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Utilities Allowance (UA) 108-08110000

This document outlines the qualification and payability of Utilities Allowance (UA) payments.

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Assessment of Utilities Allowance (UA) in Process Direct

Assessment of Utilities Allowance (UA) in Customer First

Assessment of Utilities Allowance (UA) in Process Direct

Table 1: this table describes the steps to pay, decline and reverse the decline for the UA payment.

Step	Action
1	Payment of UA + Read more ... UA is paid automatically to the same payment destination as the eligible customer's income support payment (ISP). It is usually issued on the customer's first Entitlement Period End Date (EPED) after the test days of 20 March, 20 June, 20 September and 20 December. If the: customer wishes to decline payment for UA, go to Step 2 customer has previously declined UA payment and now wishes to accept UA payments, go to Step 3 UA payment was not paid automatically, go to Step 4
2	Customer declines payment for UA + Read more ... Go to the Senior Health Card Miscellaneous Details (SHMD) screen Select Add Select Yes in the Suppress utilities allowance field Select Save Complete the Receipt Date and Channel fields, select Save Select Assess and address any errors/warnings Select Assess again, then select Finish Record details of the update on the Finalise screen. Include the: decision reason for making the decision source; for example, customer request Act/Guide reference, Section 1061T SSA 1991 Select Finalise to complete the transaction If UA has been paid it will show on the following screens: Payment Summary (PS) One Off Payments (OOP) Concession Summary (CCAS) Procedure ends here.
3	Update UA + Read more ... A request by a customer to decline UA can be reversed at any time. However, only future instalments can be paid; that is, no arrears can be paid for any past period for which UA has been declined. To reverse the decline payment option: Go to the Senior Health Card Miscellaneous Details (SHMD) screen Select Add Select No in the Suppress utilities allowance field Select Save Complete the Receipt Date and Channel fields, select Save Select Assess and address any errors/warnings Select Assess again, then select Finish Record details of the update on the Finalise screen. Include the: decision reason for making the decision source; for example, customer request Act/Guide reference, Section 1061T SSA 1991 Select Finalise to complete the transaction Procedure ends here.
4	Check if UA was paid + Read more ... Payment of UA will only show on the Payment Summary (PS) screen after the triggers have been run on the test days, 20 March, 20 June, 20 September or 20 December. The Concession Summary (CCAS) screen shows UA payments: history made by the Department of Veterans' Affairs (DVA) the customer has declined Has the customer been paid UA? Yes, tell the customer when the payment was made. Procedure ends here No, go to Step 5
5	UA was not paid automatically + Read more ... Qualification is determined on the test days of 20 March, 20 June, 20 September and 20 December each year. Payment usually occurs on the customer's first EPED after these test days. On the test day, a customer must: be receiving Disability Support Pension (DSP) and be aged under 21 with no children, and be either: in Australia, or temporarily absent from Australia where their test day is within the first 6 weeks of the temporary absence and the customer maintains eligibility Note: UA payments can be made if a customer's payment is granted or restored and payment is backdated to include the test day. Customers on zero rate are only eligible for UA if their zero rate reason is 'DVA' (Defence Force Income Support Allowance) or 'NZP' (New Zealand agreement direct deduction). Check the following: Customers age and benefit status Relations menu to confirm no children are linked to the customer Immigration Advised Movements (RSIM) - this will show absences from Australia Does the customer meet these requirements? Yes, go to Step 6 No, there is no entitlement to UA. Procedure ends here
6	Customer meets the qualification criteria for UA + Read more ... The UA trigger can be delayed or interrupted by: a started or submitted activity events, such as EPED change or a change in relationship status Was there any of the above which may have delayed or interrupted the UA trigger? Yes: Check the Payment Summary (PS) and Concession Summary (CCAS) screens to confirm the new delivery date Tell the customer the new delivery date Procedure ends here No, go to Step 7
7	Reassessment for UA + Read more ... Refresh the customer's payment on the Benefit Action (BA) screen. Note: if UA is also payable for the partner, refresh the partner's record as well. Key 'BA' into the Super Key, select Enter Select Add New Complete the following fields: Benefit Type Code: DSP Benefit Action: RSH - REFRESH Notes: enter note on why reassessment is being done Reason: leave blank Effect Date: enter the test day applicable for UA Select Save Complete the Receipt Date and Channel fields, select Save Select Assess and address any errors/warnings Select Assess again Has the refresh activity paid UA to the customer? Yes: Select Finish Record details of the update on the Finalise screen Select Finalise to complete the transaction Procedure ends here No: Cancel the refresh transactiony Go to Step 8
8	Refresh did not pay UA + Read more ... If a refresh did not pay UA, go to the One Off Payments (OOP) screen. Note: if the partner is also entitled to UA and it was not paid via a refresh activity also update the partner's OOP screen. Key 'OOP' into the Super Key, select Enter Select Add Service Reason: select PEN from the options Payment type: select UAS - Utilities Allowance Date of effect: enter the test day applicable for UA Select Save Complete the Receipt Date and Channel fields Select Save Select Assess and address any errors/warnings Select Assess again, then select Finish. Record details of the update, include the: decision reason for making the decision source; for example, customer request Act/Guide reference, Section 1061T SSA 1991 Select Finalise to complete the transaction Procedure ends here.

