The IBN Member Purchasing Card changes the way members access benefits by making it easier and quicker to access your Household Essentials funds.  Each purchase is deducted from the card’s balance.

During April 2023, members who have existing Household Essentials balances, will be issued with their cards.  All other members will be able to access their IBN Member Purchasing Card from July 2023.

Your IBN Member Purchasing Card can be used online, or at any store in Australia where Mastercard prepaid cards are accepted.

You can access a list of your card transactions by visiting ugca.au and entering your proxy number, the authentication code on your letter (not your PIN number) and the CVV number on the back of the card.

The card can’t be used for mail or telephone orders. Other restrictions are in the Household Essentials program booklet.

The IBN Member Purchasing Card can’t be used to withdraw cash.

Your funds will remain on your IBN Purchasing Card.

Lost cards should be reported as soon as possible through the card portal at ugca.au or call 1300 181 032. Replacement cards can be ordered through this portal and the cost for each new card will need to be paid by members.

IBN has a staff member to respond to all questions about purchasing cards. Please contact any of the IBN offices and ask to talk to Rochelle. If Rochelle is not available a message will be taken for Rochelle to return your call. 

You can contact UGCA by calling 1300 181 032 or IBN on 1800 014 401.

• Check that your card has been activated.
• Check your balance.
• The merchant is an unapproved supplier. Your IBN Member Purchasing Card can’t be used to purchase gambling, tobacco, or alcohol.
• Check to see if your card has expired.
• You may have tried to enter a PIN instead of signing the merchant’s docket.
• If your card has a CHIP, check that you have entered your PIN correctly.
• Your card may have been reported lost or stolen.
• Your card has been suspended by IBN. Contact 1800 014 401.
• A previous voided or interrupted transaction may have been authorised and the reserved funds have not yet been released.
• Check that the signature on the back panel of the card has been signed.
• Check to make sure your signature on the purchase receipt matches the signature on the back of the card.
• The merchant does not accept Visa or Mastercard prepaid cards electronically.
• The merchant does not accept virtual cards.

For petrol station purchases it is better to pay at the counter after filling your tank, rather than using your IBN Member Purchasing Card at the pump itself before filling up.

This occurs because even if you need only a few litres of petrol, an authorisation for $49 will be sought, and that $49 will be reserved until the actual value of fuel purchased is posted to the account – sometimes a day or two later.

Please give us feedback about your experiences.

Checking your card balance or transactions or for any other purpose via the website ugca.au, is free of charge.  Phone calls to report a lost or stolen card are also free.

Calls to the IVR (interactive voice recorded) computer will generally incur a $1.10 fee, and if you choose to talk to a human operator, you will generally incur a fee of $4.40.

IBN Member Purchasing Cards expire three years from the date shown on the front of the card

IBN Member Purchasing Cards that are reloadable, expire 36 months after their date of issue. A new card will be sent to you automatically as each expiry date approaches. Please ensure your Profile on the website ugca.au is up to date, so the new card is sent to the correct address.

For physical cards, if the balance on the card exceeds $15 at the time it expires, the replacement card will be loaded with the balance, less an administration fee of $15.

Please see the IBN TERMS AND CONDITIONS HERE.

IBN Corporation Pty Ltd adheres to the Australian Privacy Principles. We will not disclose your personal details to anyone except for the purpose of operating the IBN Member Purchasing Card programs, or as required by law. All data transmitted through the internet is encrypted. To see our Privacy Policy, click here.

Cardholder information is used for identification and security purposes only. Your information will not be used for any other purpose.