Using your SmartCard for enhanced Income Management

You can use the SmartCard you got in the Northern Territory to pay bills, and shop in store or online.

You can access your enhanced Income Management account with a SmartCard.

You can use your SmartCard to do most things, as you would with a normal debit card.

How you can use it

You can use your SmartCard at over one million stores around Australia. It has a tap to pay option you can set up as a way to buy your items. You can also:

  • shop online
  • pay bills with BPAY.

If Services Australia manages your SmartCard, you may be able to add it to your digital wallet on your mobile device. Find out if you can add your SmartCard to your digital wallet on the SmartCard website.

If you have a Traditional Credit Union (TCU) SmartCard, you cannot add this to your digital wallet.

You can use your enhanced Income Management account to set up regular payments. This could be for bills like rent, electricity and water.

You can also transfer money to other people’s enhanced Income Management accounts.

Conditions of Use

There are Conditions of Use that tell you what you can and cannot do with your enhanced Income Management account and SmartCard. They include rules about keeping your account, card and PIN safe. It is important that you read and understand the rules for the account and SmartCard you have.

If Services Australia manages your SmartCard, read the Conditions of Use on the SmartCard website.

If you have a TCU SmartCard, read the Conditions of Use on the TCU website.

How you cannot use it

You cannot use your SmartCard to:

  • buy tobacco or tobacco products
  • buy pornography
  • buy alcohol or homebrew kits
  • gamble
  • buy cash-like products and some gift cards
  • get cash out.

How to keep your SmartCard safe

To help keep your SmartCard safe, do not do any of these:

  • give or lend your SmartCard to anyone, including family and friends
  • share your password or PIN with anyone
  • set a password or PIN that someone can guess easily
  • write down your password or PIN where someone can easily find them
  • let anyone else see your PIN
  • throw your SmartCard away
  • forget your SmartCard when you leave a store
  • add your SmartCard to your digital wallet if you share a mobile phone.

If you add your SmartCard to your digital wallet, treat your device like your purse or wallet and always keep it close.

Tell us straight away if:

  • your SmartCard is lost, stolen or damaged
  • someone knows your online account password or SmartCard PINs
  • you’ve lost your device
  • there is a transaction you do not recognise.

To tell us, call the SmartCard eIM hotline, or the TCU Customer Service Centre if you have a TCU SmartCard.

You can also log into your SmartCard or TCU SmartCard online account to:

  • immediately turn off or block your SmartCard if it is lost or stolen
  • set up alerts to tell you when a transaction declines or if you have a low balance
  • turn tap to pay on or off
  • order a replacement SmartCard.
Page last updated: 12 August 2024.
QC 64974