BasicsCard

To get a BasicsCard you must first start Income Management. We will offer you a BasicsCard at that time. You don’t need to accept the BasicsCard when you first start Income Management, you can ask for one at any time while on Income Management.

You will need to visit a service centre to get your BasicsCard. We don’t post these out to you.

BasicsCard can help you manage your income managed money. It means you have easy access to your money when you are shopping.

The BasicsCard can only be used in person at approved stores and businesses. You need a 4-digit PIN to use it.

Watch the video to find out how to use your BasicsCard and keep it safe.

Buying items or services with BasicsCard

The BasicsCard can be used to buy items such as food, clothes, health items and hygiene products. Stores and businesses that are approved to accept it include some supermarkets, service stations, pharmacies, shoe shops and department stores. If these stores offer layby you can also layby items and use your card to pay it off.

Some services, such as transport services, Australia Post and some medical centres, accept the BasicsCard. This means you may be able to buy bus or train credit, pay some bills or pay for a doctor’s appointment using your BasicsCard.

If a store doesn’t accept the BasicsCard, we can arrange a direct payment to the store on your behalf. Contact our Income Management line to organise a payment to be made directly to a store.

It is not an ATM card and won’t release your income managed money for cash or credit. You also can’t use it to book-up credit in stores or businesses in Australia.

It cannot be used to buy:

• alcohol
• pornography
• tobacco and tobacco products
• gambling products
• gambling services
• home-brew kits and home-brew concentrates
• gift cards or vouchers that can be transferred for cash or credit

Refunds

Refunds for items bought using your BasicsCard will be returned to your card.

There are over 15,500 stores and businesses that accept the BasicsCard across Australia. Find a business or organisation that accepts BasicsCard in your area.

When you are shopping you can look for stores and businesses that display a BasicsCard sticker.

You can find a list of stores that accept the BasicsCard by entering your location into the find a business or organisation search tool.

Remember to take your BasicsCard with you when you travel.

Our guide steps you through the process of using your online account to manage your BasicsCard:

• Managing your Income Management Account and BasicsCard money online

You can check your BasicsCard balance in several ways. The fastest way is to use the Express Plus Centrelink mobile app.

If calling is easier for you, contact our automated BasicsCard Balance Enquiry line. Use your BasicsCard number and phone PIN to check your balance at any time. Calls to this line are free from a Telstra mobile.

There are other ways to check your balance. You can:

• use your Centrelink online account through myGov – read our instructions to manage your BasicsCard money online
• use our online BasicsCard money balance enquiry service
• visit a service centre
• use a BasicsCard kiosk, available in some locations in the Northern Territory

BasicsCard kiosk locations

Northern Territory

Each payday, your regular bills are paid from your Income Management account. Any leftover money is then available on your BasicsCard. You can use your money the next day.

There is a maximum limit on your card, and once you reach it your money will stay in your Income Management account.

If you don’t want us to put any leftover money from your Income Management account onto your BasicsCard, you can stop this at any time. Instead, you can set up daily, weekly or fortnightly transfers to your BasicsCard. Contact us if you want to choose the amount that goes to your BasicsCard.

You can move extra money to your BasicsCard and back to your Income Management account yourself by:

• using your Centrelink online account through myGov – read our instructions on managing your Income Management Account and BasicsCard money online
• using the Express Plus Centrelink mobile app, or
• phone self service. Call the Income Management Line with your Customer Access Number and 6-digit phone PIN ready to enter

Phone self service

You can use phone self service to move money between your Income Management account and your BasicsCard.

You’ll need to use your Customer Access Number, your recorded voiceprint or your PIN if you do not have a recorded voiceprint.

Read more on how to register for Centrelink phone self service.

You can control how much of your income managed money goes on your BasicsCard. You may prefer to limit how much is on your card.

Your card can have a maximum balance of $3,000 but you can lower this to any amount down to $100. When your balance limit has been reached, your money will stay safe in your Income Management account.

Daily spend limit

You can control daily spending using your BasicsCard by setting a daily spend limit.

The maximum amount you can spend on your card in one day is $1,500 but you can set it to any amount as low as $20. When you reach your limit, your card won’t work for the rest of the day and your spend limit resets at midnight.

To change your daily spend limit, contact our Income Management line.

If your BasicsCard is lost, stolen or damaged call our Income Management line as soon as possible. This line is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. We’ll stop anyone else from using your BasicsCard and will talk to you about how to get access to your income managed money until you get a new BasicsCard.

To keep your BasicsCard safe:

• do not throw it away
• remember to take it when you leave a store
• keep it in your BasicsCard wallet which you get when you pick up your BasicsCard in a service centre

Protecting your PIN

Your BasicsCard is protected with a 4-digit PIN. You’ll choose a PIN when you get your BasicsCard. You must keep your PIN secret and secure. This means that you do not:

• tell anyone else your PIN, including family and friends
• write your PIN on your BasicsCard or on anything carried with your BasicsCard
• let anyone else see your PIN when you use it
• let anyone else use your BasicsCard

If someone has your BasicsCard and knows your PIN, they could spend all your money.

If you forget your PIN, call the Income Management line.

When you accept and use a BasicsCard you have responsibilities.

Read the terms and conditions for your BasicsCard.