Calculating the additional Double Orphan Pension (DOP) component 007-06010030

The DOP additional component is calculated and assessed by the DOP and Bereavement Smart Centre Processing Team as part of the DOP new claim process and during Manual Follow Up (MFU).

DOP claimants who have shared care of 35% or more are assessed under the Family Assistance shared care rules:

• Customers who have actual care of a child for less than 35% of the time are not entitled to either the basic rate of DOP or the additional component
• Where the customer has actual care of a child for 14 - 34% of the time, they will be assessed for ancillary benefits as part of their Family Tax Benefit (FTB) claim

Check if the customer’s FTB part A is being reduced by:

• a payment choice on the FTB Payment Choices (FPC) and/or
• continuous adjustment via the ‘Family Tax Benefit Mandatory Continuous Adjustment Explanation’ screen

Is the customer currently receiving DOP?

• Yes, go to Step 4
• No, go to Step 5

Determine if the customer’s legislative FTB Part A rate has changed the last time a DOP review or manual rate calculation was completed’.

Go to the XDE screen in the customers record to check for the correct date of effect of the rate change:

• Key ‘FAO’ in the Sys field
• Key ‘Basic’ in the Cmpnt field (for Rent Assistance changes key ‘RA’ in the Cmpnt field)

The daily rate is displayed in the $CAmt column, and the relevant start date is displayed in DoE column.

Has the customer had any changes to the legislative rate of FTB A since the last manual rate calculation?

• Yes, the DOP rate must be manually reassessed from the date of change. Go to Step 5
• No, a new DOP additional component calculation is not required. Procedure ends here

Use the Calculating Family Tax Benefit (FTB) Part A (Method 1) or Calculating Family Tax Benefit (FTB) Part A (Method 2) to determine:

• the family actual legislative rate of FTB Part A paid to the prior family immediately before the child become a DOP child, (A), and
• the family actual legislative rate of FTB Part A being paid to the current family (B)

Then, use the FTB calculation table in the Guide to Social Security Law, 5.1.4.50, DOP - additional component and follow the steps to:

• calculate the prior legislative rate of FTB Part A that was paid for the child/ren immediately before the child/ren became a double orphan (C)
• calculate the current carers legislative rate of FTB Part A payable for the DOP child/ren (D)

Once both figures (C and D) are calculated, go to Step 6.

Note: the DOP start date is the date the claim is lodged unless the following backdating provisions are met:

• a claim is lodged within 13 weeks of the birth of the DOP child being cared for, or
• a claim for DOP is lodged by a person within 13 weeks after another person who was receiving DOP for the same child has died

The additional component of DOP (E) is:

• the previous legislative rate of FTB Part A that was paid for the DOP child immediately before the child/ren became a double orphan (C)

minus

• the current fortnightly legislative rate of FTB Part A including all components for the DOP child (D)

If:

• the current fortnightly legislative rate of FTB Part A for the DOP child is equal to or more than the FTB Part A legislative rate paid immediately before the child become a double orphan, then
• there is no entitlement to the DOP additional component

Go to Step 8.

If the customer is:

• receiving the DOP additional component and they are no longer eligible to receive it:
• place the customer back onto the AUTO rate
• expire DOP DOA DOC
• place DOC on record
• procedure ends here
• eligible for the DOP additional component:
• add the additional DOP component amounts calculated at Step 6 (E) to the basic rate of DOP for all DOP children to get the customers calculated fortnightly Rate of DOP
• divide the calculated fortnightly rate by 14 to get the entitlement for DOP as a daily rate
• record the daily rate as a manual payment
• go to Step 8

DOP DOA DOC

Record details using Fast Note - select Auto text, use Families > Updates > DOP Additional Manual Rate.

DOP MFUs due to rate increase

• For New Financial Year: Record details on a DOC. Use Fast Note - select Auto text, use Families > Updates > DOP NFYA Applied 1/7/20xx
• For CPI increase: Record details on a DOC. Use Fast Note - select Auto text, use Families > Updates > DOP CPI Applied 1 January

To DOC when a manual rate is coded (other than DOP Additional Manual rate) use Fast Note - select Auto text, use Families > Updates > DOP Manual Rate.