Improved online services make it simpler and easier for students to report income

01:40' 22-11-2017

Thanks to online improvements released over the past few months nearly 16,000 students have switched to using online services to tell Centrelink when they’ve started or stopped working rather than having to call or visit a service centre.

Photo: 4bc.com.au

These improvements mean students can claim and manage their payments easily online and were delivered as part of the Government’s Welfare Payment Infrastructure Transformation (WPIT) Program.

The online service also automatically places students on and off a reporting schedule when their employment changes so they are fully aware of their obligations, which helps them keep their details up-to-date and avoid a debt.

We have listened to feedback from students on how to improve our online services.

Other recent online improvements mean students can also now:

Choose from a list of universities and courses specific to that institution when they update their study details online;
Submit an early claim for independent Youth Allowance up to 13 weeks before their 22nd birthday, without needing to provide parental income information;
Answer fewer questions when they lodge a claim if they already receive certain welfare payments, and find out earlier if they’re not eligible so they can plan accordingly; and
Book and reschedule social worker and job seeker appointments online.

Minister for Human Services, Alan Tudge said students are seeing the benefits of improvements delivered by the Government’s investment in modernising welfare service delivery.

“We are continually improving our systems to make it easier and simpler for people to interact with Centrelink online, at a time and place that suits them,” Minister Tudge said.

“Right now, the Government is delivering faster and more streamlined services for students, but these improvements will be rolled out to benefit other welfare recipients soon.

“Some students get debts because they do not declare their income on time – these online improvements make it much easier to report simple changes in their circumstances so they get the right payment, at the right time.”

Together with the 250 new call centre staff, our new digital assistants managing 650,000 interactions to date, the updated website, streamlined claim processes and the online Claim Tracker, these improvements will help reduce call and service centre wait times.