If you’re one of the majority of retirees who receives a full or part Age Pension or a DVA payment, you’ll be keen to know Centrelink service options over the holiday break.
Opening hours
Centrelink will be closed:
- Wednesday 25 December 2024
- Thursday 26 December 2024
- Friday 27 December 2024
- Wednesday 1 January 2025.
Centrelink payment and reporting
Centrelink payment and reporting dates can change due to public holiday closure. It is possible that you may even be paid early!
If you report early during your assessment period, you’ll need to include what you expect to be paid for your full period. You must also do this for any other changes that may affect your payment. (Should you make a mistake, you can correct your report within 14 days, or when you next report.)
If you report after your assessment period, Centrelink will pay you after you report to them. You might prefer to do this so that you are sure of your employment income or changes to your circumstances. The finer point on reporting can be read here.
If you need to report
| Normal reporting date | New reporting date | Revised payment date | Next payment date |
| Friday 20 December 2024 | Thursday 19 December 2024 | Monday 23 December 2024 | Tuesday 7 January 2025 |
| Monday 23 December 2024 | Friday 20 December 2024 | Tuesday 24 December 2024 | Wednesday 8 January 2025 |
| Tuesday 24 December 2024 | Friday 20 December 2024 | Tuesday 24 December 2024 | Thursday 9 January 2025 |
| Wednesday 25 December 2024 | Monday 23 December 2024 | Friday 27 December 2024 | Friday 10 January 2025 |
| Thursday 26 December 2024 | Monday 23 December 2024 | Friday 27 December 2024 | Monday 13 January 2025 |
| Friday 27 December 2024 | Tuesday 24 December 2024 | Monday 30 December 2024 | Tuesday 14 January 2025 |
| Monday 30 December 2024 | Tuesday 24 December 2024 | Monday 30 December 2024 | Wednesday 15 January 2025 |
| Tuesday 31 December 2024 | Monday 30 December 2024 | Thursday 2 January 2025 | Thursday 16 January 2025 |
| Wednesday 1 January 2025 | Tuesday 31 December 2024 | Friday 3 January 2025 | Friday 17 January 2025 |
If you don’t need to report
| Normal payment date | Revised payment date | Next payment date |
| Tuesday 24 December 2024 | Monday 23 December 2024 | Tuesday 7 January 2025 |
| Wednesday 25 December 2024 | Tuesday 24 December 2024 | Wednesday 8 January 2025 |
| Thursday 26 December 2024 | Tuesday 24 December 2024 | Thursday 9 January 2025 |
| Monday 30 December 2024 | Friday 27 December 2024 | Monday 13 January 2025 |
| Tuesday 31 December 2024 | Monday 30 December 2024 | Tuesday 14 January 2025 |
| Wednesday 1 January 2025 | Monday 30 December 2024 | Wednesday 15 January 2025 |
Other ways to get in touch
Centrelink advises that you can use your Centrelink online account through myGov to :
- report your income
- view your reporting dates for the next 12 weeks
- change some of your appointments
- apply for an advance payment or
- request a document.
Other options include Express Plus mobile apps and phone self-service.
You can still report your income to Centrelink, even when it is closed. However, if you do this on a public holiday you will be paid after the public holiday.
Retirement Essentials support availability
Retirement Essentials Call Centre service will be unavailable between Monday 23 December through to Friday 3 January.
Retirement Essentials adviser consultations will be unavailable between Wednesday 25 December to Wednesday 1 January. Our hardworking advisers will still be available on Monday 23 and Tuesday 24 December, returning to work on From Thursday 2 January onwards.
Steven’s handy hints:
Last year we asked Steven Sadler, Head of Retirement Essentials’ Customer Service Centre for his insider tips for those receiving Centrelink benefits over the holiday break.
He suggested three things:
- Take the time to read the dates – and note which ones will affect you.
- Be aware that the normal application processing times (which were 4-5 weeks but could now stretch to 8 weeks or longer) may be extended.
- If you need to call Centrelink, the best time to call is at 8am sharp when the lines open. You will probably still go on hold, but at least you will go on hold.
Steven also shared a list of documents typically needed for those who are applying for the Age Pension, so you can have these on hand if needed:
- Bank statements not older than 30 days
- Most recent superannuation statement if you are still in accumulation
- Income stream schedule if your super is in pension phase (this can be generated on demand)
- Payslips if you are still employed
- Surprisingly no documents are required to prove the value of your personal contents or cars, bikes or boats etc.
We trust this information is useful and means you can take full advantage of your holiday break, and just chill. Many retirees do not travel at this time of year but use the holiday period to plan for a fun next year.
is the overseas citizen can get november 24 Bunos payment?
How about the advance payment? am i still not eligable for -since?
because the office aggresive responce towards covid circumistances 2020/2021,i not received any fund from inspite the huge lose budget
I’m having trouble with finding out if I need to report before Christmas
Hi Paul,
Services Australia offices and call centres do close for Christmas and New year public holidays. That means your reporting and payment dates may change and you’ll need to report early – you can see your new reporting date in your online myGov account.