Assistance for Isolated Children (AIC) End of Year (EOY) review form enquiries 110-07070010

Item

Description

1

Why is the student's AIC payment status CAN/STE?

Payments have cancelled due to the non-return of the End of Year (EOY) review.

If the applicant contacts before 1 March in the year following the year for which they want to reclaim, and the applicant requests a new EOY review form:

• reissue the review form, see Table 1 > Step 5, or
• AIC trained staff may take the EOY review verbally, see Table 1 > Step 3

Record any advice given and/or action taken on a DOC.

To have payments restored from 1 January, the applicant will need to complete the EOY review form or provide the review verbally by 1 March in the year following the year for which they are reclaiming.

2

What happens if the applicant has lost, misplaced or did not receive their EOY review form?

If the applicant contacts before 1 March in the year following that for which they want to reclaim, and the applicant requests a new EOY review form, reissue the review form. See Table 1 > Step 5.

3

What happens if the applicant is no longer claiming for the student?

Tell the applicant to:

• complete the first question on the EOY review form
• sign the declaration, and
• return the form

The person who is currently the parent/guardian of the student will need to complete a new Claim for Assistance for Isolated Children (AIC) (SY040) form.

4

What happens if the applicant has no tax return or Notice of Assessment (NOA)?

NOAs from the ATO as evidence of parent(s) taxable income and evidence of any other income are needed for assessments of the Additional Boarding Allowance (ABA).

If the applicant (and/or partner) does not have a tax return or NOA from the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) for the relevant financial year, tell the applicant:

• they can give an estimate of their income. They should provide a letter from a qualified accountant or tax agent stating the expected income for the particular financial year and the expected date they will have their NOA available
• if proof is not available immediately, Basic Boarding Allowance (BBA) may be payable (if qualified for the allowance) while the ABA assessment is pending
• if an estimate of income has been provided, the student's entitlement will be reassessed when the actual income figures are received. If their income figure has been underestimated, there may be an overpayment which will be recoverable. If their income figure has been overestimated, the student's payments will be adjusted

Record details on a DOC of the advice given and/or action taken.

5

How to explain the reassessment process to the applicant?

Tell the applicant that the requested information is needed to confirm the student's entitlement for the coming year.

If the information is not provided, payments will cease on 31 December of the year the EOY review form was issued. A new claim will need to be lodged, or the applicant will need to complete the EOY review form for the payments to be restored.

6

When must the applicant lodge the form?

Tell the applicant:

• if the review is not lodged by 31 December of the year the EOY review form was issued, payments will cease
• they should lodge the EOY review form by 1 March in the year following which assistance is sought for benefits to be payable from 1 January of the previous year
• if the form is lodged after 1 March in the year following the year for which the applicant is reclaiming, the form cannot be accepted

7

What happens if the applicant advises the student has changed their living arrangements (for example, from distance education to boarding arrangement)?

Tell the applicant the details of the changes can be provided in the EOY review form (or in an attachment to the form).

The AIC review can also be completed verbally, see Table 1 > Step 3.

8

What happens if the applicant has completed and provided their EOY review form, but payments have cancelled?

If 21 days has not passed since the receipt of the EOY review form, tell the applicant that Services Australia have 21 days to process the EOY review.

If 21 days has passed since the receipt of the EOY review form, Service Officers must:

• create an open Fast Note for urgent processing
• select Auto text, use Students, ABSTUDY & Apprentices > AIC > EOY Review process request

AIC trained Service Officers may process the review while the applicant is on the phone, see Processing Assistance for Isolated Children (AIC) End of Year (EOY) review forms.