Centrelink Nominees and Representatives: How to Act on Someone's Behalf
How to set up a nominee or representative to deal with Centrelink for someone else. Types of nominees, how to apply, responsibilities, and what powers you get.
Why You Might Need a Nominee
There are many situations where someone needs help dealing with Centrelink. An elderly parent may struggle with the technology or paperwork. A person with a disability may need support managing their affairs. Someone in hospital or undergoing treatment may be unable to attend appointments or make calls. In these cases, Centrelink allows another person to be appointed as a nominee — someone who can act on the recipient's behalf for Centrelink purposes. A nominee can call Centrelink, attend appointments, receive correspondence, and in some cases make decisions about payments. This is different from simply making a phone inquiry — a nominee has formal authority and is legally recognised by Centrelink. Without a nominee arrangement, Centrelink will not discuss someone's payment details with you, even if you're their spouse or child.
Types of Nominees — Correspondence vs Payment
Centrelink has two types of nominee arrangements, and you can be appointed as one or both. A Correspondence Nominee can: inquire about the person's payments, receive their Centrelink letters and notifications, make changes to their record, attend appointments on their behalf, and report income. A Payment Nominee receives the person's Centrelink payments into their bank account on the person's behalf and is responsible for using those funds for the person's benefit. You can be appointed as both a Correspondence Nominee and Payment Nominee. In many cases, a family member is appointed as correspondence nominee only — this gives them the ability to manage paperwork and communications without changing where payments go. Payment nominee is more appropriate when the person cannot manage their own finances at all.
How to Apply — The Nominee Form
To set up a nominee arrangement, complete the Authorising a person or organisation to enquire or act on your behalf form (SS313). This form requires signatures from both the person receiving the payment and the proposed nominee. The form asks for: the nominee's personal details, the type of nominee arrangement (correspondence, payment, or both), the reasons for the arrangement, and the period it should cover (ongoing or temporary). If the person cannot sign the form due to incapacity, a medical certificate or guardianship order may be accepted. Submit the completed form to Centrelink by mail, in person at a service centre, or by uploading through myGov. Processing typically takes 2-4 weeks. Once approved, the nominee will receive their own Centrelink Reference Number (CRN) linked to the arrangement if they don't already have one.
When the Person Can't Consent — Involuntary Nominees
If the person lacks the capacity to consent to a nominee arrangement (for example, due to dementia, intellectual disability, or severe mental illness), Centrelink can appoint an involuntary nominee. This requires evidence of the person's incapacity — typically a medical certificate from their treating doctor, or an order from a state guardianship tribunal. If a state-appointed guardian or financial administrator exists, Centrelink will usually recognise them as the nominee automatically upon receiving the relevant court or tribunal order. In each state, the relevant body is: NSW — Guardianship Division of NCAT, VIC — VCAT, QLD — QCAT, SA — SACAT, WA — SAT, TAS — Guardianship and Administration Board. If you're concerned about an elderly relative's ability to manage their Centrelink affairs, speak to their GP first about a capacity assessment, then contact Centrelink on 132 300 for guidance on the process.
Nominee Responsibilities and Obligations
Being a nominee comes with legal obligations. You must act in the person's best interests at all times. You must use any payments received as payment nominee for the person's benefit — housing, food, medical care, and other necessities. You must keep records of how you spend their payments if you're a payment nominee. You must report changes in the person's circumstances to Centrelink (income changes, address changes, hospital admission, changes in care arrangements). You must ensure the person's details remain accurate and up to date. Centrelink can audit nominee arrangements and may request evidence that payments are being used appropriately. If a nominee is found to be misusing payments or neglecting their responsibilities, Centrelink can revoke the arrangement and potentially refer the matter to police. Being a nominee is a position of trust and should be taken seriously.
Power of Attorney vs Centrelink Nominee
A common misunderstanding is that a Power of Attorney (POA) automatically gives you authority to deal with Centrelink. It doesn't. Centrelink has its own nominee system and does not automatically recognise a POA. However, having a POA can support a nominee application — if you hold an enduring POA for someone, Centrelink will generally accept this as evidence to appoint you as a nominee, but you still need to complete the SS313 form or provide the POA document to Centrelink. An enduring POA is particularly useful because it continues to operate if the person loses capacity, whereas a general POA ceases. If you're helping an elderly parent plan ahead, it's worth setting up both an enduring POA (through a solicitor) and a Centrelink nominee arrangement simultaneously. This covers both Centrelink dealings and broader financial and legal matters.
What a Nominee Can and Can't Do
A Correspondence Nominee can: call Centrelink and discuss the person's payments and claims, receive mail and notifications on their behalf, update personal details (address, bank account, income), attend Centrelink appointments, report income on their behalf, and lodge claims. A Correspondence Nominee cannot: access the person's myGov account (you'll need their login details for that, or to attend a service centre), make decisions that contradict the person's expressed wishes (if they have capacity), or refuse to comply with Centrelink requests. A Payment Nominee can: receive payments into their own bank account and use them for the person's benefit. A Payment Nominee should not: mix the person's Centrelink payments with their own funds — ideally, set up a separate bank account for receiving and spending the person's payments. This creates a clear paper trail and protects both parties.
Ending or Changing a Nominee Arrangement
Either the person or the nominee can end the arrangement at any time by contacting Centrelink. The person receiving the payment can revoke the nominee arrangement by calling 136 150 or visiting a service centre — no reason needs to be given. The nominee can resign by notifying Centrelink in writing or by phone. If the person regains capacity after an involuntary arrangement, they can request its removal. Centrelink may also end the arrangement if they have concerns about the nominee's conduct. If you need to change from one nominee to another (for example, if the current nominee can no longer fulfil the role), a new SS313 form needs to be completed with the new nominee's details. The old arrangement is cancelled when the new one is approved. If the person passes away, the nominee arrangement ends automatically. The nominee should notify Centrelink of the death as soon as possible to prevent overpayments.
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General information and estimates only — not financial, tax, or legal advice. Always verify with Services Australia.
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