If your income changes
If you are a Centrelink or Child Support program customer you must update your details when your income changes as this can affect your eligibility for payments and services.
Who does this information apply to?
- People who receive payments or services from the Centrelink program
- People who have child support obligations or agreements with the Child Support Program
How to report changes in your income
If you are a Centrelink or Child Support Program customer, you need to report when your income changes. Not doing so can be serious - you may have to repay money you have received or even face criminal prosecution. Alternatively, you may miss out on further payments or services that you may be eligible for if your income has reduced.
The type of changes you need to report and how to do this depends on what services and payments you are receiving.
Centrelink program
If you are a Centrelink program customer you need to report all changes to your income, as well as your partner’s income. You must also report any changes that may affect your payments, such as starting work, stopping study, travelling overseas, changing living arrangements, or changing child support payments. You should do this straight away. Otherwise, you may receive too much money and then have to pay it back.
You can report changes to your income:
- online via Centrelink Online Services
- by telephone
- in person at a Centrelink Service Centre
More information
Centrelink website
Child support program
If you are a Child Support customer you need to report all changes to your income. Otherwise, your child support assessment may not be correct. You may pay too much child support or not receive the correct amount.
You can report changes to your income:
- via child support Online Services
- by phoning 13 1272
More information
- Child Support website - Child support Online Services
- Child Support website - When your circumstances change