Restricted Direct Payments (RDP) 103-01050110

Most requests to access income managed funds should be able to be paid using one of the standard Income Management payment methods, therefore Restricted Direct Payments should only be granted in exceptional circumstances.

Discuss with the customer what they need the funds for and assess if the purchase can be made through a standard Income Management payment method. If so, the payment must be made using this option.

For details on coding expenses, see Coding Income Management expenses.

If there are no approved payment methods listed on the TPO Office Locator page and the National Business Gateway (NBG) have been unable to facilitate payment with the TPO:

• NBG will email the Income Management Helpdesk (using the webform) for consideration of an RDP
• If the RDP request is urgent and needs payment via New Payments Platform (NPP), Real Time Gross Settlement (RTGS) or Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) card, the referral should also detail the necessary reasons outlined in Step 6 Immediate payment of one-off RDP via NPP, RTGS or EBT card
• See Resources for a link to contact details and the Helpdesk webform. Procedure ends here
• The Income Management Helpdesk will determine if an RDP is payable. Note: RDPs will not be granted to enable a customer access to an excluded good. Go to Step 2
• If an RDP is payable this will be processed by NBG. Go to Step 3
• If an RDP is not payable, this will be recorded on a DOC. When the customer recontacts, go to Step 8

Note: if the customer is requesting access to an income support arrears payment or their Family Tax Benefit (FTB) reconciliation payment that has been 100% income managed, see Unrestricted Cash Payments (UCPs).

For Income Management Helpdesk and the National Business Gateway (NBG).

Determine how much the customer is requesting and what they need the funds for. If the item can be purchased through standard payment methods using income managed funds, the customer must use this method.

See Changes to Income Management expenses for additional details.

Has approval for the one-off or regular RDP been granted?

• Yes, go to Step 3
• No, go to Step 8

Only staff with the appropriate ISP resource PYIRDP will be able to code the one-off RDP.

Before coding an RDP, check Payment destination details.

• Go to the Payment Destination Summary (PAS) screen
• Confirm the customer's payment destination for Service Reason 'GPY' matches the customer's most recent payment type

If there are no details recorded, or the account number is incorrect, select 'GPY' to go to the Payment Destination Details (PAD) screen to update account details. See Changing payment destination.

• In workflow, go to the Manage Expenses menu item and select Expense Management Summary
• Expense Management information on the Payment Expense Management Summary screen is displayed
• Scroll down to New Expenses at the bottom of the screen

From the Please select the expense you wish to add: dropdown list, select 'One-off Restricted direct payment' or 'Regular Restricted Direct Payment'. Click on Start.

For Income Management Helpdesk and the National Business Gateway (NBG).

The Payment Expense Management Details screen shows Expense Management - Add One Off Restricted Direct Payment. In the Expense inputs section:

• select an expense category
• type in a valid amount

Click Continue.

OR:

The Payment Expense Management Details screen shows Expense Management - Add Regular Restricted Direct Payment. In the Expense inputs section:

• select an expense category
• type in a valid amount
• Enter start date
• Enter end date
• Enter frequency

Click Continue.

For Income Management Helpdesk and the National Business Gateway (NBG).

The Expense Management Summary screen will show.

Check that 'RDP' is showing under the One-off expenses twisty or the Regular Expenses twisty and click the Finalise button.

Complete the activity through the Assessment Results (AR) screen.

Is the one-off RDP urgent and does the customer need access to the funds immediately?

• Yes, go to Step 6
• No, procedure ends here.

If a customer is in hardship and urgently needs access to their one-off RDP, funds can be issued via NPP (preferred), RTGS or EBT card.

When requesting an immediate payment, Service Officers must include the following:

• The exceptional and unforeseen reason for the immediate payment and why the customer is unable to wait the usual processing time (1-2 business days)
• The amount to be issued via immediate payment method
• The most appropriate method of issue for the customer (that is, NPP, RTGS or EBT card). Note: NPP is the preferred payment option, if available. For more information, see Immediate payment by payment method New Payments Platform (NPP)
• If requesting issue via RTGS, confirm the customer meets current guidelines for this payment method and possibility of the customer's financial institution imposing fees and charges. Note: RTGS will only appear as the next available payment option if an NPP payment to a customer's account has been unsuccessful (due to their nominated account not being NPP-enabled, or the service being unavailable). For more information, see Immediate payment by payment method Real Time Gross Settlement (RTGS)
• If requesting issue via EBT card, this process needs immediate action:
• The requesting service officer will issue the EBT card and send a webform to the Income Management Level 2 helpdesk advising:
  - the reason the RDP needs to be paid using an EBT
  - the EBT card number
  - EBT card date of issue
• The Income Management Policy helpdesk will load the funds onto the EBT card
• For more details about how to load funds onto an EBT card, see Issue, reload or replace an Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) card

When the webform or DOC has been finalised, contact a team member on the Income Management helpdesk to advise of the immediate payment request.

Income Management helpdesk staff or NBG Officers with the appropriate ICT resource PYIRDP can code the immediate payment as follows:

On the Payment Summary (PS) screen:

• Select the GPY payment to be issued via NPP, RTGS or EBT Card by typing 'R' next to the payment line
• Press [Enter]

On the Issue Payment Select (IPPRE) screen:

• The system will automatically 'S'elect Immediate/Arrears Payment for 'type of issue' and Default Destination (direct Credit/system Cheque) for 'destination type'
• Update the destination type field to New Payments Platform (NPP),Real Time Gross Settlement (RTGS) or Enhanced EBT as appropriate
  If Enhanced EBT is selected
• the EBT Consent (EBTCNT) screen will present
• check DOC for customer consent confirmed. Select Yes
• Press [Enter]

On the Issue Future Payment (IFP) screen, complete the following fields:

• Issue Amt: the amount of the payment to be delivered (this may or may not be the full amount of the UCP)

Reason: 'EXC'

• Finished (Y/Q/N): enter 'Y'
• If reissuing the funds via EBT card, include:
• EBT Card Num: enter the EBT card number as provided by the requesting Service Officer
• EBT Card Issue Date: date of issue
• Notes: the reason for issue
• Source: and DOR: fields
• Press [Enter] to complete the activity
• Record details of immediate payment on a DOC
• The card is now loaded with the approved funds
• Notify the requesting Service Officer (by MS Teams) the action has been completed and respond to the webform request

Procedure ends here.

When the customer contacts they are to be advised a one-off RDP is unable to be made.

RDP regularly review activity received in WLM. To action, check the RDP expense notes to see if the RDP should continue or automatically end.

• If the RDP is no longer needed, it will end. Procedure ends here
• If the RDP needs to be reviewed, go to Step 2

A priority needs discussion is required to confirm if the RDP should continue. If the customer’s circumstances have changed, the RDP may no longer be needed.

For example, if the customer has moved and new landlord will accept payment from IM funds.

Send an email to the Income Management Contact Officers (IMCO) group with details of the regular RDP.

For action:

• by IMCO, go to Step 3
• when the IMCOs recommendation is provided, go to Step 4

To determine if the regular RDP is still required IMCOs must:

• contact the customer
• complete a priority needs discussion
• assess whether the RDP should continue
• recommend how long the RDP should continue for, either 3, 6 or 12 months.

Respond to NBG with the outcome of the discussion.

Procedure ends here.

If the IMCOs recommend the RDP should continue, extend it for the approved period:

• Add clear expense notes explaining the IMCOs assessment
• This will help with the next review.

If the RDP is no longer needed it will end automatically