Utilities Allowance (UA) overseas absences 061-01070070

UA can be paid to an eligible customer who is temporarily absent from Australia if:

• a UA test day falls within 6 weeks from the date of departure from Australia, and
• the customer remains qualified for income support

UA test days are 20 March, 20 June, 20 September and 20 December each year.

UA is not payable to people who are not Australian residents.

If a customer leaves Australia to live in another country UA is cancelled from the date the customer leaves Australia.

A customer who has stopped living in Australia will not be able to claim UA during any temporary returns to Australia.

The Portability Script - Departures and Returns is to be used to assess the customer's entitlement to payment while they are outside Australia. If the script is available, coding the absence from Australia should be done using the script.

The Department of Home Affairs generally advises when a customer or child leaves or returns to Australia. The Centrelink system uses the information to assesses the portability of payments and concession cards. The assessment will happen regardless of whether the customer has told Services Australia their travel details. Note: do not cancel Department of Home Affairs datalink activities.

Where the customer gives evidence they travelled on different dates, the agency should consider using those different dates, if both the following apply:

• the new dates are logical
• the results will be a better outcome for the customer

This most often happens if a customer passes through Australian customs on one day but the flight leaves the next day.

In many cases, customers do not have to tell the agency if they are leaving Australia temporarily for less than 6 weeks, or when they have returned from a temporary absence.

When customers do need to tell us about a departure before leaving Australia or when they have returned to Australia they can use the Travelling outside of Australia service. This service is in their Centrelink online account. If the travel or portability assessment is complex the online service will ask them to contact the agency.

Services Australia website lists when customers must tell the agency they are leaving or returning to Australia. The Resources page has a link.

Payment of UA will continue on the customer's return to Australia if the main income support payment is current. Alternatively it may be re-granted if or when the customer lodges a new claim for income support which is subsequently granted.