NSS system coding for manual rate of payment 108-12020010

See the relevant procedure if the customer requires RCO coding for the following reasons:

• coding approved Overseas Full Time Study (OFS) for students
• death of a dependent child of a JobSeeker Payment (JSP) or Youth Allowance (YA) customer
• coding Special Benefit for an Australian Citizen Child or Australian Permanent Resident Children
• assessing Assessment of assets hardship
• completing the Accommodation Details (AC) screen and assessing Rent Assistance (RA)
• assessing Self-Employment Assistance allowances
• Initial remediation on a multiple or intertwined Centrelink Customer Reference Number (CRN)
• assessing entitlement to the Long Term Income Support rate of Austudy for students or migrants studying English language courses
• assessing entitlement to Youth Allowance (YA) special rate for Long Term Income Support Student or migrants studying English language courses
• assessing and coding a transfer to Austudy or Youth Allowance (YA) student claim from another payment

Is a manual rate required for a reason not listed above?

• Yes, and:
• customer is in receipt of ABSTUDY, see ABSTUDY system coding for manual rate of payment. Procedure ends here
• customer is in receipt of a non-NSS payment, see Non NSS systems coding for manual rate of payment. Procedure ends here
• customer is in receipt of a NSS system payment, go to Step 2
• No, and:
• manual rate needs to be ended, go to Step 8
• processing a new claim, see Table 4
• manual rate does not need to ended, procedure ends here

Is RCO screen coding required to complete an unapproved workaround or change payment rate?

Note: RCO coding for an unapproved workaround or to change a payment rate is only required in limited circumstances. This coding must only be done by a Service Support Officer (SSO).

• Yes, for:
• Smart Centre Staff, escalate record to Local Peer Support (LPS). Go to Step 3
• Service Centre Staff, escalate to an Access Support Centre (ASC) or LPS if new coding is required. Go to Step 4
• No, and the approved workaround or change in payment rate is in an Operational Message or current NNU:
• Follow the process to code RCO
• DOC the record with the reason for RCO coding
• Procedure ends here

Check the customer’s record to determine if manual RCO coding is required because of the customer's circumstances or system limitations. For example, if the system is not calculating the correct rate and/or arrears.

Note: RCO coding is only required in limited circumstances and must only be done by a Service Support Officer (SSO).

Is RCO coding required?

• Yes, escalate matter to a Service Support Officer (SSO). See Technical Support Model. Procedure ends here
• No, take any other actions required. Procedure ends here

Note: This coding must only be undertaken by a Service Support Officer. To escalate see Technical Support Model.

Is an RCO workaround required due to a system issue impacting payment rate and/or calculating correct arrears?

• Yes, escalate issue through MySupport/Roxy for further investigation. Procedure ends here.
• No, view the !SSLS screen to view SSL payment. If the customer:
• received a Student Start-up Loan (SSL) during the manual rate period (s), go to Step 5
• did not receive a Student Start-up Loan (SSL) during the manual rate period (s), go to Step 6

Do not use workarounds with zero rate coding on RCO if the customer received a SSL during the manual rate period.

Is RCO coding applying a $0 rate in the Amount/No field?

• Yes, do not use the RCO screen to complete the update. If no other options are available to complete the update, escalate the record to Level 2 Policy Help Desk:
• CSAQuery: Education
• CSAEnquiry: ABSTUDY/Austudy/YAL (Students)
• Service/Payment Type: ABSTUDY/Austudy/Youth Allowance - Student. Note: check the Svc Rsn field on the !SSLS screen to identify the income support payment SSL was paid with
• Procedure ends here
• No, go to Step 6

Access the RCO screen, key:

• the start date for the override in the Start Date field
• the end date in the End Date field. For a non-standard rate it will be for a defined period
• the override type in the Type field (use field help (?) to determine the relevant type)
• the reason in the Reason field (use field help (?) to determine the relevant reason)
• the new rate amount in the Amount/No field, if necessary (dollar amount is required depending on override type). See the References page for a link to the Payment Rates in the Social Security Guide for current and historical rates of payment
• if necessary adjust the Working Credit via the W/C Manual Override (WCRC) screen
• if the customer was receiving Adjusted Disability Pension from DVA before 1 January 2022 and the circumstance change is for a date before 1 January 2022:
• check if the customer is eligible for any Defence Force Income Support Allowance (DFISA). If so authorised staff in the DVA Clearance Team must code a manual calculation on the DFISA Calculation Summary (DFS) and DFISA Calculation Details (DFD) screens
• the system will transmit this information to the DVA system to pay the DFISA payment
• Source and DOR fields. Press [Enter]

