2.2.1.10 General procedures for confirming & verifying identity
Summary
This topic covers:
- principles of identity
- identity confirmation requirements for claimants
- identity authentication
- identity confirmation requirements at reviews
- identity confirmation requirements for partners
- identity confirmation requirements for children
- identity confirmation for victims of major or widespread disasters (1.1.M.20, 1.1.P.60)
- glossary of terms used in this topic
Principles of identity
The requirement to prove a person’s identity to a high standard is derived from SS(Admin)Act section 8, which states abuses of the social security system are to be minimised.
A person making a claim for a social security payment is subject to Identity Confirmation. When Identity Confirmation is achieved a person confirms their identity to a high or strong level of identity assurance. They are not required to confirm their identity again, and must only be authenticated when reclaiming, transferring or accessing their customer account or when interacting with Services Australia.
Identity Confirmation can be achieved by:
- presenting documents which are verified via the Document Verification Service (DVS) with the issuing authority to ensure the documents are genuine, and
- undertaking a facial comparison with a photographic identity document, which links the person to the identity documents provides a high level of identity assurance (LoA3), or
- when a person creates and shares their strong digital identity online using an accredited identity provider. For example, Digital Identity that meets the Identity proofing level 3 (IP3) generated via the Australian Government’s myID app.
The identity confirmation model is primarily based on the National Identity Proofing Guidelines and the Digital ID Act 2024. The identity confirmation model requires meeting 4 objectives when verifying a person's identity.
| Objective | Details |
|---|---|
| Confirm the uniqueness of the identity | This objective aims to establish that the identity is unique and includes checks that the person is the sole claimant of the identity. |
| Confirm that the claimed identity is legitimate | Under this objective, evidence of the commencement of the identity in Australia should be provided, either through:
Satisfying this objective also includes checks on the identity against records of death. |
| Confirm the operation of the identity over time | This objective aims to establish the use of an identity in interaction with Government and the community over time.
|
| Confirm the linkage between the identity and the person claiming the identity | This objective seeks to link the identity with the person and to ensure that the person using the identity has a legitimate right to do so. Confirmation of the linkage can be done through a manual-visual comparison of a person's face against a photograph on a primary, verifiable piece of evidence. Alternatively, Digital Identities use matching of biometric data to confirm this linkage. |
Act reference: SS(Admin)Act section 8 Principles of administration
Policy reference: National Identity Proofing Guidelines (see section 3.2 ‘Evidence types and weightings’ for examples of acceptable document types)
Identity confirmation requirements for claimants
To receive a social security pension, benefit or allowance, Low Income Health Care Card (LIC) or Commonwealth Seniors Health Card (CSHC), a claimant must either share their strong digital identity online with Services Australia, or provide identity documents considered by Services Australia sufficient to confirm their identity.
To confirm their identity, claimants need to provide one document from each of the following 3 categories, one of which should be a photographic identity document used to link the person to the claimed identity:
- one Commencement of Identity document to verify birth in Australia, or arrival in Australia
- one Primary Use in Community document, to verify the secondary use of the identity in the community, and
- one Secondary Use in Community document to verify the secondary use of the identity in the community over time.
Once a person's identity has been confirmed under the identity confirmation model, they will only need to authenticate their identity to claim other payments, programs or services.
If the recipient's identity has not previously been confirmed under the identity confirmation model and they are attempting to reclaim, complete an abridged claim or transfer to another payment, they will need to confirm their identity in full. In addition, if a recipient transfers to or claims another payment that requires additional verification, for example, age requirements, normal verification procedures for these details will apply.
For identity to be confirmed, the main aspects of identity such as name, middle name, surname and date of birth must be taken from an authoritative source and verified through the Document Verification Service (DVS), for example from an Australian Birth Certificate or Australian Citizenship Certificate. A list of acceptable documents is available from the Services Australia website.
If the documents provided are in different names, an approved change of name document or ‘linking document’ also needs to be provided.
For claimants who require support to prove their identity, refer to 2.2.1.40 Persons experiencing difficulty with identity confirmation and verification.
Authentication
To ensure access and updates to personal information held by Services Australia is restricted to the information’s owner or authorised representatives, an individual requesting access to their social security record must authenticate their ownership of the record or authorisation to the record whenever they contact Services Australia. The process used to authenticate the person’s identity depends on the communication channel chosen and their circumstances, but may include presenting an original photographic identity document, answering a series of knowledge-based verification questions or using voice biometrics.
Identity confirmation requirements at reviews
Identity must be confirmed at major entitlement reviews. Where a recipient's identity has already been confirmed under the identity confirmation model outlined above, they will only need to authenticate their identity at review.
