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Centrepay is a voluntary bill paying service which is free for Centrelink customers to use to arrange regular deductions from their Centrelink payment.
Our approach
Our reforms strengthen safeguards for customers and bring Centrepay in line with its original purpose as a regular bill-paying service.
To better protect our customers we’ve made several important changes. We’ve:
- removed high risk and under-used service reasons
- introduced mandatory end dates or target amounts for certain Centrepay service reasons
- expanded excluded expenses to include higher risk purchases
- strengthened our compliance approach
- amended the complaints handling process
- introduced a standard Centrepay Deduction Authority form that all businesses must use.
These improvements will help customers to manage their own expenses, buy goods and services and foster financial independence.
Watch our video to see what’s changed for Centrepay.
Centrepay priority reforms
We focused on 5 key areas of reform:
- Centrepay policy
- Centrepay service reasons
- Centrepay businesses
- Centrepay compliance
- Centrepay complaints.
Who we’ve been working with
As we reformed Centrepay, we consulted with the following stakeholders:
- consumer advocacy groups
- Centrepay customers and communities
- state and federal government agencies
- Centrepay businesses
- regulatory bodies.
Talking to a wide range of stakeholders helped us understand the needs and benefits of customers including:
- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples
- people living in remote communities
- older Australians
- people with disability
- culturally and linguistically diverse people.
Second round of consultation, March to April 2025
On 31 March 2025, we began a second round of public consultation called Shape the future of Centrepay.
This round of consultation invited input and feedback from businesses, customers and the broader community on the proposed Centrepay changes.
We asked you about how the proposed changes to Centrepay might affect you or your business. This feedback contributed to the final Centrepay reform.
Go to DSS Engage on the DSS website to access copies of:
- the Centrepay reform discussion paper
- the submissions
- a supporting summary report.
First round of consultation, May to July 2024
In 2024, we invited our community of customers, businesses and advocates to Have your say with Centrepay. We asked them to send submissions about Centrepay and how it could be improved to better support and protect our customers.
Go to DSS Engage on the DSS website to access copies of:
- the Centrepay reform discussion paper
- the submissions
- a supporting summary report.
New business applications
Businesses can only use Centrepay once they’re approved. To apply, complete the Business application form.
Centrepay obligations letter
In 2024 we sent letters to all businesses approved for Centrepay. In our letter, we outlined Centrepay compliance obligations and encouraged businesses to do an internal review to make sure they meet those obligations.
Volunteer to withdraw
If you’re a business registered for Centrepay and can no longer comply with the Centrepay requirements, you can withdraw from the Centrepay program in accordance with the Centrepay policy and terms.
To withdraw, your business must write to the Centrepay for businesses team at least 20 business days before the withdrawal date.