Change of circumstances

You need to tell us about any changes to your circumstances when you hold a Health Care Card.

What to tell us

You have 14 days to tell us if any of the following happen:

  • you change or correct your name
  • your personal circumstances change, for example if you become partnered or separated
  • your care arrangements change
  • your work or study load changes
  • your income goes up
  • you start or return to work
  • you change your address.

If you stop getting your payment, we’ll cancel your Health Care Card.

If you return to work, you can keep your card for up to 6 months. But you must have got a payment from us for one year or more. Read more about returning to work.

How to tell us

If your Centrelink online account is linked to myGov you can tell us about changes to your circumstances online. To do this, sign in to myGov and select My details.

Sign in to myGov

You can also tell us using either:

Read more about what you can do using self service.

If you don’t have access to a self service option please call your main payment line.

Changing or correcting your name

It’s important to tell us if you change your legal name.

Page last updated: 28 September 2023.
QC 39591