Identity confirmation requirements for partners
To receive a social security pension, benefit or allowance, claimants must also provide the full name, address, date of birth, tax file number and income and asset details of their non-claimant partner. Identity confirmation is required for a partner where the claimant has claimed a Home Equity Access Scheme, Pension Bonus Bereavement Payment, or Low Income Health Care Card (LIC). For Low Income Health Care Card (LIC) recipients, the non-claimant partner is only required to achieve a no-linkage identity status. In some cases, a no-linkage identity status is required for a claim that links a care receiver who has not established their identity.
Explanation: As the partner is entitled to receive benefits from the person's claim in the case of the Low Income Health Care Card, or the Pension Bonus Bereavement Payment, the person receives payment based on their deceased partner's accrued bonus, their identity must also be established.
For all other payments and benefits each person must claim in their own right. When this occurs their identity will be verified.
Partner details are not required for claimants of a foster child Health Care Card (HCC).
Identity confirmation requirements for children
For identity confirmation for children refer to the FA Guide.
For identity confirmation for foster children refer to the SS Guide.
Policy reference: SS Guide 3.9.1.45 Foster child HCC
FA Guide 2.1.1.15 Verification of child's name & date of birth
Identity confirmation requirements for victims of major or widespread disasters
Where social welfare payments have been granted during an emergency without the sufficient identity documents, the identity must be confirmed and verified once the emergency period is over, or within a reasonable review period (generally within 8 weeks of receipt of grant with an extension of up to a further 8 weeks granted under extreme circumstances).
Explanation: Victims of major or widespread disasters including Part 2.23B major disasters, who are not already social security payment recipients may find it difficult to satisfy normal identity confirmation requirements.
Act reference: SS(Admin)Act section 8 Principles of administration
Policy reference: SS Guide 2.2.2 Verifying personal details, 2.2.1.40 Persons experiencing difficulty with identity confirmation & verification
Glossary of technical terms used in this topic
The table below defines the specific technical terms used in this topic to support consistent interpretation and application across policy, operational guidance and decision making.
| Term | SS Guide Definition | Notes | Source/ authority |
|---|---|---|---|
| Confirmed identity | Achieved when a claimant has met the identity confirmation model’s objectives by verifying identity documents via the Document Verification Service (DVS) with the issuing authority and by completing a face to photo linkage using a photographic identity document, or by sharing a strong digital identity at Identity Proofing Level 3 (IP3) from an accredited provider (for example myID). Once confirmed, the person is treated as having a strong level of identity assurance (LoA3) and thereafter generally only needs to authenticate when interacting with Services Australia | Applies at initial claim. Thereafter, only authentication is required for further interactions | 2.2.1.10 – see ‘Principles of identity’ and ‘Identity confirmation requirements for claimants’ |
| Verified identity | The department is satisfied with the person’s identity for the specific decision or interaction because identity evidence has been verified (via DVS), but full confirmation may not have been completed | Used for certain partner and care receiver scenarios | 2.2.1.10 – see ‘Identity confirmation requirements for partners’ and related explanation |
| Identity authentication | Process used to verify that the person accessing or updating a record is its owner or an authorised nominee. Methods include presenting an original photographic identity document, answering knowledge based verification questions, or using voice biometrics | Applies whenever an individual contacts Services Australia to access or update their record | 2.2.1.10 – see ‘Identity authentication’ |
| Linkage (face to photo comparison) | Manual visual comparison of a person’s face against the photograph on a verified identity document to link the person to the claimed identity. Digital identities may use biometric matching to confirm this linkage | Establishes the connection between verified documents and the individual | 2.2.1.10 – see objective ‘Confirm the linkage between the identity and the person claiming the identity’ |
| No linkage identity status | Identity evidence is verified without a linkage being required. Used where linkage is unnecessary (for example non‑claimant partners for the Low Income Health Care Card) | Not equivalent to confirmed identity | 2.2.1.10 – see ‘Identity confirmation requirements for partners’ |
| LoA3 (Level of Assurance 3) | A strong/high level of identity assurance attained under the identity confirmation model when the linkage between the person and their verified identity evidence has been established | Indicates a high confidence in identity | 2.2.1.10 – see references to ‘LoA3’ in ‘Principles of identity’ |
| Identity Proofing Level 3 | Strong digital identity proofing level available through accredited providers under the Digital ID framework. A person may create and share an identity proofing level 3 digital identity (via myID) to satisfy identity confirmation requirements | Confirmation via Digital Identity | 2.2.1.10 – see references to ‘IP3’ and the Digital ID Act 2024 |
| Document Verification Service (DVS) | Service used to verify identity documents directly with the issuing authority to ensure they are genuine | Used to verify documents presented for identity confirmation | 2.2.1.10 – see ‘Principles of identity’ |
| Strong digital identity | A digital identity created and maintained by an accredited identity provider that meets identity proofing level 3 requirements and can be shared with Services Australia for identity confirmation. | Examples include myID accounts meeting Identity Proofing Level 3. | 2.2.1.10 – see ‘Principles of identity’ and Digital ID Act references |