Temporary accommodation and Rent Assistance (RA) 102-03030030

Staff must start at Table 1 > Step 1. The following steps and tables are a step-by-step guide.

This document outlines the process involved in determining if a customer who is receiving a qualifying payment, and lives in temporary accommodation and pays rent, is entitled to Rent Assistance (RA).

Step	Action
1	Member of a couple Is the customer a member of a couple? Yes, go to Step 2 No, see Table 2 > Step 1
2	Couple have moved Have both members of the couple moved to the temporary address? Yes, see Table 2 > Step 1 No, go to Step 3
3	Relationship qualifier assessment Rent Assistance can be assessed and paid individually to each eligible member of a couple if they have been assessed and coded with certain relationship qualifier codes on the Marital Status (MS) screen. Search relationship qualifier codes in the A-Z of Rent Assistance terms and codes for a list of relationship qualifier codes relevant to Rent Assistance (RA). Has an assessment of the couple’s relationship been completed? Yes, go to Step 4 No, procedure ends here, until an assessment of relationship has been completed
4	Relationship qualifier code on the MS Have the couple been coded with a relationship qualifier code on the MS screen that will allow them to be assessed individually for RA? Yes, go to Step 5 No, see Table 2 > Step 10
5	Ineligible homeowner Search ineligible homeowner in the A-Z of Rent Assistance terms and codes for more information. Is the person who remains in the principal place of residence an ineligible homeowner? Yes, go to Step 6 No, see Table 2 > Step 1
6	One member of a couple is an ineligible homeowner If one member of a couple is an ineligible homeowner, both members of the couple are treated as ineligible homeowners and neither can be paid RA, except where the person has temporarily left their principal home: and the receive ABSTUDY, or for at least 14 consecutive days or more to: provide a substantial level of care, or receive a substantial level of care including access to specific medical treatment not available near their principal home Has the customer moved to the temporary address (including term address), and they receive ABY, or to provide or receive a substantial level of care for at least 14 consecutive days or more? Yes, see Table 2 > Step 1 No, see Table 2 > Step 10

