Processing transfers to Age Pension 065-03030010

Transfer to Age Pension is available from 13 weeks before the customer reaches Age Pension age. Eligible customers are invited to submit the online transfer to Age Pension or return the SA383 form depending on their channel choice.

If the customer does not submit the transfer online, via ACC or return the completed SA383, their payment may be suspended or cancelled from the date they turn Age Pension age.

Identified Indigenous customers may be eligible for an automatic transfer. However, if they submit a transfer online, ACC or lodge an SA383 it must be processed. Remind customers of their notification requirements, including advice that any money invested in superannuation is assessable as financial investment from Age Pension age. See Assessing superannuation.

For more information about this process, see Transfer to Age Pension.

Straight through processing is where a claim for a social security payment or service is assessed using criteria to identify if it is suitable for an automated grant outcome.

Some online transfers do not need Service Officer intervention and will automatically complete once submitted by the customer. Straight through processing may occur where the transfer is straightforward. For example:

• there are no updates needed
• no documentation to be provided, and
• no adverse impacts on the entitlements of the customer (or their partner)

Where transfers to Age Pension cannot auto complete, the status of the activity will change to In Process and be assigned to a Service Officer for manual processing.

If a claim meets the criteria for automated assessment, DOCs or Display Notes on the customer's record will show that ROXY has created these.

Customer contact

If the claim was incorrectly granted, give feedback via ROXY.

If the customer indicates in the online transfer or the SA383 that they want to stay on their current payment, check if this will disadvantage the customer. See Resources for Age Pension versus current payment.

If a Service Officer determines the customer would be significantly disadvantaged, contact the customer to discuss if they should stay on their current payment.

Customers currently receiving most social security payments including Age Pension can be transferred to Age Pension (Blind) when:

• they meet all the qualification criteria for Age Pension, and
• the social security definition of permanent blindness

See Qualification for Age Pension (Blind) and Assessing Age Pension (Blind) claims.

If an online, ACC, SA383 form or full Age Pension claim is lodged after becoming qualified for Age Pension and the transfer provisions apply, the date of effect may be backdated up to the later of:

• 13 weeks before the date of the decision to transfer
• the date the person qualified for Age Pension

The References page contains more information on backdating provisions (section 12, deemed claim in certain cases).

When an income support customer reaches Age Pension age, they are no longer entitled to receive the benefits of the Working Credit initiatives.

If they receive a pension, they may be entitled to the Work Bonus. Customers paid under the transitional rules are not entitled to the Work Bonus, but the Work Bonus will still be used in the comparison calculations and partners may still benefit by the reduction in total income.

The Service Officer must also check that the customer satisfies the residence assessment requirements for Age Pension. If any further forms or modules are required, send them to the customer.

If a customer will satisfy the Age Pension 10 years qualifying residence period within either 13 weeks of turning Age Pension age or submitting the claim, do not reject their application to transfer.

System generated grant and rejection letters for deceased customers:

• are not addressed correctly, and
• contain text that is inappropriate to send to a deceased estate

Staff must:

• inhibit system generated letters
• address grant or rejection letters to:
• the 'Executor of the Estate' (if applicable), or
• to the 'Estate of the Late <customer's name>'

The Resources page contains an example of appropriate letters to send.

Ensure customers who will soon lose qualification of their existing payment (for example JobSeeker Payment (JSP)) are processed as a priority and at the earliest touch point to avoid placing the customer in financial hardship.

If staff are unable or not skilled to process Transfer to Age Pension and urgent processing is needed create a Fast Note.

• For ACC, select Auto Text > Older Australians > Claims > Age Transfer Online Urgent processing request
• For SA383, select Auto Text > Older Australians > Claims > Age Transfer SA383 Urgent processing request

Leave the Fast Note DOC open. This makes sure the transfer is correctly prioritised for allocation.