Returning to the parental home when independent or qualified for the away from home (AFH) rate of Youth Allowance (YA) 102-03010120

This document outlines information regarding Youth Allowance (YA) customers who have returned to their parental home when in receipt of the away from home rate or who are independent.

Step	Action
1	Check if customer is dependent or independent? Youth Allowance (YA) customers aged 22 years or older are independent due to their age. Other independence and dependent away from home (AFH) rate details display on the Independent/Homeless/Away From Home Details (NIHS) screen in Process Direct or the Independent/Homeless/Away From Home Summary (NIHS) screen in Customer First. If a grant code displays in the Start/Reject Reason column, and the Action column displays: AFH, the customer has been granted as dependent AFH IND or HOM, the customer has been granted as independent If the customer is: dependent AFH, go to Step 2 independent due to: age, go to Step 6 any other reason, go to Step 4
2	Check activity for dependent AFH Review the Start/Reject Reason that the AFH rate was granted for. Is the customer continuing the activity (apprenticeship/job seeking/study) for which the AFH rate was granted? Yes, and customer has moved home: temporarily, see Table 2, Step 1 permanently, see Table 2, Step 4 No, go to Step 3
3	Not eligible for away from home rate As the customer is no longer undertaking the activity for which they were approved, they are no longer eligible to the away from home rate. Eligibility for YA must also be reassessed, as they may no longer meet the apprenticeship/job seeking/study requirements for payment. Some customers may remain eligible if they have changed their activity, see: Existing customer starts an Australian Apprenticeship Student to job seeker transfers Youth Allowance (YA) job seeker or Australian Apprentice returning to full-time study Is the customer still eligible for YA? Yes, and customer has moved home: temporarily, see Table 2, Step 1 permanently, see Table 2, Step 4 No: if the customer was receiving YA (student), end their study cancel payment record details on a DOC procedure ends here
4	Independent under UTLAH/homeless or state care Is the customer independent under the category of Unreasonable to Live at Home (UTLAH)/homeless or due to being in state care? Yes, go to Step 8 No, go to Step 5
5	Exemption from the accommodated independent rate Does the independent customer have an exemption from the accommodated independent rate? Yes, go to Step 7 No, go to Step 6
6	Permanent or temporary move home If the customer has moved home: temporarily, see Table 2, Step 1 permanently, see Table 2, Step 3
7	Not an accommodated independent person The customer is not an accommodated independent person and is therefore entitled to the away from home rate regardless of where they are living. If the customer has moved home permanently, they may be entitled to Rent Assistance depending on the amount of rent they pay. Run the Change in Contact Details workflow to: update their home address, and accommodation details Rent Assistance (RA) can continue, if the customer: has moved home temporarily, and is maintaining accommodation away from home, and continues to have a rent liability No change to the Accommodation Details (AC) screen will be required If the customer has moved home temporarily and is maintaining accommodation away from home but not paying rent, the customer's AC screen for the Term/Semester address will need to be updated with: Type of rent = No rent paid - NRP and Sharer Status = Does not live in Shared Accommodation - NAS See Completing the Accommodation Details (AC) screen and assessing Rent Assistance (RA) to finalise the AC screen update. Note: if this procedure was accessed from that page, it will have opened in a new window. Close this procedure and return there. Record details of decision/discussion with customer on a DOC. Procedure ends here.
8	Permanent or temporary move home If the customer has moved home: temporarily, or has returned home for a short period but has not yet decided if they can return permanently, go to Step 9 permanently, go to Step 10
9	Investigate nature of return to parental home Investigate the nature of the return to the parental home. Determine if it is still unreasonable for the customer to live at home. Short visits (generally less than 28 days) to the parental home would not preclude the customer from independent status. Such visits should be encouraged particularly if the customer is attempting mediation with their family. In this case, no further action is required. If these visits are ongoing or extend for longer (for example, more than about 28 days), it may be an indication the customer has reconciled with their family or the situation at home has changed and it is no longer unreasonable to live at home. If the customer advises their family situation has changed or is unsure how long they will remain at the parental home, their UTLAH independence must be reviewed. See Reviews of independence for Youth Allowance If the customer has returned to the parental home and is: under 16 years of age, they must be referred to a social worker, see Unsupported under 16 years old to be immediately referred to a Services Australia social worker aged 16 or 17, book a Social Work Unreasonable to Live at Home (UTLAH) appointment. Tell the customer a social worker will need to discuss their current circumstance to determine if it is still deemed unreasonable to live at home. For Social Work staff, see Reviews of independence for Youth Allowance, to determine if the customer should still be paid as