New claim for Crisis Payment after customer released from prison or psychiatric confinement 003-07030030
This document explains how staff can help customers claim Crisis Payment for release from prison or psychiatric confinement (CrP-PRI) and how to process the claim.
This payment is for customers who, after being charged with committing an offence, have:
- been released from prison or psychiatric confinement, and
- served at least 14 days in custody
On this page:
New claim for Crisis Payment (CrP) after release from prison or psychiatric confinement (PRI)
Assess CrP-PRI claim (online or Assisted Customer Claim (ACC))
Assess CrP-PRI claims (paper claims)
Process and finalise CrP-PRI claim
New claim for Crisis Payment (CrP) after release from prison or psychiatric confinement (PRI)
Table 1
Step |
Action |
1 |
Customer contacts + Read more ... A customer released from custody may contact Services Australia to discuss a claim for CrP-PRI. If the customer:
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2 |
Released from custody + Read more ... If a customer has not yet claimed CrP-PRI and has been released from custody, discuss:
Does the customer want to claim CrP-PRI now?
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3 |
Customer does not want to claim immediately + Read more ... Do not start a claim for CrP-PRI when the customer:
Customers may decide to claim later. In all cases where the CrP-PRI is not made immediately:
For more help, use the appropriate escalation method Procedure ends here. |
4 |
Social security pension, social security benefit or ABSTUDY Living Allowance + Read more ... To be eligible for CrP-PRI, a customer must be receiving, or be entitled to, one of the following:
If the customer is not currently receiving a payment, check if they have submitted a claim for social security pension, a social security benefit or ABSTUDY Living Allowance claims. Customers may have received payments before being in custody and had their payments suspended (SUS-IMP). Restore these payments. Is the customer getting, or have they made a new claim for, a social security pension, a social security benefit, or ABSTUDY Living Allowance?
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5 |
Customer not receiving or entitled to a social security pension, social security benefit or ABSTUDY Living Allowance + Read more ... Some customer’s payments may have been cancelled for failing to report (CAN/FRP) since admission to custody. Contact a F2F Incarcerated customer Service Officer. Otherwise, tell the customer to submit claims online for:
If the customer is unable or unsuitable to complete an online claim, offer an Assisted Customer Claim (ACC). If the customer is claiming online, record an intent to claim using the Crisis Payment - Intent to claim Fast Note. Select Auto text, use Emergency > Claim > CrP Intent to Claim. CrP-PRI claim cannot be granted on a date before a social security pension, benefit or ABSTUDY Living Allowance claim. It will be rejected with an NQP - no qualifying payment reason. Has an ACC been submitted for the social security pension, benefit or ABSTUDY Living Allowance?
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6 |
Restore a social security pension, social security benefit or ABSTUDY Living Allowance + Read more ... Customers released from prison who had payments suspended may be eligible to have their payment restored. Confirm custody details Check DL/Notes for the admission and/or release DOC. Check Documents for evidence. Make sure it:
If confirmation is needed, see the Confirming admission and release instructions for the relevant state or territory Corrective Services. For more details, see:
Determine if a customer’s payment can be restored after their custody details are confirmed. See Restoration of payments (CLK). Instructions for restoring the relevant payment are in individual files. Has the social security pension, social security benefit or ABSTUDY Living Allowance been restored?
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7 |
Start Assisted Customer Claim (ACC) for CrP-PRI + Read more ...
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8 |
Continue or complete ACC + Read more ... The ACC will remain in Draft status until the customer or Service Officer submits the claim. Depending on their answers, the system may ask customers to supply evidence of release from custody. Mark evidence as received to allow for ACC submission when evidence has either:
If the required documents cannot be provided, tell the customer to:
If the Service Officer completing the ACC is suitably skilled to process CrP-PRI and the claim can be completed, process the CrP-PRI immediately. Can the CrP-PRI claim be processed immediately?
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9 |
Customer disagrees with rejected claim + Read more ... Customers may contact the agency after a CrP-PRI claim has been rejected to:
Only reindex a claim if the original decision has been Set Aside after an explanation or formal review. Discuss the rejection reason with the customer. Does the customer want an explanation, including reassessment of the claim, or a formal review of decision?
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10 |
Customer contacts about submitted claim + Read more ... If a customer is contacting the agency about withdrawing a claim, see Withdrawal of claims. Review the Progress of Claim Notes on DL/Notes, scanned documents and claim for outstanding information. If confirmation of custody details are needed, contact the relevant Confirming admission and release team in the state and territory Corrective Services. For more information, see Centrelink service standards and procedures for pre-release and post-release prison customers and Confirming prison admission and release dates. If the Service Officer is suitably skilled to process CrP-PRI and the claim can be completed, process the CrP-PRI. Is the CrP-PRI claim ready to process?