Temporary accommodation

Table 2

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Step	Action
1	Eligibility for Rent Assistance for a temporary address Homeowners and non-homeowners may be eligible for Rent Assistance (RA) for temporary accommodation. This includes customers paying government rent. Disregarding any ownership of the principal home, does the customer meet normal RA eligibility for the temporary accommodation? Yes, and the accommodation is temporary: because the customer has sold their principal home and they intend to use the proceeds of the sale to buy, build or renovate a new home, go to Step 14 for another reason, go to Step 2 No, RA is not payable for the temporary address. Go to Step 10
2	Customer has temporarily left the principal home Customer advises they are temporarily living away from their principal home. If the customer is: on a travelling holiday, for example, living in a caravan or boat, see Rent Assistance (RA) for travellers receiving care, including aged care, respite care, private arrangements see Rent Assistance (RA) for care receivers accessing specific medical treatment, see Rent Assistance (RA) for care receivers otherwise, go to Step 3
3	Reason for moving If the customer's temporary move is: to provide care to another person, go to Step 4 to attend training or education to help them with employment, go to Step 5 to enable a student child to attend school, go to Step 6 because the principal home is currently uninhabitable, go to Step 7 to 'refuge type' crisis or emergency accommodation, go to Step 9 to take refuge in another person's home as they are affected by family and domestic violence (FDV), go to Step 9 for any other reasons, RA is not payable for the temporary address. Go to Step 10
4	Providing care to another person The customer is eligible for RA for the temporary address if: they are providing a substantial level of care, and it is for 14 days or longer Is the customer eligible for RA for the temporary address? Yes, go to Step 11 No, go to Step 10
5	Attending training or education to help with employment A customer can receive RA if they need to move temporarily to attend training or education. This applies: to all customers. The customer does not need to be a jobseeker or student, and when the reason is to improve the chances of employment Is the customer eligible for RA for the temporary address? Yes, go to Step 11 No, go to Step 10
6	Student child attending school in another location The customer is eligible for RA if they: need to live in another location because an appropriate school is not available where they live permanently, and do not receive any other form of Commonwealth assistance for the same reason. Note: Assistance for Isolated Children (AIC) or Second Home Allowance (SHA) may provide more financial benefit than RA Is the customer eligible for RA for the temporary address? Yes, go to Step 11 No, go to Step 10
7	Principal home is currently uninhabitable The customer is eligible for RA if the home: has been damaged, for example: a weather event natural disaster vandalism fire insect infestation an accident for example, a vehicle damaging the property is uninhabitable because of an evacuation order or imminent danger posed by: a weather event natural disaster requires repairs: as part of ongoing maintenance, or because there has been a lack of regular maintenance If the home is uninhabitable because the customer decided to upgrade (for example, add extensions), RA is not payable for the temporary address. Is the customer eligible for RA for the temporary address? Yes, go to Step 8 No, go to Step 10
8	Insurance or compensation payments Customers may receive an insurance payout amount to cover the cost of temporary rental accommodation if the home is damaged or uninhabitable. Has or will the customer receive insurance or compensation payments to cover rental costs for the temporary accommodation? Yes, see Table 3 > Step1 No, go to Step 11
9	Customer is experiencing a crisis RA is payable while the customer: lives in 'refuge type' crisis or emergency accommodation, or is taking refuge in another person's home, because they are affected by family and domestic violence (FDV) Search exempt accommodation in the A-Z of Rent Assistance terms and codes for more information about customers who are in 'refuge type' crisis or emergency accommodation. Is the customer living in 'refuge type' crisis or emergency accommodation or taking refuge in another person's home as they are affected by FDV? Yes, go to Step 11 No, go to Step 10
10	Customer is not eligible for RA for the temporary accommodation If the customer is receiving RA for their principal residence it will continue to be paid. Ask the customer if the information on the current Accommodation Details (AC) screen is correct. Make updates if required. Add the temporary address. Procedure ends here.
11	Customer is eligible for RA for the temporary address Does the customer pay government rent for the principal home? Yes, the customer can be assessed for RA for the temporary address: add the temporary address. See Updating address details an update to the home address should not be required for a temporary move an update to the Rent Deduction Scheme (RDS) deduction on the Payment Instruction Summary (PINS) screen should not be required for a temporary move. Do not stop the government rent deductions for the home address unless the customer requests these deductions be terminated. See Terminating a Rent Deduction Scheme (RDS) deduction check if the customer has Centrepay deductions for accommodation or utilities which need to be updated. See Starting, changing and cancelling a Centrepay deduction at the request of a customer see Completing the Accommodation Details (AC) screen and assessing Rent Assistance (RA) to finalise the update No, and the customer: pays rent for their principal home, go to Step 12 does not pay rent for their principal home, go to Step 13
12	Customer pays rent for the principal home Will the customer continue to pay rent for the principal home while they are away? Yes: RA can only be paid for one address rent for the two homes cannot be added together the customer will need to decide which address to claim RA for go to Step 13 No, go to Step 13
13	Update the customer record If the customer will: continue to receive RA for the principal home an AC update is not required. Add the temporary address be assessed for RA for the temporary address. Add the temporary address and see Completing the Accommodation Details (AC) screen and assessing Rent Assistance (RA) to finalise the update is living in a family and domestic violence refuge, only a postal address is required (for example PO Box). In these circumstances: the ‘home address’ should be coded as ‘no fixed address’ or ‘confidential’ this will not impact the customer's ability to receive RA, as rent verification is not required for customers residing in a refuge has experienced family and domestic violence, are living in private accommodation, and cannot provide their new address details due to significant safety concerns: update their home address details as ‘confidential’ rent verification is needed if the customer wants to claim RA, the address details may be redacted For more details, see Table 5 in Updating address details. Note: if this procedure was accessed from that page, it will have opened in a new window. Close this procedure and return there
14	Customer sells principal home A customer who has sold their principal home and is paying rent for temporary accommodation can receive RA if the proceeds of the sale: will be used to buy, build or renovate a new home, which will become their new principal home, and are exempt from the assets test The customer can be assessed for RA for the temporary address. See Completing the Accommodation Details (AC) screen and assessing Rent Assistance (RA) to finalise the update. Note: if this procedure was accessed from that page, it will have opened in a new window. Close this procedure and return there.

Insurance or compensation payments

Table 3

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Step	Action
1	Insurance or compensation payments to cover rental costs Is or will the insurance or compensation amount be assessed as exempt income? Yes, go to Step 2 No, go to Step 4
2	Assessment of insurance or compensation payment The customer will need to tell the agency how the insurance company calculated the amount. Including what period of time the payments cover, and the amount that was paid. If the insurance company provides free accommodation, RA is not payable If the amount received covers the total rent amount, RA is not payable If the amount received partially covers the rent amount, the amount of RA payable is assessed on the net rent amount Can the customer tell the agency how the insurance company calculated the amount? Yes, go to Step 3 No, tell the customer to contact once details are available. Procedure ends here
3	Calculation of insurance or compensation payment Using the details provided by the customer determine how much the customer has been paid to cover rent on a weekly or fortnightly basis. If the amount received: covers the total rent amount, RA is not payable for the temporary address partially covers the rent amount, RA is payable on the net rent amount. The net amount is calculated by subtracting the insurance or compensation amount from the amount of rent payable by the customer. See Completing the Accommodation Details (AC) screen and assessing Rent Assistance (RA) to finalise the update. Procedure ends here.
4	Insurance or compensation payment is not exempt income If the amount received is assessed as income for income/assets purposes, RA is payable on the total rent amount payable by the customer for the accommodation. Customers can be assessed for RA for the temporary address, see Completing the Accommodation Details (AC) screen and assessing Rent Assistance (RA) to finalise the update. Procedure ends here.

Operational Information

Temporary accommodation and Rent Assistance (RA) 102-03030030

On this page:

Pre-assessment

Temporary accommodation

Insurance or compensation payments