Paying bills

What you can pay for

You can use Centrepay for a range of goods and services, regular bills and for ongoing expenses.

If you’re not sure if you can use Centrepay to pay for something ask the business.

Search and find a business that offers Centrepay as an option.

Court fines and infringements

Contact the Court Administrative Office in your state or territory if you want to use Centrepay for:

• court fines
• infringements.

What you can't pay for

There are some things you can’t use Centrepay for. These include:

• gift cards, vouchers
• payment plans such as for Christmas hampers
• alcohol and home brew products
• cigarettes
• pornography
• gambling
• firearms, accessories and bullets.

You can’t use Centrepay for the following either:

• paying cash or payday lenders, pawn brokers or debt collectors
• credit cards
• income protection, funeral or life insurance
• renting or leasing of household goods if the agreement is for less than 4 months or doesn’t have an end date
• any holiday accommodation
• car leasing, taxis and hire cars
• bottled water.

You also can’t use Centrepay for government housing payments to state or territory housing authorities. Contact your local housing authority to pay a different way. You may be able to use our Rent Deduction Scheme.

How to pay for household goods a better way

You may end up paying a lot more than you think if you rent or lease household goods.

Better value options include:

• Centrelink advance payments
• no and low interest loans from community organisations
• lay-by from stores
• saving up the money and buying the item outright.

For help to make the most of your Centrelink payment:

• read about how to manage your money
• use the Moneysmart rent vs buy calculator.