The system will update the customer's record and pay the new rate of payment:

• record information on a DOC advising reasons for non-standard rate of payment
• create a Display on Access (DOA) DOC to alert Service Officer at reassessment a manual rate applies. See Creating, reviewing and deleting documents (including Fast Notes and DOA DOCs)
• in Customer First, create a manual review on the Review Registration (RVR) screen and complete the fields as follows:
• Service Reason: customer’s payment type
• Review Reason: MAN (Manual Assessment Review Ent)
• Due Date: no longer than 12 months from RCO start date
• Source: INT
• Date of Receipt: today's date
• Notes: 'Review RCO end date. Return to OB 108-12020010 for action.'
• Keywords: RCOMFU
• Workgroup: leave blank
• Position: leave blank
• Transfer to Region: leave blank
• The review will mature on the Due Date coded in the RVR activity. Workload Management will allocate the review for manual action
• create a Q999 to advise the customer of the new rate
• finalise activity on Assessment Results (AR) screen

Procedure ends here.

To cease non-standard rate for a customer, access the Rate Component Override (RCO) screen:

• key 'C' beside the line to be amended
• key the date the non-standard rate is to cease in the End Date field
• key Source and DOR fields and press [Enter]
• if necessarily adjust Working Credit via the W/C Manual Override (WCRC) screen
• end date the Display on Access (DOA) DOC from the date the manual rate ceases to apply. See Creating, reviewing and deleting documents (including Fast Notes and DOA DOCs)
• record details on a DOC advising non-standard rate of payment to cease
• finalise activity on Assessment Results (AR) screen

Procedure ends here.

In some circumstances, a manual rate coded on the RCO screen will need a review.

A manual review activity may:

• present on activity list (AL) screen
• allocate for staff action via Workload Manager (WLM)
• be self-identified by a Service Officer

Investigate the record and confirm if a manual rate is still required based on the customer’s circumstances.

Is the current RCO coding still required?

• Yes, go to Step 2
• No, go to Step 5

Is the manual rate coded due to a CAO Asset Hardship Assessment?

• Yes, go to Step 3
• No, go to Step 4

Asset Hardship payment rate reviews must be actioned by an Asset Hardship Officer (CAO).

Open Customer First, is an open CPI MFU activity on AL screen?

• Yes, and the activity has been allocated by Work Optimiser (WLM)
• Recategorise the work item. See Work Optimiser for staff
• Procedure ends here
• Yes, and activity was not allocated by Work Optimiser (WLM)
• Activity will allocate to an Asset Hardship Officer
• No action required. Procedure ends here
• No,
• refer record to an Asset Hardship Officer
• create a Fast Note - select Auto Text, use Complex Assessment > Request for CAO Action > CAO Asset hardship
• DOC Fast Note. This should include why a review is needed
• Procedure ends here

Does the manual rate need to be ended?

• Yes, go to step 5
• No,
• annotate the Display on Access (DOA) DOC with the review details
• in Customer First, create a manual review on the Review Registration (RVR) screen and complete the fields as follows:
  Service Reason: customer's payment type
  Review Reason: MAN (Manual Assessment Review Ent)
  Due Date: no longer than 12 months from RCO start date
  Source: INT
  Date of Receipt: today's date
  Notes: 'Review RCO end date. Return to OB 108-12020010 for action.'
  Keywords: RCOMFU
  Workgroup: leave blank
  Position: leave blank
  Transfer to Region: leave blank
• The review will mature on the Due Date coded in the RVR activity. Workload Management will allocate the review for manual action
• Procedure ends here

End date the Manual rate on the RCO screen.

In Process Direct:

• Go to the Rate Component Override (RCO) screen
• Select Edit
• End Date: code date manual rate no longer applies
• Select Assess
• Select Finish
• DOC record with reasons manual rate no longer applies
• Go to the Document List (DL) screen
• Expire Display on Access (DOA) DOC. See Creating, reviewing and deleting documents (including Fast Notes and DOA DOCs)

In Customer First:

• Next field: Go to Rate Component Override (RCO) screen
• Correct 'C' current RCO line
• End Date: code date manual rate no longer applies
• code Source and Date of Reciept fields
• Next field: go to Assessment Results (AR) screen
• check if future payments are correct
• select Finalise
• DOC record with reasons for ending manual rate
• Expire Display on Access (DOA) DOC. See Creating, reviewing and deleting documents (including Fast Notes and DOA DOCs)

A CPI activity may be present on record requiring action via:

• a WLM activity to review CPI for RCO coding
• customer contact

Customer with Manual Override Adjust For CPI message will present on the Activity List (AL).

