An overpayment happens when you’re paid more money than you’re eligible for. This could result in a debt that you need to repay.
Your role
You play an important part in making sure you get the right payment at the right amount. You must always give us correct information and tell us of changes to your circumstances within 14 days.
To avoid being overpaid you should:
- know the obligations of your payment
- report your income correctly
- tell us straight away if your circumstances change
- ask us if you’re not sure about your requirements or what you need to tell us.
If your Centrelink online account is linked to myGov you can sign in now to tell us about changes to your circumstances.
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, call one of the following:
- your regular Centrelink payment line
- the Centrelink Indigenous debt recovery line if you’re an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander Australian
- the Centrelink multilingual phone service for help in your language.
Our role
We’re here to help you get the right amount. We try to work with you early so you can avoid being overpaid or reduce how much you’re overpaid by.
To make sure we pay you the right amount we may:
- contact you if we notice you’re at risk of being overpaid
- review your payment regularly and ask you to confirm information.
We’re always looking to improve our services. This includes making it easier to avoid an overpayment.