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Assess CrP-PRI claim (online or Assisted Customer Claim (ACC))
Table 2
Step |
Action |
1 |
Allocation or manual search for CrP-PRI claim + Read more ... Workload Management allocates CrP-PRI claims to processing Service Officers. If a manual search with a Customer Reference Number (CRN) or Claim ID is needed, in Process Direct:
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2 |
Review claim and documents + Read more ... From the Transaction Summary (TS) screen select:
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3 |
Review record and evidence + Read more ... Check Benefit Status and Benefit History to determine the status of any current or previous social security pension, benefit or ABSTUDY Living Allowance payments. They can be one of:
Check DL/Notes for:
Check Documents for evidence. Make sure it:
If confirmation of custody is needed, see the Confirming admission and release instructions for the relevant state and territory Corrective Service. For more details, see: |
4 |
Review customer’s payment + Read more ... A social security pension, benefit or ABSTUDY Living Allowance is not payable to a person who:
Note: CrP-PRI is not payable if the customer is released from prison later than originally scheduled. See Resources for examples. Has a claim been granted or payment restored in the last 21 days?
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5 |
Payment not cancelled or suspended + Read more ... Customers may have their payments restored after a specific period of suspension:
Note: Parenting Payment Partnered (PPP) cannot be suspended. For more details, see Suspension of payments (CLK). If a customer’s payment was not cancelled or suspended while they were in custody, confirmation of the custody period is needed. Has the period in custody been confirmed?
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6 |
Start processing + Read more ...
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7 |
Prison Release – Crisis Payment Questionnaire + Read more ... The claim collects the details for the CrP-PRI circumstances. The questionnaire includes information entered in the claim
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8 |
Payment Destination (PAS) screen + Read more ...
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9 |
Savings Summary (SVS) screen + Read more ... Evidence to determine financial hardship may be requested where there is doubt about the validity of the information in the claim. If evidence is needed, document the Progress of claim and/or Grant/Reject DOC. The system automatically assesses liquid assets already recorded such as shares and bonds. Once provisional claim data has been confirmed and a grant or reject outcome is displaying on the Entitlements (ELD) screen, the CRISIS_PS screen will show the customer's:
If needed, complete any updates on SVS and SVDI. For more details, see Coding income and assets for Centrelink payments and services. Service Officers must document the Progress of claim whether evidence of financial hardship is required. Select Next. Go to Table 4. |
Assess CrP-PRI claims (paper claims)
Table 3
Step |
Action |
1 |
Allocation or manual search for CrP-PRI claim + Read more ... Workload Management allocates CrP-PRI claims to processing Service Officers. If a customer has submitted a paper claim, an SOA shell creates automatically. Transfer claim answers to the SOA shell and add a new row to CRISIS_PRI. If a manual search with a Customer Reference Number (CRN) or Claim ID is needed, in Process Direct:
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2 |
Review claim and documents + Read more ... From the Transaction Summary (TS) screen:
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3 |
Review record and evidence + Read more ... Check Benefit Status and Benefit History to determine the status of any current or previous social security pension, benefit or ABSTUDY Living Allowance payment, They can be one of:
Check DL/Notes for:
Check Documents for evidence. Make sure it:
If confirmation of custody is needed, see the Confirming admission and release instructions in the relevant state and territory Corrective Service. For more details, see |
4 |
Review Customer’s Payment + Read more ... A social security pension, benefit or ABSTUDY Living Allowance is not payable to a person who:
Note: CrP-PRI is not payable if the customer is released from prison later than originally scheduled. See Resources for examples. Has a claim been granted or payment restored in the last 21 days?
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5 |
Payment not cancelled or suspended + Read more ... Customers may have their payments restored after a specific period or suspension:
Note: Parenting Payment Partnered (PPP) cannot be suspended. For more details, see Suspension of payments (CLK). If a customer’s payment was not cancelled or suspended while they were in custody, a warning appears on ELD. Confirmation of the custody period is needed. Has the period in custody been confirmed?
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6 |
Start processing + Read more ...
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7 |
Prison Release Questionnaire + Read more ... Transfer information from the paper claim to the Crisis Payment Questionnaire: Create a new row by selecting Add. Has the information in the paper claim been verified?
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8 |
Payment Destination (PAS) screen + Read more ...
