---
title: "Request for formal review of a Centrelink decision by an Authorised Review Officer (letter and submission)"
url: "https://ailawframework.com/precedents/social-security-and-veterans-entitlements/formal-review-request-authorised-review-officer"
type: "precedent"
site: "AI Law Framework"
id: "a56-formal-review-request-authorised-review-officer"
area_id: "A56"
kind: "letter"
ai_level: "yellow"
version: 1
task_ids: ["A56-N20261018-4", "A56-N20261018-1"]
law_stated_as_at: "2026-10-18"
---

# Request for formal review of a Centrelink decision by an Authorised Review Officer (letter and submission)

> Advocate's letter asking Services Australia for formal review of a Centrelink decision by an Authorised Review Officer: the decision, why it is wrong, the evidence, a request to pause debt repayments, and a note of the…

Canonical page: https://ailawframework.com/precedents/social-security-and-veterans-entitlements/formal-review-request-authorised-review-officer  
Law stated as at: 2026-10-18

Site index for agents: https://ailawframework.com/llms.txt

Advocate's letter asking Services Australia for formal review of a Centrelink decision by an Authorised Review Officer: the decision, why it is wrong, the evidence, a request to pause debt repayments, and a note of the 13-week arrears point.

## Key facts

- Kind: Letter. A letter or email you adapt and send.
- Practice area: [Social Security & Veterans' Entitlements](https://ailawframework.com/precedents/social-security-and-veterans-entitlements.md)
- Jurisdictions: Australia, Commonwealth
- AI level: Yellow. AI can help in set ways. A lawyer checks specific points before use.
- Law stated as at: 2026-10-18
- Status: Maintained. Checked on 2026-10-18 against the authority it cites, for Australia and Commonwealth.

## When to use it

Use when a client disagrees with a Centrelink decision (a debt, a rejected claim, a cancellation or a rate) and an internal formal review is the required first step before the Administrative Review Tribunal. Lodge it within 13 weeks of notice of the decision where back pay is at stake; it can go with or replace the Explanation or formal review of decision form (SS351).

## Used for these tasks

- [Prepare the formal review request to an Authorised Review Officer](https://ailawframework.com/practice/social-security-and-veterans-entitlements.md#A56-N20261018-4)
- [Build the Centrelink or DVA decision, debt and review-deadline register](https://ailawframework.com/practice/social-security-and-veterans-entitlements.md#A56-N20261018-1)

## How AI may be used

AI may draft the request from the decision letter, the client's records and the advocate's notes; the advocate decides the grounds, checks every fact and date, and approves the letter before it is lodged.

**AI may:**

- Extract the decision, decision date, notice date, payment type and reasons from the Centrelink letter
- Calculate the 13-week date from the date of notice and add it to the matter register
- Organise the client's documents into a numbered evidence list keyed to each ground

**AI must not:**

- Must not state facts about the client's income, relationship, residence or circumstances that the documents do not show
- Must not write the legal argument on how the Social Security Act applies without the advocate settling it
- Must not omit the request to pause debt repayments where the client wants it

**The lawyer checks:**

- The decision is reviewable by an ARO and the request is lodged within 13 weeks of notice where arrears depend on it
- Each ground identifies what is wrong with the decision (facts, law or policy) and the evidence that shows it
- The client has read and agreed to the facts stated, and has signed an authority if the advocate is lodging for them

## Authorities

- [Services Australia, Explanations and formal reviews of a Centrelink decision (formal review by an Authorised Review Officer; apply within 13 weeks for most claim and entitlement decisions or back pay may run only from the date of application; debt decisions at any time; pause on debt repayments; form SS351; review by the Administrative Review Tribunal after the ARO)](https://www.servicesaustralia.gov.au/explanations-and-formal-reviews-centrelink-decision)

## Full text and drafting notes

The full text and the drafting notes are not part of this public page. Signed-in firm accounts can read them at https://ailawframework.com/precedents/social-security-and-veterans-entitlements/formal-review-request-authorised-review-officer and through the signed-in MCP connector https://ailawframework.com/mcp/firm.

*Practice guidance for planning and review. Confirm current primary sources and the requirements of the actual matter. This is general information, not legal advice.*