You can get a temporary TCU SmartCard at a TCU branch. 

You can also get one at select Services Australia service centres, participating Agents, or from a Services Australia Remote Servicing Team. You can find more information on where you can get a card by selecting the state or territory you are in:

•             Northern Territory 

•             Queensland 

•             Western Australia

•             South Australia .

Once your temporary card is activated, your personalised SmartCard is sent in the mail. When you receive your personalised SmartCard, follow the instructions included to activate it.

You can choose to have contactless on or off.  To make contactless payments using your SmartCard, log in to your online account or TCU SmartCard eIM mobile app and go to ‘settings’ then ‘transaction settings’. 

Once you have selected to turn “ON” the contactless function on your SmartCard, you will need to make one purchase using your PIN number. After this initial transaction you can pay by tapping your card on a payWave enabled terminal and waiting for the transaction to be confirmed.  There is no need to enter a PIN for purchases of $100 or less (or $200 or less at some businesses).

If you would like to turn off contactless payments, log in to your online account or TCU SmartCard eIM mobile app and go to ‘settings’ then ‘transaction settings’ to turn “OFF” the contactless function on your SmartCard. You can call our Customer Service Centre on 1800 828 232 (freecall) for assistance.

Transfers from TCU SmartCard Account to another account that is not a TCU SmartCard Account will be processed twice daily at 4am and 4pm (AEST).  All recurring payments will occur at 4am, so you will need to ensure there are sufficient funds in your account to meet any recurring payments by 4am of the day the payment is to be made.  In the event there are insufficient funds in your TCU SmartCard Account by 4am the recurring payment will not be made and no money will be deducted from your account.  Note that if the payment is to a business, the business may charge a fee for a missed payment.

To make adjustments (e.g. start, stop, or adjust) to recurring payments you will need to log in to your online account or TCU SmartCard eIM mobile app and make changes the day before the payment is due.

When you make a BPAY Payment, the funds will be immediately deducted from your account on the date you make that BPAY Payment, if it is before 5 pm (AEST) on a business day.  If a BPAY Payment is made after 5pm or on a non-business day this payment will be processed on the next business day.

You can pay your bills at an Australia Post Office by using Post Billpay.  There is no need to register to pay a bill using Post Billpay, simply go to www.postbillpay.com.au and follow the steps to pay your bill.  Billers who accept Post Billpay as a payment method will have the Post Billpay logo displayed on your bill.  There are a number of businesses that offer this service.  For more information please visit https://www.postbillpay.com.au/help/bill-payments.

If you want to submit a complaint or provide feedback about the TCU SmartCard, you can call our Customer Service Centre on 1800 828 232 (freecall).

If your complaint cannot be resolved using our Internal Dispute Resolution process, we will refer you to an External Dispute Resolution scheme approved by the Australian Securities and Investment Commission (ASIC).  The following document explains our complaints and dispute resolution process.

For further information about the SmartCard enhanced Income Management program:

• visit the website www.servicesaustralia.gov.au/smartcard
• call the Cashless Debit Card Hotline on 1800 252 604 (freecall)

In this instance, please speak to one of our Customer Service Centre staff on 1800 828 232 (freecall) and they will be able to look into the reason for the declined transaction.

If your local shop primarily sells restricted goods such as alcohol, tobacco products or allows gambling activities, it will be blocked.

If the shop does not primarily sell restricted items and still refuses to accept your SmartCard, call the Customer Service Centre on 1800 828 232 (freecall) to discuss the issue. View more information on where you can shop.

There are a number of reasons why your SmartCard may decline.  You should contact the Customer Service Centre on 1800 828 232 (freecall) and they will be able to review your SmartCard Account and tell you why your SmartCard was declined.  Alternatively, you can check whether the store has been blocked by searching the Blocked Merchants List. 

If you have registered for SMS alerts you will receive an SMS message after the transaction has been declined to show the reason for your card not working.

If you see a transaction on your SmartCard Account that you did not make, or your SmartCard is lost or stolen, you should immediately call the Customer Service Centre on 1800 828 232 (freecall) or 1800 621 199 outside business hours.  If a transaction was not made by you, it could be fraud and a block will need to be placed on your SmartCard and/or account.  This is to stop further charges being made to your SmartCard Account. 

You can block your own SmartCard by going online and following the steps below:

• Log in to your SmartCard Account or TCU SmartCard eIM mobile app
• Click on the Settings link
• Click on the Block Card link
• Click on Block Card button.

Once you block your SmartCard, it cannot be unblocked and you will need to request a new SmartCard be sent to you.  Remember that when you block your SmartCard, you are not blocking your online SmartCard Account.

Depending on where you live, you may be able to pick up a temporary SmartCard from your nearest TCU Branch or a Services Australia.  Contact the TCU Customer Service Centre on 1800 828 232 (freecall) to find the nearest TCU branch that has temporary cards available or the SmartCard Hotline on 1800 252 604 (freecall) to find the nearest Services Australia location with TCU temporary cards available.

If the welfare payment in your SmartCard Account is incorrect, you will need to contact Services Australia.  TCU has no control over the money Services Australia pays you.