Change in Circumstances
You should contact us as soon as possible if your circumstances change as you could be at risk of an overpayment. If you get an overpayment you will have to repay the amount you should not have received.
The following information includes examples of changes which may affect your entitlement.
- Changes to your work
- Government payments
- Changes to your personal circumstances
- Holidaying or moving overseas
Changes to your work
You should tell us if you and/or your partner:
- Start or restart work
- Change jobs or become self employed (this can be full-time, part-time or casual work)
- Have changes to income from employment
- Start doing voluntary work
- Commence a training course
- Have an increase in earnings. This includes working overtime, additional working hours, pay rises and work bonuses.
Government payments
You should tell us if you and/or partner:
- Claim or start to receive another Government pension or benefit. This includes payments from Centrelink and the Department of Veterans' Affairs
- Become disabled or commence care for an adult or child who has a disability
- Have a child who starts to receive other Government payments such as Youth Allowance or ABSTUDY. This includes payments from Centrelink and the Departments of Veterans' Affairs
Changes to your personal circumstances
You should tell us if any of the following changes happen:
Children
- A child comes into your care, including a new born baby or a foster child
- A child leaves your care
- The number of children in your care changes
- Your child dies
- Your child starts or leaves school
- Your child's income changes or is likely to be $13,010 or more
- Your child is granted a pension, benefit or allowance
Child care
- You change your child care service provider
- You stop using child care for any of your children
- You or your partner's situation changes and you now need child care for more than 24 hours per week or more than 50 hours per week
Accommodation and residency
- You change address
- The amount of rent you pay changes
- You start to share accommodation with another person
- You move into a retirement village
- You are admitted into a nursing home or hostel
- Your Australian residency changes
Other personal circumstances
- There is a change of care or contact arrangements. You must tell us within 14 days of any changes in care or contact arrangements.
- Your relationship status changes, you separate from your partner or you divorce, marry, become widowed, get back with a former partner or live with a new partner
- You change your nominated bank or credit union account
- The amount of child support you receive changes
- You and/or your partner are imprisoned
- You and/or your partner are sent to a psychiatric institution
- You become disabled or commence care for an adult or child who has a disability
Holidaying or moving overseas
You should tell us if:
- You and/or your partner go on holidays or move overseas. You should contact us at least six weeks before departure and on your return to Australia (this is to ensure you are aware of your entitlements to payments and benefits while you are overseas); or
- Your child goes on holidays or moves overseas.
If you are unsure whether a change will affect your payment, you should contact us.