 July 2008, Child Support is able to recover up to three times the minimum child support liability amount from a customer's income support payments. Child Support may instruct Centrelink to apply the deduction in relation to the customer's current child support liability, child support arrears, or both.

Income support payments include Austudy but do not include exceptional circumstance payments.

Child Support deductions display on a customer's Payment Details (PD) screen as CSSLIA. A total figure is shown for the full amount deducted for child support and does not identify whether it is current liability, arrears or both.

If a customer does not agree with the amount deducted for child support or the payments that child support is deducted from, they must discuss or appeal this decision with Child Support.

The customer may need to contact Child Support to clarify the breakdown of the deductions; which children it is for and whether it is for current liability, arrears or both.

In general, the minimum and maximum amounts are legislatively set and not generally overturned. Hardship provisions do exist and the customer must discuss any request for consideration of hardship or change to deductions with Child Support.

Income support customers who have a Shared Care Child in their care will not have a current child support liability for that child as the costs are being met through the care they provide.

It is possible though for the customer to have child support deductions for arrears of child support for this child and/or current liability/arrears for other children.

Where there is a change of care, the rate deducted for child support may not change, as the customer may still need to pay arrears of child support.

The child support payer can ask Child Support to arrange deductions from their income support payments to cover their child support liability.

Centrelink cannot process a payer's request to have deductions taken from their income support or for deductions to be increased, reduced or ceased. The payer must contact Child Support to ask for this to be arranged.

Customers with child support payment commitments who are imprisoned or entering detention must contact Child Support to advise their change of circumstances either prior to entering prison or as soon as possible after entering. This can assist imprisoned payers to avoid possible child support debts.