Place Based Income Management

Overview

The Australian Government in the 2011-12 Budget announced that Income Management will be implemented in five new locations as part of the Government’s Building Australia’s Future Workforce package. This new model of Income Management (Place Based Income Management) will start on 1 July 2012 in the following locations:

• Bankstown, New South Wales
• Logan, Queensland
• Rockhampton, Queensland
• Playford, South Australia
• Greater Shepparton, Victoria.

This model of Income Management will apply to:

• parents who are referred by state or territory child protection authorities – this will be done in cases where it is considered to be a useful tool in addressing child neglect and building life skills, and
• people assessed by Centrelink Social Workers as being vulnerable to financial crisis – this could include people referred to a Centrelink Social Worker by public housing authorities because they are at risk of homelessness due to rental arrears.

Centrelink customers in these locations can also volunteer for Income Management.

What is Income Management?

Income Management is a way to help you manage your money. Income Management means that part of your Centrelink payments will be set aside by Centrelink to help you pay for things you and your family need.

Income Management will not reduce the total amount of your payments from Centrelink. It will only change the way you receive your payments.

Eligibility for Income Management in these locations

Income Management will apply if you:

• are referred for Income Management by state or territory child protection authorities
• are referred for Income Management by Centrelink Social Workers, or
• choose to participate in Voluntary Income Management.

Centrelink will contact you if you have been referred for Income Management.

Exemptions from Income Management

There are no exemptions if you are referred for Income Management by state or territory child protection authorities or by Centrelink Social Workers.

How Income Management works

If you are on Income Management, part of your regular fortnightly payments and all of any advance or lump sum payments will be income managed. Your income managed money can be used for priority items such as food, rent, utilities and clothing.

The rest of your regular fortnightly payments will be paid to you in the usual way.

You can spend your income managed money by using the BasicsCard, or through direct Centrelink payments to organisations such as stores, landlords or utility providers.

Our Customer Service Advisors can provide you with further information and assist you with setting up these payments.

Matched Savings Payment

Under Income Management you may be eligible for the Matched Savings Payment. If you are trying to save money for something you may be able to get a Matched Savings Payment of up to $500.

This payment is only paid once.

To get a Matched Savings Payment you must:

• be on Income Management (excluding Voluntary Income Management and Cape York measure)
• have completed an approved money management course
• have established a pattern of savings over at least 13 weeks, and
• have saved an amount of money equal to the amount you are applying for.

Your Matched Savings Payment will be 100% income managed.

For more information, refer to the Matched Savings Payment factsheet.

Voluntary Income Management

If Income Management does not apply to you, you can choose to participate in Voluntary Income Management. This means that Centrelink can still help you manage your payments.

You will need to talk to Centrelink to see if your payments can be income managed. Once you sign up you will have to stay on it for at least 13 weeks. After that you can stop whenever you like.

You may also be eligible for a Voluntary Income Management Incentive Payment of $250. This will be automatically paid to you for every 26 continuous weeks you remain on Voluntary Income Management. This payment will be 100% income managed.

For more information, refer to the Voluntary Income Management factsheet.

Money Management Services and Commonwealth Financial Counselling

Money Management Services and Commonwealth Financial Counselling can help you improve your financial skills and assist you with family budgeting, saving for a goal or manage your debt. These services are free, confidential and voluntary.

For more information on Money Management Services refer to the Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs (FaHCSIA) website.

More information

For further information about Income Management call the Centrelink Income Management Line on 13 2594, go to a Centrelink Customer Service Centre or visit the Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs (FaHCSIA) website.

Note: calls from your home phone to Centrelink ‘13’ numbers from anywhere in Australia are charged at a fixed rate. That rate may vary from the price of a local call and may also vary between telephone service providers. Calls from public and mobile phones may be times and charged at a higher rate.