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When you claim a payment, the claim details appear in your online account as Crisis Payment for Extreme Circumstances. We’ll also contact you in writing about the claim.
If other people have access to your online account, they can see this information. If you’re in this situation, it may not be safe to claim online. You may need to change some details before you claim, or claim in a different way. If you aren’t sure, call us on your regular payment line and ask to speak with a social worker. They’ll help you submit your claim safely.
If you’re leaving a relationship or living with violence or abuse, there are some things you need to do to keep your information safe.
Getting letters from us
Check your passwords
Once you’ve submitted your claim, we’ll let you know the result in writing.
If your Centrelink online account is linked to myGov and you’ve signed up to electronic messaging, we’ll send a letter to your myGov inbox. Sign in now to read your letters.
You can also read your letters using the Express Plus Centrelink mobile app.
If someone else knows your myGov or Centrelink online account password, consider changing it so they can’t see your letters.
Check your postal address
If you don’t get electronic letters, we’ll send you a letter in the mail. We send letters to your postal address, if you have one.
Your postal address can be different from the address where you live. It’s important to consider whether you need to update your postal address so you can safely get letters from us.
Checking your nominee arrangements
If you have a correspondence nominee
If you have a correspondence nominee, they’ll be able to see that you’ve made a claim. They’ll also be sent a letter with the result of your claim.
If you cancel your nominee arrangement before making a claim, they won’t get this information.
If you cancel your nominee arrangement, it will notify the nominee that you’ve ended it.
If you have a payment nominee
If you have a payment nominee, they’ll get your Crisis Payment if you’re eligible.
If you cancel this nominee arrangement before making a claim, they won’t get your payment.
If you cancel your nominee arrangement, it will notify the nominee that you’ve ended it.
If your partner is permitted to enquire
If you have a partner permitted to enquire arrangement, your partner will be able to ask about your claim.
If you remove your partner permission, we won’t notify them you ended the arrangement. If they contact us, we won’t give them information about you or your claim.
If you want to add a nominee or cancel your nominee arrangements
If your Centrelink account is linked to myGov, you can add a nominee or cancel your nominee arrangements online.
To do this:
- Sign in to myGov.
- Select My Details, then Nominee Arrangements.
- Select Manage nominee arrangements.
Read our online guide on how to cancel an existing nominee arrangement using your online account.
Read our online guide on how to add a nominee arrangement using your online account.
Deciding the safest way to claim
Don’t submit a claim for Crisis Payment online if any of the following will put your safety at risk:
- changing your passwords
- changing your postal address
- getting letters from us
- changing your nominee arrangements.
Instead, call us on your regular payment line and ask to speak to a social worker. They’ll talk to you about your circumstances and help you submit a claim safely.
You can withdraw your claim for Crisis Payment at any time.
You can find out more about how to protect yourself when dealing with us.