Millions of Australians relying on Centrelink will face disruptions to their payments due to upcoming public holidays over Easter and Anzac Day.
The closures will impact JobSeeker, Youth Allowance, Austudy, and other payments like Farm Household Allowance and Special Benefit.
With Good Friday, Easter Monday, and Anzac Day falling in quick succession, recipients are urged to pay close attention to upcoming changes in payment schedules and reporting dates.
Reporting Early to Ensure On-Time Payments
Centrelink has issued a reminder to recipients that they may need to report their income earlier than usual to receive their payments on time. This is particularly important as the Easter and Anzac Day holidays will affect normal processing times.
Services Australia has urged everyone to log into their Centrelink account to check if they need to report their income earlier. If the system shows that early reporting is required, recipients must submit their income details in advance to ensure payments are processed before the closures.
“If you do this, you’ll receive your payment before those public holiday closures,” Services Australia stated.
However, if there are any mistakes in the reports, recipients will have a 14-day window to correct them. Alternatively, if individuals prefer, they can wait until the next reporting period to update their details.
Payment Delays Due to Holiday Closures
The closures of Centrelink’s in-person centres and most call centres during the public holidays could potentially delay payments if income is not reported on time.
Services Australia reassured recipients that despite the office closures, payments will still be processed on time for those who report early.
“We won’t delay payments because of a public holiday, but we may pay you earlier than normal,” the agency clarified.
The early payments will be issued as close to the regular payment day as possible, but recipients will need to budget carefully to ensure their early payment lasts until the next payment day.
Centrelink’s Closure Dates
Centrelink will close all of its in-person service centres and most call centres on Good Friday (April 18), Easter Monday (April 21), and Anzac Day (April 25). These closures could create additional challenges for recipients who need assistance or need to report any changes to their circumstances.
Services Australia has advised that recipients should plan ahead and make any necessary reports early to avoid any potential issues during these busy public holiday periods.
“Services Australia said that all of its in-person centres and most of its call centres will be shut down for those three public holidays,” the agency confirmed.
In the event that recipients have not reported their income on time and are unsure of their payment details, they can choose to report their income after the public holidays. However, this will result in a payment after the closure dates.
Recipients who are not required to report income should still expect their payments before the public holidays, as long as they follow the agency’s advice to check their account.
