Reporting employment income
If you are eligible, you can report your employment income, activity test or participation details online instead of returning your usual 'Application for payment' form to a DHS Service Centre.
What you need to know when reporting
When you report your employment income, Activity Test or participation details, you need to report:
- on or after your reporting date, you cannot report before your reporting date
- by 5 pm on your reporting date to avoid any delays in your payment.
- online up to 13 days after your reporting date if you are:
- a job seeker on a payment with participation or Activity Test requirements
- a student
If you are more than 13 days late you need to call or visit your nearest DHS Service Centre.
You can report online up to six days after your reporting date if you are not a student or if you do not have to meet the activity test. If you are more than six days late, you need to call us or visit your DHS Service Centre.
Check the information on your Reporting Statement for the dates you are due to report.
We have instructional videos to help you report.
Eligibility to use Centrelink Online Services to complete my reporting
If you meet the following conditions on your reporting day, you can complete your reporting requirements using online services instead of returning a form or contacting us.
You are eligible to report using Centrelink Online Services if you are:
- a student who:
- is studying full-time, and
- is receiving Youth Allowance or Austudy, and
- has to report employment income every fortnight, and
- is single or partnered and your partner is either eligible to use report employment income or does not receive a Centrelink payment, or
- an Australian Apprentice who is receiving one of the following Centrelink payments:
- Austudy, ABSTUDY or Youth Allowance, and
- has to report employment income every fortnight, and
- is single or partnered and your partner is either eligible to use report employment income or does not receive a Centrelink payment, or
- receiving one of the following Centrelink payments:
- Newstart Allowance
- Youth Allowance (as a job seeker)
- Parenting Payment
- Disability Support Pension
- Carer Payment (you will also have to record activities completed in the fortnight, such as paid work, study, training, voluntary work and self employment)
- Age Pension
- Special Benefit
- Exceptional Circumstances Relief Payment
- Farm Family Restart
- Veterans' of Service Pension age
- Wife Pension
- Widow B Pension
- Sickness Allowance
- Partner Allowance
- Widow Allowance
- Bereavement Allowance, and
- you are receiving a Reporting and Income Statement or Reporting Statement (Application for Payment) telling you when you need to report, and
- are single or partnered and your partner is either eligible to report using Online Services or does not receive a Centrelink payment.
If you do not meet the above conditions you will have to go to a Centrelink Customer Service Centre or call Centrelink to discuss your reporting options.