Social Welfare Consolidation Act 2005 section 242

Payments

Section 242 empowers the Minister to make regulations governing the timing, manner, and identity verification requirements for the payment of social welfare benefits.

• Regulations may prescribe the timing and method of benefit payments, required claimant information, and the use of payment service providers.
• Benefit commencement, termination, and rate changes may be adjusted so that payments are not made for periods shorter than a week (or a month for child benefit), and uncollected payments may be extinguished after six months.
• Persons collecting benefits — whether on their own behalf or for another person — must verify their identity using a public services card or other documentation acceptable to the Minister or payment service provider.
• If identity requirements are not met, benefit payments may be withheld, and any information or documentation provided may be recorded and retained.