an independent person. Procedure ends here. in state care, one of the qualification requirements for independent status due to state care is that the customer is not living with a parent. A customer who commences living with a parent will not be qualified as independent under state care, see Reviews of independence for Youth Allowance to determine if the customer should still be paid as an independent person 18 years of age or older, the decision to cease UTLAH can be made by a Service Officer. It is not necessary to refer the customer to a social worker. If a decision is made that the customer is no longer independent, end the independence reason on the customer's record If the customer is eligible to continue to receive the independent rate, see Table 2 > Step 1 If the customer has lost eligibility for the independence rate, update their record: Process Direct: Go to the NIHS screen Select Edit on the independence line to be ended On the Change Independent/Homeless/Away Details table, update the: End Date: to the last day the customer was independent End Reason: select the appropriate option from the dropdown Select Save Complete the Receipt Date, Channel and Service Reason Select Save Finalise the activity via the Entitlements (ELD) screen Record details of the update in the finalisation Note Go to Step 11 Customer First Go to the NIHS screen Select the independence line to be ended On the screen, update the: End Reason: as appropriate, use screen help ‘?’ for end reason options End Date: to the last day the customer was independent Source and Date of Receipt: as appropriate Action: ‘C’orrect Finalise the activity on the Assessment Results (AR) screen Record details of the update on a DOC Go to Step 11
10	Reassess independent status As the customer has returned home permanently, end their independence status. Process Direct Go to the NIHS screen Select the independence line to be ended End Date: to the last day the customer was independent End Reason: select the appropriate option from the dropdown Select Save Complete the Receipt Date, Channel and Service Reason Select Save Finalise the activity on the Entitlements (ELD) screen Record details of the update in the finalisation Note Customer First Go to the NIHS screen Select the independence line to be ended On the NIH screen, update the: End Reason: as appropriate, use screen help ‘?’ for end reason options End Date: to the last day the customer was independent Source and Date of Receipt: as appropriate Action: Correct Finalise the activity on the Assessment Results (AR) screen Record details of the update on a DOC Is the customer under 16? Note: do not manually cancel YA payments for customer's 16 years or over. Yes, YA should cancel AGD - Does not meet age requirements If the payment cancels for any other reason: Manually cancel the customer's payment using the code - 'OTH' DOC the record indicating that the customer has been cancelled because they do not meet minimum age requirements Cancelling OTH will create a Manual Follow-up (MFU) to send a 'Rej, Can, Sus or Defer pension, allowance or benefit' letter to the customer. (Note: this letter must be generated manually). Create a Q134 letter and use the following text as the cancellation reason: 'because you are under the minimum age for a dependent person'. It may be appropriate to tell the customer their parent may be entitled to Family Tax Benefit. Procedure ends here No, go to Step 11
11	Continuation of YA Does the customer wish to continue receiving YA as a dependent? Note: Secondary students aged 16-17 previously assessed as eligible for UTLAH are able to choose to remain on YA at the dependent rate when they return home permanently. Yes: check that the customer is linked to the correct parent(s) via the PIT Parent Selection (NPPS) screen. If the customer is not correctly linked, see Creating, updating and ending Parental Income Test (PIT) links for dependent student, Australian Apprentice and job seeker customers then return to this process determine if a MOD JY is required to update the parental income, see Completing Parent(s)/Guardian(s) details for the Base Tax Year and Current Tax Year (MOD JY) then return to this process when parental income details are available, see Applying the Parental Income Test (PIT) for ABSTUDY and Youth Allowance (YA) run the Change in Contact Details workflow to update their home address and accommodation details if the customer was receiving Rent Assistance (RA), they will cease to qualify for RA from the earlier of the date they ceased to qualify for the independent rate, or the date they ceased to pay for accommodation ensure the customer's AC screen is updated for their parental home address and the sharer status is recorded as Lives with parents – LWP. See Completing the Accommodation Details (AC) screen and assessing Rent Assistance (RA) to finalise the AC screen update if the parent(s) income information has not been supplied or is not available, YA will cancel - PIA Parental income & assets not provided. YA can be restored if parental income is supplied within 13 weeks. Procedure ends here No: check that the customer is linked to the correct parent(s) via the PIT Parent Selection (NPPS) screen. If the customer is not correctly linked, see Creating, updating and ending Parental Income Test (PIT) links for dependent student, Australian Apprentice and job seeker customers. cancel the customer's payment from the date they returned home using the 'CLR' code. Record details on a DOC. Procedure ends here Note: for customers who require assistance with accommodation or other essential services, see Payment and Service Finder