Does Customer with Manual Override Adjust For CPI message present on the AL screen?

• Yes, and is the manual rate coded due to a CAO Asset Hardship Assessment?
• Yes, go to Table 2 Step 3
• No, go to Step 2
• No, procedure ends here

Staff must action the CPI review.

• In Process Direct:
• Go to the BA screen
• Service Reason, key the payment type
• Action Field 'REA'
• Effect Date, key required date of effect
• Notes, key reasons for reassessment
• select Assess
• select Finalise
• DOC record with completed review details
• In Customer First:
• Next field: go to benefit Action (BA) screen
• Service Reason, key the payment type
• Action Field 'REA'
• Effect Date, key required date of effect
• Notes, key reasons for reassessment
• Key Source and DOR
• Finalise on the Assessment Results (AR) screen
• DOC record with completed review details

Procedure ends here.

Asset Hardship payment rate reviews can only be actioned by a Complex Assessment Officer (CAO).

In Customer First:

Is an open CPI MFU activity on AL screen?

• Yes, and activity has been allocated by Work Optimiser (WLM)
• Recategorise work item see. Work Optimiser for staff
• Procedure ends here
• Yes, and activity was not allocated by Work Optimiser (WLM)
• Activity will allocate to an Asset Hardship Officer
• No action required. Procedure ends here
• No,
• Refer record to an Asset Hardship Officer.
• Create a Fast Note - select Auto Text, use Complex Assessment > Request for CAO Action > CAO Asset hardship
• DOC Fast Note explaining why a review is needed
• Procedure ends here

A warning and/or error message may appear in Process Direct when a historical rate is identified on the Rate Component Override (RCO) screen during new claim processing:

• W605NM - Record has rate override on the RCO screen, please check
• E504NS - Record has unended rate override on RCO screen. Please end/update

Note: a warning or error does not appear in all cases. Staff must check the RCO screen for all claims and review any existing RCO coding.

Did an error message appear?

• Yes:
• W605NM - go to Step 2
• E504NS - go to Step 3
• No:
• if there are historical manual rates recorded on RCO screen with no end date, go to Step 2
• if none, procedure ends here

Investigate the customer record to determine if the RCO coding is to remain on record.

Check:

• Notes tab
• Previous claims
• Document List (DL) screen
• Display on Access (DOA) DOCs

Is the current RCO coding correct?

• Yes:
• Complete all required claim updates
• DOC RCO review details and reason manual rate is required
• Procedure ends here
• No, update the coding:
• Go to Rate Component Override (RCO) screen
• Select Edit
• End Date, the date the ISP was last cancelled or the date prior to a new claim grant Note: go to the Benefit status (XDS) screen to determine date last cancelled
• Save activity
• Complete all required claim updates
• DOC reasons for ending manual rate
• Go to the Document List (DL) screen
• Expire manual rate Display on Access (DOA) DOC. See Creating, reviewing and deleting documents (including Fast Notes and DOA DOCs)
• Note: if the RCO start date is after the new claim commencement date, delete RCO coding

Check the customer record to assess if the RCO coding is to remain on the customer’s record. Check:

• Notes tab
• Previous claims
• Document List (DL) screen
• Display on Access (DOA) DOC

Is a manual rate still required?

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

If a manual rate is still required:

• Go to RCO screen
• Select Edit
• End date the existing manual rate from date of qualification minus 1, or the date the manual rate applied
• Key a new manual rate from date of claim
• Save activity
• Complete all required claim updates

Once the claim has been submitted:

• create a Display on Access (DOA) DOC to alert Service Officer at reassessment a manual rate applies. See Creating, reviewing and deleting documents (including Fast Notes and DOA DOCs)
• in Customer First, create a manual review on the Review Registration (RVR) screen and complete the following fields:
• Service Reason: customer’s payment type
• Review Reason: MAN (Manual Assessment Review Ent)
• Due Date: no longer than 12 months from RCO start date
• Source: INT
• Date of Receipt: today's date
• Notes: add - Review RCO end date. Return to OB 108-12020010 for action
• Keywords: RCOMFU
• Workgroup: leave blank
• Position: leave blank
• Transfer to Region: leave blank

The review will mature on the Due Date keyed in the RVR activity. Workload Management will allocate the review for manual action.

Procedure ends here.

If no manual rate required:

• Go to RCO screen
• Select Edit
• End date the existing manual rate from date of qualification minus 1, or the date the manual rate applied
• Save activity
• Complete all required claim updates
• DOC reasons for ending manual rate

Procedure ends here.