Restoration of Double Orphan Pension (DOP) 007-06020030

Has DOP cancelled for one of the following portability related reasons - 6WK (overseas 6 weeks), or NDE (no dependent child) (where NDE is due to last DOP child being overseas)?

• Yes, go to Step 6
• No, go to Step 2

Has a Disability Support Pension (DSP) or Youth Allowance (YAL) claim been rejected or withdrawn for a young person aged 16-19 years of age, and a claimant was receiving DOP for that young person immediately prior to the DSP claim being submitted?

• Yes, in Process Direct - If a DSP claim has been rejected or withdrawn using a DSP SOA in Process Direct; an open work item will be created and sent to DOP for processing
• Yes, in Customer First - If a DSP claim has been manually cancelled from the Activity List (AL) screen and manually indexed via the IN screen, the following action will need to be completed to ensure follow up on DOP
• Send a Fast Note to DOP use Auto text > Families > SUS/CAN/RES > DOP Reclaim. Include any other information about the young person's circumstances (for example, change in student status or other circumstances if applicable)
• No, go to Step 3

Double Orphan Pension (DOP) and Bereavement Smart Centre Processing Staff go to Step 7.

For all other staff, procedure ends here.

Has the customer contacted within 13 weeks of cancellation?

• Yes, go to Step 4
• No, DOP cannot be restored. The customer will need to lodge a new claim which will be subject to the normal new claim backdating provisions. See Initial contact by customers claiming DOP. Procedure ends here

Access the Document List (DL) screen in the customer's record and read the DOC regarding the cancellation of DOP.

Check if there is any additional information required by the customer for example, proof of change of address, etc., or, if there is there any other information that states that restoration cannot be actioned at initial contact.

Cancelled whereabouts unknown (WUK)

If the customer's address is unchanged, they must provide evidence that they still live at the recorded address. This must be done before the payment can be restored because if mail is returned from an address which the customer advises is correct, further mail sent to the same address is also likely to be returned.

If the customer has continued to be qualified and retained payability for their payment during the period of cancellation, their payment may be restored with full arrears.

This may be the case even when the customer recontacts more than 13 weeks after the decision to cancel. This is because the customer would be taken not to have received advice of the decision to cancel, if they were not at their known address and/or advice of the decision was returned to Services Australia.

This means that the date of effect of the favourable determination (restoration) resulting from review of the decision to cancel is the date of the original decision (date of cancellation), as per the Legislation. See the References page for more information.

Each customer's circumstances must be looked at individually to determine whether they could be taken not to have received advice of the decision to cancel, and whether they retained qualification and payability during the period, and therefore receive arrears upon restoration.

• Yes:
• Advise customer of action required for restoration
• Book an appointment at the service centre to lodge documentation if requested by the customer
• Confirm the customer's current address and contact telephone details and update if necessary
• Record details on a DOC
• When documentation is provided, scan to the customer's record. See Receipt of claims, forms and documentation for family assistance
• No, create a Fast Note to DOP, use Auto text > Families > SUS/CAN/RES > DOP reclaim

For Double Orphan Pension (DOP) and Bereavement Smart Centre Processing staff only.

If the customer or child returned to Australia within 13 weeks of cancellation, DOP payments should be automatically restored from their date of return.

If the automatic restoration of DOP is unsuccessful, an activity with keywords of DOP6WK and DOPRES will be left started on the Activity List (AL) screen to flag that DOP can be restored from date of return to Australia.

• Go to the Immigration Advised Movements (RSIM) screen (Child Immigration Advised Movements (CHRSIM) for children)
• Check the customer's and child/ren's date of return to Australia following a temporary overseas absence

Did the customer/child return to Australia before or within 13 weeks of the cancellation date?

• Yes, DOP can be restored from the date of return via a dummy new claim activity. Date of receipt is the date of return. Go to Step 7
• No, DOP cannot be restored
• The customer will need to lodge a new claim which will be subject to the normal new claim backdating provisions. See Initial contact by customers claiming DOP. Procedure ends here
• Note: if the customer wants to dispute the information recorded on RSIM/CHRSIM or a Service Officer feels the data is incomplete or incorrect, see Referring inconsistencies in overseas departure or arrival information to Centrelink International Services

For Double Orphan Pension (DOP) and Bereavement Smart Centre Processing staff only

Check that the child and/or customer is still eligible for DOP and the rate payable, and determine date of recommencement. DOP can be restored from the date the customer became eligible again, as long as within 13 weeks of cancellation.

Confirm that any required documentation/information has been supplied and if there have been any change of circumstances, update accordingly.

As DOP cannot be restored via the Benefit Action (BA) screen, a dummy new claim needs to be processed to restore DOP from the date the customer became eligible again.