Determining the customer's rate

Table 2: this table describes steps to follow to determine rate when a customer returns to the parental home.

Expand table

Step	Action
1	Customer has moved home temporarily The AFH rate can only continue while the customer stays in the parental home if they are maintaining their away from home residence. Is the customer maintaining their accommodation away from home while staying at the parental home temporarily? Yes, go to Step 2 No, for customers who are: independent, go to Step 3 dependent, go to Step 4
2	The customer remains eligible for the away from home rate Tell the customer they must notify Services Australia within 14 days of any changes in their circumstances including if: they cease the activity under which they were approved for the away from home rate, or they cease to maintain their accommodation away from home, or they return to their parental home permanently Update the parental address as a temporary address on the Address History (ADH) screen ensuring both a start and end date are coded. If the customer is maintaining accommodation away from home and they continue to have a rent liability, Rent Assistance (RA) can continue. No change to the Accommodation Details (AC) screen is required. If the customer is maintaining accommodation away from home but not paying rent during their absence, update, the AC screen for the Term/Semester address with: Type of rent = No rent paid - NRP, and Sharer Status = Does not live in Shared Accommodation - NAS See Completing the Accommodation Details (AC) screen and assessing Rent Assistance (RA) to finalise the AC screen update. Note: if this procedure was accessed from that page, it will have opened in a new window. Close this procedure and return there. Record details of decision/discussion on a DOC. Note: If a customer received a Crisis Payment in the period the change is applied, a manual reassessment of Crisis Payment may be required. For more information, see Reviewing and reassessing Crisis Payment (CrP). Procedure ends here.
3	Reassess the customer's rate to the 'accommodated independent' rate The customer will cease to be paid the away from home rate unless an exemption applies. See Commencement, cessation and coding of the away from home rate for Youth Allowance (YA) then return to this process. If the customer was receiving Rent Assistance (RA), they will cease to qualify for RA from the earlier of: the date they ceased to qualify for the away from home rate, or the date they ceased to pay for accommodation In Customer First Run the Change in Contact Details workflow update the customer's address update accommodation details. Ensure the customer's Term/Semester address is end dated Update the AC screen for their home address and the Sharer status is recorded as Lives with parents - LWP. See Completing the Accommodation Details (AC) screen and assessing Rent Assistance (RA) to finalise the AC screen update. Return here to complete the update If the customer: is a job seeker and their circumstances have changed, reclassify their Job Seeker Snapshot score. See Conducting a Job Seeker Snapshot interview was receiving or was eligible to receive the Long Term Income Support (LTIS) paymentand continues to meet the LTIS criteria, see Assessing entitlement to Youth Allowance (YA) special rate for Long Term Income Support Student has ceased study, see Payment of Youth Allowance (YA) and Austudy when a student is deferring or discontinuing study before the end of the course Advise customer of their new rate of payment and record details of decision/discussion with customer on a DOC. Note: If a customer received a Crisis Payment in the period the change is applied, a manual reassessment of Crisis Payment may be required. For more information, see Reviewing and reassessing Crisis Payment (CrP). Procedure ends here.
4	Reassess the customer's rate to the dependent 'at home' rate End the AFH rate by updating the NIH screen as follows: End Reason field, enter 'NLE' (No longer eligible) End Date field, the earlier of: the last day of the approved AFH activity, or the day before the customer returned to the parental home If the customer was receiving Rent Assistance (RA), they will cease to qualify for RA from the earlier of: the date they ceased to qualify for the away from home rate, or the date they ceased to pay for accommodation In Customer First Run the Change in Contact Details workflow update the customer's address update accommodation details End date the customer's Term/Semester address Update the AC screen for their home address Sharer status is recorded as Lives with parents - LWP. See Completing the Accommodation Details (AC) screen and assessing Rent Assistance (RA) to finalise the AC screen update. Return here to complete the update Note: When the AFH rate is ended the customer’s payment may cancel Parental Income Too High (PIH) Go to the Household Income and Assets (NHI) screen. Is parental income recorded for the appropriate parent(s)/guardian(s)? Yes, go to Step 5 No, update the Parental Income Test (PIT) link to the appropriate parent(s)/guardian(s), then go to Step 5 Customers who are no longer independent, such as customers who had been granted independence via Unreasonable to Live at Home (UTLAH), see Commencement, cessation and coding of the away from home rate for Youth Allowance (YA). Future addresses can only be recorded up to 14 days before the change of address. If a customer advises they will return to their parents' home more than 14 days in the future, advise them to update their address within 14 days of the change. If the customer is a job seeker, reclassify their Job Seeker Snapshot score. See Conducting a Job Seeker Snapshot interview. If a customer received a Crisis Payment in the period the change is applied, a manual reassessment of Crisis Payment may be required. For more information, see Reviewing and reassessing Crisis Payment (CrP). If the customer is no longer independent and has a sibling receiving payment as a dependent child of the parent, the sibling's record will be updated for family pool purposes. See Changes which may affect the Parental Income Test (PIT). Tell the customer their new rate of payment and record details of decision/discussion with the customer on a DOC.
5	Finalise update Tell the customer their new rate of payment and record details of decision/discussion with the customer on a DOC. If the customer is a job seeker, reclassify their Job Seeker Snapshot score. See Conducting a Job Seeker Snapshot interview. If a customer received a Crisis Payment in the period the change is applied, a manual reassessment of Crisis Payment may be required. For more information, see Reviewing and reassessing Crisis Payment (CrP). Procedure ends here.

Operational Information

Returning to the parental home when independent or qualified for the away from home (AFH) rate of Youth Allowance (YA) 102-03010120

On this page:

Assessing the customer's independent or dependent status

Determining the customer's rate