Processing Special Benefit (SpB) claims 003-08060000

A customer and/or their nominee can make a claim for SpB by:

• submitting an online claim
• Assisted Customer Claim (ACC), or
• lodging a completed:
• Claim for Special Benefit form (SU004)
• Claim for Special Benefit on behalf of a child who is an Australian Citizen or permanent resident (SU721)

Claims submitted online or by Assisted Customer Claim are subject to Circumstance Change Monitor (CCM). The Tasks icon displays the status of requested documents the customer needs to provide to support their claim.

When a SpB paper claim (SU004/SU721) is lodged and scanned to the customer's record, a Social Application (SOA) Shell for processing in Process Direct is automatically generated. Paper claims will not have any tasks attached to the SOA activity.

Claim for Special Benefit for Australian Citizen or Australian permanent resident children

If a custodial parent

• does not hold a qualifying visa to claim income support payment, and
• has a child who is an Australian resident or permanent resident

The custodial parent can claim an SpB on behalf of the child.

See Special Benefit (SpB) for Australian Citizen Child (ACC) and Australian permanent resident children.

Process Direct is used to review the SpB claim information and to process the claim once all required information is available. See Process Direct navigation, common screens and functions.

Staff can escalate a customer's claim for priority processing.

See Immediate new claim and non-new claim priority processing

SpB customers who are capable of working, are subject to mutual obligation requirements, except for Criminal Justice Stay Visa/Victim of Human Trafficking customers.

There are two types of mutual obligations requirements that apply to SpB:

• SpB Nominated Visa Holder (NVH) mutual obligation requirements, which are based on legislation, and
• SpB mutual obligation requirements, which are based on policy

To determine which requirements apply, see Mutual obligation requirements for Special Benefit (SpB).

While SpB is not intended for students, a customer can undertake part time study provided they simultaneously undertake job search and other relevant obligations.

The customer's employment services provider can only approve full-time study in limited circumstances including where:

• the study is less than 12 months or a short course
• vocational study is less than 12 months in duration, and the course is likely to lead to an employment outcome

Customers under 18 years may undertake secondary study of more than 12 months in duration. When the customer turns 18 years while undertaking secondary study, they can complete the secondary study that year on a full-time basis.

Under no other circumstances can full-time study of more than 12 months duration from the start date of the course be approved to grant SpB, unless the customer:

• has 6 months remaining (full-time equivalent) to complete the degree,
• has been unsuccessful in gaining employment, and
• the degree would greatly improve their employment prospects

Full-time tertiary studies such as bachelor’s degrees and above are not considered appropriate to fulfill mutual obligations. The intention of SpB study rules is for customers to complete secondary education and/or gain vocational skills to equip them for work.

For more information on study, see Mutual obligation requirements for Special Benefit (SpB).

Eligible SpB customers can volunteer for Parent Pathways. This service focuses on offering flexible and individualised support to parents and carers with children under the age of 6 plan for or pursue their study, training and work goals. Note: if undertaking studies this must be approved by the Parent Pathways provider.

If the customer is receiving a disability payment from the Department of Veterans' Affairs (DVA), their claim should not be rejected based on income before checking whether they may be entitled to receive Defence Force Income Support Allowance (DFISA).

The system will be able to identify these customers if the claim is correctly coded including DVA disability payment details. If DVA Clearance is required by the DVA team, see Payments from the Department of Veterans' Affairs (DVA) and referrals to the DVA Clearance Team.

TFN requirements when making a new claim

Customers and their partners who live in Australia must provide a valid TFN to receive most Centrelink payments or services.

TFN exemptions

TFN Exemptions can apply to customers in limited circumstances who may need a temporary or permanent exemption.

See Requesting a Tax File Number (TFN)

Young customers under 16 years claiming SpB are vulnerable. Generally, these customers are claiming Special Benefit in the following categories:

• Under 16 years for whom it is unreasonable to live at home (UTLAH)
• Australian Citizen Children in the custody of a non-permanent resident

If a customer under 16 years meets all eligibility criteria except TFN, SpB is to be granted with a TFN exemption code of U16 - Under 16 years of age.

If the customer is an Australian citizen child and their custodial parent/s or guardian/s are working or have declared income, a TFN is required for the custodial parent/s or guardian/s.

Customers may be presented with pre-filled Single Touch Payroll (STP) data during their online claim. Employer details, name and ABN, will be presented to the customer if STP data has been provided to the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) within the 8 weeks prior to claim.

Customers will have the option to confirm the employer within the claim. If a customer confirms the employer, once on payment, STP pre-filled income will be presented to the customer when they report. If the customer does not confirm the employer, once on payment, the STP employer may be presented again when the customer reports.

Social workers:

• assess customers' needs
• offer short-term counselling and support, and
• work with other staff and services to help vulnerable people

Priority is given to:

• customers at risk of suicide or self-harm
• customers who are experiencing family and domestic violence
• young people without adequate support, these includes:
• unreasonable to live at home (UTLAH) assessment needed and they are under 18
• aged under 16 and does not have support
• people impacted by disasters and emergencies

See:

• Social work service referral
• Assisting a customer aged under 16

Identifying the correct category of SpB and applying it to the customer is an important aspect of SpB claim assessment. The SpB category controls:

• the maximum duration the customer may remain on payments
• the maximum rate the customer can be paid
• mutual obligation requirements

For more information, see Special Benefit (SpB) categories

SpB customers can receive their payments weekly if one of the following applies:

• homeless
• at risk of being homeless
• experiencing difficulty managing finances

Weekly payments are voluntary and reviewable, however customers on weekly payments are precluded from receiving advance or urgent payments.

See:

• Weekly payments
• Assessing, coding and reviewing weekly payments

SpB claims rejected for reasons Failed to respond to correspondence (FRC), or Failed to supply documents (FSD), or Proof of Identity (POI) may be reassessed, where all outstanding requested documents have been provided within 13 weeks of the rejection notice. See Request to reassess a rejected claim.

Staff outside the SpB processing team will need to create a Fast Note to request the reassessment. The SpB processing team will re-index SpB claims where required. See Request to reassess a rejected claim.

If the customer has failed to supply all documents at the time of the request for reassessment, the original claim must not be re-indexed.

See Indexing, re-indexing, and cancelling claim activities.

Backdating provisions differ for each payment. As a general rule, if a person claims a payment and is qualified on the day the claim is made, that is the start day.

A customer's start date may be backdated to an earlier day before the day on which they lodged a completed claim if the person is qualified and the claim is made:

• after a partner's claim
• as a transfer to another payment
• after childbirth
• by an incapacitated customer
• after the death of a partner
• when a contact has indicated an intention to claim for a customer experiencing a vulnerable circumstance

See Backdating provisions for claim lodgement

If a customer requests an explanation or a formal review of their SpB claim, staff must follow Request for an explanation or application for a formal review.