How Online Letters can help you
The Online Letters service is an alternative way for you to receive most of your mail from Centrelink and the Family Assistance Office. You can log on securely to view and print your letters. This will reduce the amount of paper letters sent to your postal address.
When you have a new online letter, Centrelink will send an SMS or an email to your mobile phone number or email address.
On this page
- Online Demonstration
- What can I do with the Online Letters service?
- What kinds of letters are available online?
- How do I subscribe to the Online Letters service?
- How do I subscribe to the Online Letters service as a nominee?
- Why might I not be able to receive online letters?
- How do I un-subscribe to the Online Letters service?
- How to subscribe to Online Letters - video demonstration
Online Demonstration
Transcript [RTF, 1 pages, 38KB]
What can I do with the Online Letters service?
Using this service you can:
- view and print online letters
- access online letters that have been sent to you for up to 90 days
- view and print online letters for a customer, if you are their nominee.
What kinds of letters are available online?
The sorts of letters that can be sent to you online include:
- letters about changes in rates or circumstance
- grant letters
- letters of advice concerning suspensions or cancellations
- payment summaries
- letters you receive on behalf of a customer, if you are a nominee
- copies of any SMS or email reminders you may have already received.
Most of your letters will be available online, however, you will continue to receive some mail through Australia Post like reply paid envelopes, information and some types of brochures, as well as paper forms that Centrelink requires you to fill in and return.
How do I subscribe to the Online Letters service?
In order to use this service, you will need to:
- register for Online Services with access level 3
- select the Log on button and enter your Customer Access Number (CAN) and password
- select ‘Reminders and Letters’
- select ‘Reminders and Letters Subscriptions’ from the menu to subscribe to the service
- once subscribed to Online Letters, select ‘View Online Letters’ to view letters in Portable Document Format (PDF), using Adobe Acrobat Reader 8 or another PDF viewer.
How do I subscribe as a nominee to the Online Letters service?
In order to use this service as a nominee, you will need to:
- register for Online Services as a nominee
- select to act for yourself on the 'Select who you wish to act for' page and then select 'Reminders and Letters Subscription' from the menu to subscribe to the service
- once subscribed to Online Letters, select to act for yourself on the 'Select who you wish to act for' page and then select 'View Online Letters'. You will then be able to view letters for yourself and the customer/s you are a nominee for.
You will continue to receive letters from Centrelink and the Family Assistance Office in the post that require you to fill in information and return.
If you change your mobile phone number or your email address youneed to tell us straight away. To report any changes log into your Online Service and select ‘Personal Detail’ on the menu item or you can telephone us on your regular 13 number or visit your nearest Centrelink Customer Service Centre.
Why might I not be able to receive online letters?
You will not be able to receive online letters if you:
- are living permanently outside Australia
- are not receiving Centrelink payments because of a compensation preclusion period
- have requested that only certain Centrelink staff have access to your records.
How do I un-subscribe to the Online Letters service?
In order to un-subscribe to this service, you need to:
- select the Logon button and enter your Customer Access Number (CAN) and password
- select ‘Reminders and Letters’
- select ‘Reminders and Letters Subscriptions’ from the menu to subscribe to the service
- select ‘no’ under the Online Letters subscription question and then ‘continue’ to complete the process.
How to subscribe to Online Letters - video demonstration
A video demonstration on 'How to subscribe to and use Online Letters' is available in the online demonstrations page.
More information
For more information about Online Services, including passwords and secret questions and answers, refer to Online and Phone Services frequently asked questions.