If you don’t tell us when these changes happen, you may be doing the wrong thing.
You must tell us if any of the following occurs:
- you change or correct your name
- you marry or start or stop living with your partner
- you start or stop being the main carer of a child
- your home address changes
- your or your partner’s income or assets change
- you don’t have to lodge a tax return
- your work or study load changes
- you are leaving Australia.
How and when to tell us
You need to tell us if your circumstances change within 14 days. If your Centrelink online account is linked to myGov you can tell us online. To do this, sign in to myGov and select My details.
If you don’t have a myGov account or a Centrelink online account you’ll need to create them.
It’s never too late to report a change.
We will cancel your card if you stop getting a Centrelink payment. However, you may be able to keep your card for a short time after you return to work.
Changing or correcting your name
It’s important to tell us if you change your legal name.
What happens if you don’t tell us
If you don’t tell us about changes in your life, we may pay you too much. If this happens you’ll have to pay the money back, plus a fee.