Welfare system enhanced by Accenture

Accenture has been selected by the federal government to improve the way welfare payments are delivered to millions of people each year.

The company will provide systems integration services for the next phase of the Welfare Payment Infrastructure Transformation (WPIT) program, subject to commercial negotiations.

Work carried out will include a new online user interface to make it easy for people to navigate the system; a new payment utility that will deliver payments to recipients faster using modern technology; and designing the end-state technology solution for future phases of the WPIT program.

These projects will run alongside the work already underway as part of the WPIT program to streamline and speed up the process of applying for and receiving welfare payments.

Already, students are benefiting from faster and more streamlined services due to WPIT, with processing times for Youth Allowance and Austudy claims cut by almost 50%.

Technological advances will be progressively rolled out to other payment types with new applicants for carer payments the next people to benefit from improved processes.

Minister for Human Services Alan Tudge said initial work to transform student payments processing has been very successful.

“The great improvement this year in student payments processing is only the beginning of what we are aiming to achieve once WPIT is fully rolled out,” Tudge said.

“Welfare recipients will notice a significant improvement in Centrelink processes, saving them valuable time in their busy day.”

Accenture was selected ahead of the other top-ranked firms, following a successful competitive procurement process.

Image credit: ©FreeImages.com/Zsuzsa N.K.

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