Change of circumstances

You need to tell us about any changes to your and your family’s circumstances either when you report your income or within 14 days, whichever is earlier. This includes changes for any of the following:

• your parents or guardians
• your partner
• your dependent children.

If you don’t tell us, you may need to pay back the money we’ve paid you. Giving false information to get a payment is fraud.

What you need to tell us

You need to tell us about any changes to your circumstances.

Employment changes

You need to tell us about any employment changes, including if any of the following happen:

• you change your work hours
• you change jobs
• you start or stop work
• you can’t work for a short time.

Income changes

You need to tell us about changes to your income, including if there is a change to your or your partner’s income.

You need to tell us if you get either of the following:

• compensation, leave or redundancy payments
• income from outside Australia.

You need to tell us if either of the following happen:

• you start or stop getting a scholarship, also known as bursaries, stipends or grants
• you start or stop getting other financial help for your course or apprenticeship.

Asset changes

You need to tell us about any changes to your assets you haven’t told us about before.

You should tell us about any of the following asset changes:

• you get new assets
• your or your partners financial assets change by $2,000 or more above the value we have recorded
• your or your partners non-financial assets change by $1,000 or more above the value we have recorded, for example you buy or sell a car, house, or other assets.

You also need to tell us if your bank details change, including opening or closing a bank account.

Study changes

You need to tell us about changes to your study, including if you can’t study for a short time or any of the following happen:

• you don’t stay enrolled in your course
• you stop studying and don’t plan to return to study
• you stop being a full time Australian Apprentice
• you don’t start your course within 2 weeks of the course start date.

You need to tell us if you do any of the following:

• you change your course
• you start studying at a different institution
• you reduce your study or training workload.

You need to tell us if you’re no longer getting a STARTUP-HELP loan for your Startup Year course.

Contact information changes

You need to tell us about changes to your contact details including any the following:

• your postal address
• your mobile phone number
• your home phone number
• your email address.

Living situation changes

You need to tell us if you change your address or accommodation details. This includes if you move back to your parents’ or guardians’ home or change the parent you’re living with.

You need to tell us if you move into or out of long-term care, like a nursing home or hostel, due to injury or disability.

You need to tell us if you’re single and you start sharing your accommodation with a non-family member who’s 16 or older.

You need to teel us if you’re leaving the country for a short time, or to live.

You need to tell us if you go into lawful custody.

If you get Rent Assistance, you also need to tell us if any of the following happen:

• your rent payment changes
• you stop paying rent
• you start or stop sharing accommodation
• you start paying rent to a state, territory, or Commonwealth Housing Authority
• you move in with your parent or guardian.

Personal situation changes

You need to tell us about changes to your personal situation, including if you marry or start living with your partner or if you separate from your partner.

You need to tell us if you’re sick, injured, or unable to do your mutual obligation requirements, work or study for a short time.

You need to tell us if you start or stop getting a pension, benefit or allowance.

You need to tell us if you change your legal name.

You can also update your gender identity if you choose to do so.

Family changes

You need to tell us about changes to your family situation.

This includes if an immediate family member dies. We know this can be a difficult time for you. We have help on what to do when a loved one dies.

Changes to your parents’ or guardians’ situation

You need to tell us about changes to your parents’ or guardians’ situation, including if their income changes.

You need to tell us if they change their address.

You need to tell us if they marry, start living with their partner or separate from their partner.

You need to tell us if a dependent child leaves or comes into their care.

You need to tell us if they are, or are no longer, in custody, in a psychiatric institution, nursing home or similar.

Changes about your partner

You need to tell us if your partner does any of the following:

• they start or stop working
• they have changes to their income or assets
• they get ABSTUDY, a pension, benefit or allowance.

Changes about a child

You need to tell us if you have a child or take care of a dependent child aged 16 or younger.

You need to also tell us if any of the following happen:

• your dependent child aged 16 or younger leaves home
• your dependent child aged 16 or younger gets a pension, benefit or allowance
• your dependent child aged 16 or younger is in custody on remand, in a psychiatric institution or in prison.

This includes if a dependent child dies. We know this can be a difficult time, and we offer support for what help there is when a child dies.

If you pay or get child support, you also need to tell us about changes that may affect your payments. Learn about change of circumstances that affect your child support.

How to tell us

Online

If your Centrelink online account is linked to myGov, sign in now to tell us about changes to your circumstances online. To do this, sign into myGov and select My Details.

Sign in to myGov

You can also tell us using either:

• the Express Plus Centrelink mobile app
• Centrelink phone self-service.

Learn more about what you can do using self-service.

If you don’t have access to a self-service option, please call the youth and students line.

Forms and certificates

If you marry, start living with or separate from your partner you need to complete the Relationship details form.

If you’re sick or injured, you’ll need to give us a medical certificate.

Name changes and gender identity

You need to tell us if you change your legal name. To do this you need to bring your documents to a service centre. Learn more about how to update your name.

You can also update your gender identity if you choose to do so. Learn more about updating your gender details.