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Centrepay
What is CentrepayCentrepay is a free direct bill-paying service offered to customers receiving payments from Centrelink. Through Centrepay you can choose to pay bills by having a regular amount deducted from your Centrelink payment. Why use Centrepay?Centrepay is a voluntary bill paying service, which is easy to use. It is convenient as you can start, change or cancel Centrepay deductions at any time to suit your own personal circumstances. Customers who choose to use Centrepay also benefit from knowing that their payments are under control. Instead of having large bills every month or quarter your bills are paid in manageable amounts from your payment, making it easier for you to budget. [ return to top ] Bills you can pay with CentrepayThere are many types of expenses you can pay using Centrepay, such as:
Note: Deductions to pay court fines cannot be taken from your Family Tax Benefit payment. How to find out if an organisation or person is registered with CentrepayThere are thousands of organisations and individuals who offer Centrepay as a bill payment option. These organisations and individuals have to register with Centrelink and sign a contract before they can offer Centrepay. To find out who these organisations are, simply contact us or speak to the organisation or person you would like to pay using this service. Note: Our operating hours for third party organisations are from 8:30 am – 5 pm Monday to Friday according to each State or Territory time zone. Will it cost anythingNo, Centrepay does not charge you any fee to deduct the money from you payment. However, the organisation or persons to which we send your deduction is charged a fee. This fee must not be passed on to you. If you believe this is occurring discuss it with the organisation or person you pay. If you are not satisfied with the response, contact Centrelink. Minimum payment amountThe minimum payment amount for Centrepay deductions is $10 per fortnight. However, there are some organisations that require a different minimum amount. Contact the organisation you want to pay if you are unsure of the minimum amount required. [ return to top ] How to apply for CentrepayThere are several ways to start Centrepay deductions. You can:
Some participating organisations can organise your Centrepay deductions for you. To start Centrepay deductions you will need to have the following information:
Centrelink will send you a letter confirming the details of your deduction. Centrepay will pay your deduction to the organisation or person you have nominated on the same day you receive your Centrelink payment. The organisation or person will receive a report with details of your deduction for them to reconcile your account. [ return to top ] How to change your Centrepay deductionsThe service is voluntary and you can change, suspend or cancel your deductions at any time by:
Centrelink will send you a letter whenever your deduction is changed, suspended or cancelled. We will also advise the organisation or person you are paying if you change, suspend or cancel your deduction. You can change your Centrepay deduction in the following ways:
Sometimes Centrelink is not be able to deduct the full amount requested if your Centrelink payment:
If this happens you will need to contact the organisation or person your deductions are being paid to and make other arrangements. If your Centrelink payment is cancelled and then restored within 14 days, your deductions will automatically continue, otherwise they will stop and you will need to talk to the organisation or person to which your deductions are being paid, to make other arrangements. If your Centrelink payments recommence, then talk to Centrelink about restarting your deductions using Centrepay. If you move from one type of Centrelink payment to another, for example from Parenting Payment Partnered to Age Pension, your deduction will continue without you needing to do anything. [ return to top ] How to check your Centrepay deductionsCentrelink will send you a letter when your deductions first commence and whenever a change is requested to the deduction details. The easiest way for you to check or update your own deductions is to use Centrelink’s online services. More informationRefer to our Centrepay brochure or telephone us on your normal payment number. Did you find what you were looking for? You can also try the A to Z list, quick links, search, site help, we speak your language or send us feedback on how to make this a better website. |