The enhanced Income Management (IM) program is an initiative of the Australian Government.

Under the enhanced IM program, a percentage of a customer’s income support payment is placed in an account with an attached debit card, issued by Indue Ltd. This card is known as the SmartCard, and it can be used at most shops that accept Visa or eftpos, including overseas. It cannot be used to buy alcohol, some gift cards and cash like products, tobacco, pornography, gambling services or products or to withdraw cash.

If you are new to enhanced Income Management, a personalised SmartCard will be sent to you in the mail. You need to activate it before you can use it. The information included with your SmartCard explains how to activate your card.

You can get a temporary SmartCard by going to select Services Australia service centres, participating agents, or a visiting remote servicing team. Once your temporary card is activated, your personalised SmartCard is sent in the mail.

Click here for FAQs relating to cards.

The following links provide more information about where you are able to shop and the what you can do with the SmartCard and the enhanced IM account.

For information on the enhanced IM program, please visit the Services Australia enhanced Income Management page.

How it works

The program is currently operating in the following locations:

  • Northern Territory (all areas)
  • Cape York and Doomadgee region, Qld
  • Bundaberg and Hervey Bay region, Qld
  • Livingstone, Logan and Rockhampton, Qld
  • Bankstown, NSW
  • Shepparton, VIC
  • Ceduna region, SA
  • Greater Adelaide region, SA
  • Playford region, SA
  • Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara (APY) Lands, SA
  • Kimberley region, including Kununurra and Wyndham regions, WA
  • Goldfields region, WA
  • Ngaanyatjarra (NG) Lands, WA
  • Perth and Peel region, WA.

The enhanced IM program does not change the amount of money you receive from Services Australia (Centrelink), it only changes the way in which you receive and spend your payments.

The money you receive is split between your regular bank account and your enhanced IM account. To find out more about the enhanced IM program and how these payments are split between your regular bank account and the enhanced IM account, please visit the Services Australia enhanced Income Management page.

The SmartCard looks and operates like a regular debit card and you can use it to shop almost anywhere, including online. While most merchants accept the SmartCard, you won’t be able to use it at places that primarily sell alcohol, gambling services or products, specific gift and prepaid cards, tobacco or pornography. Transactions for these items will decline at the point-of-sale. The withdrawal of cash is also not permitted. Click here for a list of Blocked Merchants, where your card will not be accepted.

A Mixed Merchant is a business that sells both excluded and non-excluded goods. Click here for a list of Mixed Merchants where your card will be accepted.

Your enhanced IM account provides you with a range of payment options including BPAY, direct debit, recurring deductions, and online transfers. For more detail on these payment types please visit our FAQs.

We have prepared a series of ‘How-to’ tutorials explaining how to set up your payments. Click here to view.

View or download the Conditions of Use here.

For information on the enhanced IM program, please visit the Services Australia enhanced Income Management page.

Using your SmartCard to make in-store purchases

To make a purchase at a point-of-sale terminal, insert your SmartCard into the device and press “SAV” or “Savings” or “CHQ” or “Cheque” or “CR” or “Credit” or “Debit”. Then follow the prompts to enter your PIN.

There is no need to enter a PIN for purchases of $100 or less (or $200 or less at some businesses).

If you want to use the “Tap to Pay” (or contactless transactions) function, you can enable this via the Cardholder site by logging in via smartcard.com.au and selecting the ‘Settings’ option. Once in the Card Settings landing page, under the ‘Transaction Settings’ option, select ‘Change Setting’. You will be able to turn on contactless transactions through this mechanism. Another option is to call Services Australia on the SmartCard eIM hotline on 1800 252 604.

A series of FAQs have been prepared to assist. Click here for FAQs.

You can use your SmartCard at any store, with the exception of Blocked Merchants.

You can change your PIN anytime online or reset it if you’ve forgotten it. To do that you must:

  • Log into your online enhanced IM account
  • Click on the Settings link
  • Click on the Change PIN link.

You can call the SmartCard eIM hotline on 1800 252 604. They will assist you in ordering a replacement PIN. For your security, the SmartCard eIM hotline will never have access to view your PIN and will not be able to tell you the PIN over the phone.
 
Click here for FAQs relating to PIN.

Using your SmartCard to make online purchases

To use your SmartCard to make a purchase online, follow the merchant’s prompts to enter your SmartCard number and CVV (the three (3) digit number on the back of your card).

You can use your card to purchase non-excluded goods at online stores, with the exception of Blocked Merchants.

Transferring funds from your enhanced IM account

Internal transfers

An internal transfer is a transfer of money from one Indue enhanced IM account to another Indue or Traditional Credit Union (TCU) enhanced IM account.

There are no limits for transfers between Indue or TCU enhanced IM accounts, apart from the daily transfer limit of $10,000.

We have prepared a ‘How-to’ tutorials to assist you with setting up an Internal transfer. Click here to view.

External transfers

An external transfer is a transfer of money from an Indue enhanced IM account to another bank account that is not an Indue or Traditional Credit Union (TCU) enhanced IM account. You will not be able to make an external transfer directly. You will need to call the SmartCard eIM hotline on 1800 252 604 who will be able to approve and set up external transfers. 

You are able to use your account to set up BPAY and Direct Debit payments. There are ‘How-to’ tutorials to assist you. Click here to view.

Click here for FAQs relating to Transfers.