Assessment of Utilities Allowance (UA) in Customer First

Table 2: this table describes the steps to pay, decline and reverse the decline for the UA payment.

Step	Action
1	Payment of UA + Read more ... UA is paid automatically to the same payment destination as the eligible customer's income support payment (ISP). It is usually issued on the customer's first Entitlement Period End Date (EPED) after the test days of 20 March, 20 June, 20 September and 20 December. If the: customer wishes to decline payment for UA, go to Step 2 customer has previously declined UA payment and now wishes to accept UA payments, go to Step 3 UA payment was not paid automatically, go to Step 4
2	Customer declines payment for UA + Read more ... Go to the SHC Misc. Details (SHMD) screen Enter 'Y' in the Suppress Payment of Utilities Allowance: field Source: and DOR: enter appropriate details Action: field, enter ‘I’ insert Select Continue [Enter] Record details on a DOC. Include the: decision reason for making the decision source; for example, customer request Act/Guide reference, Section 1061T SSA 1991 If UA has been paid it will show on the following screens: Payment Summary (PS) One Off Payments (OOP) Concession Summary (CCAS) Procedure ends here.
3	Update UA + Read more ... A request by a customer to decline UA can be reversed at any time. However, only future instalments can be paid; that is, no arrears can be paid for any past period for which UA has been declined. To reverse the decline payment option: Go to the SHC Misc. Details (SHMD) screen Enter 'N' in the Suppress Payment of Utilities Allowance: field Source: and DOR: enter appropriate details Action: field, enter ‘I’ insert Select Continue [Enter] Record details on a DOC. Include the: decision reason for making the decision source; for example, customer request Act/Guide reference, Section 1061T SSA 1991 Procedure ends here.
4	Check if UA was paid + Read more ... Payment of UA will only show on the Payment Summary (PS) and Payment Destination (PD) screens after the triggers have been run on the test days, 20 March, 20 June, 20 September or 20 December. The Concession Summary (CCAS) screen shows UA payments: history made by the Department of Veterans' Affairs (DVA) the customer has declined Has the customer been paid UA? Yes, tell the customer when the payment was made. Procedure ends here No, go to Step 5
5	UA was not paid automatically + Read more ... Qualification is determined on the test days of 20 March, 20 June, 20 September and 20 December each year. Payment usually occurs on the customer's first EPED after these test days. On the test day, a customer must: be receiving Disability Support Pension (DSP) and be aged under 21 with no children, and be either: in Australia, or temporarily absent from Australia where their test day is within the first 6 weeks of the temporary absence and the customer maintains eligibility Note: UA payments can be made if a customer's payment is granted or restored and payment is backdated to include the test day. Customers on zero rate are only eligible for UA if their zero rate reason is 'DVA' (Defence Force Income Support Allowance) or 'NZP' (New Zealand agreement direct deduction). Check the following screens: Customer Summary by selecting CRN/BP – this will show if customer is in receipt of DSP and aged under 21 with no children Immigration Advised Movements (RSIM) – this will show absences from Australia Does the customer meet these requirements? Yes, go to Step 6 No, there is no entitlement to UA. Procedure ends here
6	Customer meets the qualification criteria for UA + Read more ... The UA trigger can be delayed or interrupted by: a started or submitted activity events, such as EPED change or a change in relationship status Was there any of the above which may have delayed or interrupted the UA trigger? Yes: Check the Payment Summary (PS) and Concession Summary (CCAS) screens to confirm the new delivery date Tell the customer the new delivery date Procedure ends here No, go to Step 7
7	Reassessment for UA + Read more ... Refresh the customer's payment on the Benefit Action (BA) screen. Note: if UA is also payable for the partner, refresh the partner's record as well. Go to the BA screen: Svc Rsn: DSP Action: field, enter 'RSH' for 'Refresh' Reason: field, leave blank Effect Date: field, enter the test day applicable for UA Notes: field, enter note on why reassessment is being done Source: and DOR: enter appropriate details Go to Assessment Results (AR) screen. This will show if payment is being made Has the refresh activity paid UA to the customer? Yes: Finalise activity Record details on a DOC Procedure ends here No: Cancel the refresh activity Go to Step 8
8	Refresh did not pay UA + Read more ... If a refresh did not pay UA, go to the One Off Payments (OOP) screen. Note: if the partner is also entitled to UA and it was not paid via a refresh activity also update the partner's OOP screen. Go to the OOP screen Date of Effect: field, enter the test day applicable for UA Payment Type: field, enter 'UAS' for Utilities Allowance Source: and DOR: enter appropriate details Select continue Go to AR screen and finalise activity Record details on a DOC. Include the: decision reason for making the decision source; for example, customer request Act/Guide reference, Section 1061T SSA 1991 Procedure ends here.