Rent Deduction Scheme

When you apply for the Rent Deduction Scheme, your housing authority sends your details to us and requests that a deduction be made from your payments.

Read more about the Rent Deduction Scheme

If you receive regular Centrelink payments and rent the place you live in from a state or territory housing authority, you can apply for the Rent Deduction Scheme.

We also offer another deduction service, called Centrepay. This is a free, direct bill-paying service offered to customers receiving Centrelink payments.

Through Centrepay, you can have a regular amount deducted from your Centrelink payments to pay for private rent; bills such as electricity, gas, water, child care, telephone; and education fees.

Go to the Centrepay page for more information.

To apply for the Rent Deduction Scheme, you need to contact or visit your local housing-authority office and complete a deduction form.

If the amount of your rent changes, the housing authority will advise us of the new amount. We will then adjust your rent to the new amount from your next payday and send you a letter advising you of the change.

You can choose to stop using the Rent Deduction Scheme service at any time.

If you no longer want your rent deducted using the Rent Deduction Scheme, you can stop your deduction by contacting or visiting your local housing-authority office. You can also use our Online Services to cancel deductions on line or contact us.

When your deduction is stopped, we will send you a letter confirming it and also advise your housing authority.

Remember, if you stop using the Rent Deduction Scheme but still have to pay rent, you will need to contact your housing authority to make other arrangements to pay.

If your Centrelink payment changes, for example if you have earnings that reduce your payment, we may not be able to pay all of your rent in full. When this happens, you need to contact your housing authority to arrange payment in another way.