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9 |
Savings Summary (SVS) screen + Read more ... Evidence to determine financial hardship may be requested where there is doubt about the validity of the information in the claim. If evidence is needed, document the Progress of claim and/or Grant/Reject DOC. The system automatically assesses liquid assets already recorded such as shares and bonds. Once provisional claim data has been confirmed and a grant or reject outcome is displaying on the Entitlements (ELD) screen, the CRISIS_PS screen will show the customer's:
If needed, complete any updates on SVS and SVDI. For more details, see Coding income and assets for Centrelink payments and services. Service Officers must document the Progress of claim whether evidence of financial hardship is required. Select Next. Go to Table 4. |
Process and finalise CrP-PRI claim
Table 4
Step |
Action |
1 |
Confirm eligibility criteria - customer in Australia + Read more ... The customer must be inside Australia and living in Australia on the date of claim to be granted a CrP-PRI. The system will check if the customer is recorded as being outside Australia or living in another country. If so, it will show ‘SR598 - Customer may not be in Australia’ If this warning shows:
Was the customer in Australia when the claim was lodged?
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2 |
Confirm eligibility criteria - customer contact within 7 days of event date (deemed claim provisions) + Read more ... A customer must contact Centrelink within 7 days of the date of release from prison or psychiatric confinement. After the initial contact, the customer must lodge the claim within 14 days. See Contact requirements for Crisis Payment (CrP). If the customer lodges the claim between 8 and 21 days after the event date, the following warning will display: 'SR623 - Prison Actual Release date is between 8-21 days, check contact date' Note: the event date is considered to be Day 0. When was the CrP-PRI claim lodged?
See Resources for examples. |
3 |
Customer lodged claim between 8-21 days after event date + Read more ... Check Notes for any contact about a Crisis Payment, or seeking a payment or concession card, within 7 days of the date of the circumstance (event). If there is a record of contact, then the customer satisfies the contact requirements for the CrP-PRI claim. Deemed provisions apply to this claim. See Contact requirements for Crisis Payment (CrP). Did the customer contact the agency within 7 days of the circumstances (event) date?
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4 |
Confirm eligibility criteria - customer in custody for 14 or more days + Read more ... The customer must have spent 14 or more days in prison or psychiatric confinement. The customer must have been charged with committing an offence. Note: customers who have been in psychiatric confinement but have not been charged with committing an offence are not eligible for CrP-PRI. If the details cannot be confirmed on the customers record and/or the release documents supplied are not clear:
Is there confirmation the customer was in custody for 14 days or more because they were charged with committing an offence?
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5 |
Determine outcome + Read more ... Once the provisional data has been entered, select Assess. The Entitlement (ELD) screen will display the outcome of the claim. Is the correct outcome reflected? Yes, and:
No:
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6 |
ELD screen is displaying REJ-NQP + Read more ... Determine if a claim for a social security pension, social security benefit or ABSTUDY Living Allowance is pending processing. Is there a claim pending processing?
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7 |
Process CrP + Read more ... When the CrP-PRI claim outcome is displaying correctly as:
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8 |
Contact customer to advise rejection + Read more ... Make genuine attempts to contact the customer to tell them the rejection reason. If the customer has clearly tried to deceive the agency to get CrP-PRI, contact is not needed. Do not contact the customer to ask for more information if they did not provide verifiable evidence. If customer contact is successful, tell the customer the decision. Go to Step 9 If customer contact is not successful:
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9 |
Finalise the claim + Read more ... A decision letter will be sent unless the customer has concerns for their safety if a letter is sent. Before inhibiting the letter, staff must:
If this has not occurred, the letter cannot be inhibited. If the letter to the customer is to be inhibited:
Once the claim is assessing correctly and all updates applied:
If the CrP-PRI claim outcome is a:
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10 |
Public Trustee + Read more ... If the customer's payments are directed to a payment nominee and the customer is unable to access funds from the Public Trustee on the day, contact the State/Public Trustee.
Run the Nominee Action script to reinstate the payment nominee details. Some manual intervention will be needed when starting a nominee arrangement with the same nominee on the same day. As the system will recognise the same payment destination, select [Enter] through the payment destination linking process, and then press OK. If the nominee arrangement cannot be re-recorded the same day, create a DOC with the action still required including organisation details and nominee password. In Customer First, create a manual review on the Review Registration (RVR) screen and complete the fields as follows:
The review will mature on the Due Date coded in the RVR activity. Workload Management will allocate the review for manual action. |
11 |
Pay the Crisis Payment + Read more ... Use the New Payments Platform (NPP) to pay the customer. If NPP is unavailable, make payment by Real Time Gross Settlement (RTGS). Use direct credit if neither NPP nor RTGS is available. Only consider an EBT card if these options are unavailable. For Farm Household Assistance (FHA) customers:
Otherwise, the payment will be directly credited the following business day. |
12 |
Other considerations for prison release customers + Read more ... Some other considerations for customers released from custody include:
For more details, see Centrelink service standards and procedures for pre-release and post-release prison customers. |