Centrelink debt service commitments

Our priority is to help you get the right payment at the right amount. Sometimes overpayments happen. When they do, we’re here to help if you owe money for a Centrelink debt.

When you contact us

When you contact us about a debt or overpayment, we’ll:

• help you understand why you were overpaid
• help you understand your rights and obligations regarding the debt or overpayment
• tell you how to manage your repayments yourself, including online or phone self-service
• tell you how to get an explanation or apply for a review if you don’t agree with the reasons for your debt
• help you pause your repayments while you wait for the explanation or the outcome of the review.

Find out how to get an explanation and formal review of a Centrelink decision.

What to expect from us

We’ll treat you with courtesy and respect and consider your circumstances.

If you owe us money, we want to help you repay it in a way that best suits your situation.

We will:

• provide you with accurate information about your debt or overpayment
• be flexible and may pause your repayments if you’re affected by a crisis, disaster, emergency event or financial hardship
• only contact you if it’s necessary and reasonable
• protect your privacy and personal information
• listen and respond to your enquiries, feedback and complaints promptly
• offer you ways to get information from us, including by non-digital means.

We make sure everyone can get information about our payments and services in a way that suits them. Read more about accessibility.

Your feedback is used to improve our products and services.

We’ll try to resolve your concerns while we’re speaking with you or as soon as possible after you contact us. If you’re not satisfied with the outcome, you can make a complaint.

What we need from you

We’ll always consider your circumstances, but we need you to provide accurate information to allow us to help.

We need you to:

• tell us as soon as possible or within 14 days if you or your partner has a change in circumstances
• contact us if you’re unsure what to do or what information you need to provide
• keep your income and assets details up to date
• engage with us to repay money you owe or set up a payment arrangement by the due date
• tell us if your contact details change, even if you don’t get a payment from us.

When we contact you

We’ll only contact you about a debt or overpayment if it’s necessary and reasonable to do so.

When we contact you, we’ll provide you with:

• consistent and appropriate correspondence and information relating to the debt
• options to contact us at a time that suits you
• an explanation of our decisions and your options if you think they’re wrong
• flexible choices to repay the debt that consider your circumstances, including online and phone services
• support if you can’t make your repayments
• a social worker if you feel that this would further help you
• transparency on next steps and any actions that we may take to recover a debt.

We may contact you if you haven’t arranged to repay your debt by the due date.

If you don’t agree to a repayment arrangement, we’ll both:

• explain the consequences of not paying your debt
• advise you of other ways your debt may be recovered.

What to do if you’re in financial hardship or an emergency

You can pause your repayments if you’re affected by a crisis, disaster, emergency event or financial hardship.

We’re here to support you to repay money you owe in a way that suits your financial situation. If you’re going through a difficult time, our social workers can help you.

Find out how to pause or change your debt repayments or call us on the Centrelink debt recovery line.