Notifying Services Australia After a Death: Deadlines, Payments, and What Happens Next

Most families are not thinking about Centrelink in the first days after a death. But Services Australia has a strict 28-day notification window, and missing it creates a debt against the estate that can complicate the entire settlement process.

This covers what you need to notify, when, the bereavement payments available, and how the notification fits into the broader estate administration timeline.

The 28-Day Notification Deadline

Services Australia must be told of a death within 28 days. This applies whether the deceased was receiving the Age Pension, a Disability Support Pension, Carer Payment, or any other Centrelink payment.

Why it matters: payments continue until Services Australia is notified and the record is updated. Any payments made after the death date eventually become a formal debt against the estate. The estate — not the family member personally — must repay the overpayment, but this can tie up funds and complicate the final distribution to beneficiaries.

Notify early. You do not need the official BDM death certificate to start this process — an initial phone call establishes the death on record and stops future payments while the formal paperwork is sorted.

How to Notify Services Australia

Phone: Call the Bereavement Line on 132 300 (8am–5pm Monday–Friday). Have the deceased's Centrelink Reference Number (CRN) if available, or their full name, date of birth, and date of death.

In person: Visit any Services Australia (Centrelink) service centre. Staff can process the notification while you wait.

Online via myGov: If you have access to the deceased's myGov account, you can update their record. In practice, most families find it faster to call.

You will need to provide:

• The deceased's full name and date of birth
• Their date of death
• Your name and relationship to the deceased
• Your contact details

Services Australia will ask whether you are the executor, a family member, or a carer, as this affects which bereavement payments you may be entitled to.

What Happens to Ongoing Payments After Death

Age Pension: Payments stop from the date of death. However, the surviving partner is typically entitled to receive the couple's combined pension rate for a 14-week bereavement period, rather than dropping to the lower single person rate immediately. This gives the surviving partner time to adjust financially before the payment rate is reassessed.

Disability Support Pension: Stops from the date of death. No bereavement continuation applies to the recipient's own payments.

Carer Payment: If you were receiving Carer Payment to care for the person who has now died, you are entitled to continue receiving Carer Payment for 14 weeks after the death. This continuation is specifically designed to give carers time to find alternative income while their circumstances change. The payment does not continue indefinitely — Services Australia will review your situation after the bereavement period.

Carer Allowance: If you were receiving Carer Allowance in addition to another income support payment, you may be entitled to a lump-sum bereavement payment equal to seven fortnightly instalments of Carer Allowance. This is paid automatically once the death is registered with Services Australia — but only if you were receiving Carer Allowance immediately before the death.

Bereavement Payment — What Is It and Who Gets It?

The term "bereavement payment" in Australian social security law refers to specific short-term support payments available to surviving partners and carers. The amounts are not fixed in dollar terms — they are calculated based on the payments that were being received.

Surviving partner of an Age Pensioner: Entitled to receive the equivalent of both members' combined pension payments for 14 weeks. After this, the rate is reassessed to the single rate.

Carer who loses their care recipient: If you were on Carer Payment, you continue receiving it for 14 weeks. If you were on Carer Allowance, you receive the lump-sum equivalent of seven fortnights.

Surviving partner of someone on a different payment: Entitlements vary depending on the specific payment type. Services Australia will advise you of what applies in your situation when you call.

These payments are not means-tested during the bereavement period — your new financial position is not assessed until after the 14 weeks. This protection matters for carers and surviving spouses who suddenly find themselves without the income that came from the deceased's pension.

The Australian Death Notification Service vs. Services Australia

The Australian Death Notification Service (ADNS) is a separate federal government portal that allows you to notify multiple agencies and financial institutions of a death in a single online session. Some people assume that using the ADNS automatically notifies Services Australia — it does not.

Services Australia is not currently a participant in the ADNS. You must notify them separately, either by phone or in person. Using the ADNS for banks, utilities, and telcos is worthwhile and saves significant time, but it is not a substitute for the dedicated Services Australia notification.

DVA (Department of Veterans' Affairs)

If the deceased was a veteran receiving payments from the Department of Veterans' Affairs — including a Service Pension, War Widows Pension, or any DVA allowance — DVA must also be notified separately. Contact DVA on 1800 838 372. The bereavement provisions for DVA recipients have their own rules and payment continuation periods, which DVA staff can explain directly.

Practical Notes for Executors

Keep a record. When you call Services Australia, note the date, time, the name of the operator if given, and the reference number for the notification. This protects you if overpayments become disputed later.

Request a statement of any overpayments. After the notification is processed, you can request a statement showing any payments made after the date of death. If there is an overpayment, Services Australia will contact the executor about recovery from the estate.

Factor this into the estate timeline. If Services Australia has an outstanding debt against the estate, it must be settled before the final distribution to beneficiaries. This is one reason executors should obtain a full picture of all debts — including government debts — before distributing anything.

The Services Australia notification is one of the first administrative steps in Victorian estate settlement. The complete timeline — from the first 48 hours through final distribution — is covered in the When Someone Dies in Victoria — Estate Settlement Guide, including notification templates and a sequence for managing overlapping deadlines.

See more Victoria guides →