Income Management and enhanced Income Management for Vulnerable Welfare Payment Recipients (VWPR) 103-01180000

Scenario

Job seeker has no money for food

Bill is a job seeker aged 23 years on JobSeeker Payment (JSP) and has been on payment for the last 8 weeks.

Bill lives with their grandfather who has a gambling problem.

Bill attends the local Alice Springs Service Centre to apply for an urgent payment as Bill’s grandfather has stolen Bill’s wallet. Bill tells the service officer they have not eaten in 2 days because they do not have any money for food.

A Display on Access (DOA) DOC indicates Bill has a history of applying for urgent payments due to their wallet being stolen. The service officer is concerned Bill's grandfather may be stopping Bill from having enough money to pay for their essential expenses.

The benefits of volunteering for income management are explained to Bill but they are not interested. Bill is helped from a social worker.

The social worker meets with Bill and discusses strategies to improve their situation. After considering all options available, the social worker determines income management would be the most beneficial for Bill and they are assessed as a Vulnerable Welfare Payment Recipient. Bill is placed on VWPR Notice (social worker assessed) for 12 months.

Note: as the IM program has been closed to new customers since 4 September 2023, if the social worker determines income management would be beneficial for Bill, they will start on enhanced IM.

Customer owes rent to Housing Authority

Jodie is receiving the Disability Support Pension (DSP) and rents a unit from the State Housing Authority.

Jodie is 3 months in arrears with their rental payments and the State Housing Authority has sent a referral to Services Australia for Jodie to be assessed under the Vulnerable Welfare Payment Recipient measure.

The social worker meets with Jodie and discusses various options. The social worker did not assess Jodie as a Vulnerable Welfare Payment Recipient, but regular Rent Deduction Scheme deductions were set up to pay arrears and ongoing rent commitments.

Unreasonable to Live at Home (UTLAH) payment granted

Adrian is 17 years of age on Youth Allowance (YA) who has been granted the UTLAH rate of payment.

An automatic trigger will occur to start Adrian on the VWPR Youth measure under the UTLAH category.

Adrian contacts the local service centre extremely distressed and says they do not want to be income managed. Adrian pays rent to friends and is about to become homeless because they do not want to have anything to do with Services Australia.

The service officer refers the customer to a social worker because they may be eligible for an exclusion as income management may be detrimental to their wellbeing.

VWPR social worker assessed - notice ends

John has been on JobSeeker Payment (JSP) for 14 months. Twelve months ago, a social worker determined John to be a Vulnerable Welfare Payment Recipient and John’s Jobseeker Payment has been income managed for the last 12 months under the VWPR Notice measure.

When the notice is due to end, the social worker reviews John's circumstances and decides not to issue a new Vulnerable Notice.

However, as John meets the criteria under the Long Term Welfare Payment Recipient (LTWPR) measure, John will be identified by the system as eligible for income management under that measure once the Vulnerable Notice ends.

Note: as the IM program has been closed to new customers since 4 September 2023, John would start enhanced IM under the LTWPR measure. John would be sent a letter advising they have started enhanced IM under the new measure.

VWPR Youth (UTLAH) - customer no longer a full-time student

Jill receives Youth Allowance (YA) at the UTLAH rate and was automatically identified for enhanced IM under VWPR Youth (UTLAH).

Two months after starting enhanced IM, Jill became a full-time student and their enhanced IM ended because they were no longer eligible.

Four months after ending enhanced IM, Jill withdrew from their studies.

As less than 12 months has passes since Jill first startedVWPR Youth, they will start enhanced IM as a new customer and complete the remainder of their original 12 month VWPR Youth period..

Note: a customer who has not yet completed their 12‑month VWPR Youth period may restart VWPR Youth and serve the remaining time if they become eligible again. This may occur when:

• they stop being a full-time student or Australian Apprentice
• an exclusion ends
• IIE or EPN coding is removed, or
• a higher measure ends

The customer only needs to be receiving an eligible welfare payment. They do not need to be living in a declared area for income management to be reinstated.

VWPR Youth (CrP) - customer becomes a full-time student

Jack receives JobSeeker Payment (JSP) and was automatically identified for VWPR Youth (CrP) as they were granted a Crisis Payment (CrP) on release from prison.

Three months after starting income management, Jack became a full-time student and income management was ended.

Two months after income management ends, Jack dropped out of their studies.

Although it has been less than 12 months since Jack’s income management first started, they are not reinstated on VWPR Youth (CrP) as it has been more than 13 weeks since they received the CrP which made them eligible for income management.

Note: if the CrP which made them eligible for income management was paid within the last 13 weeks, VWPR Youth (CrP) is reinstated when:

• the customer is no longer a full-time student or Australian Apprentice (where they became a full-time student or Australian Apprentice after income management started)
• an exclusion is manually or automatically ended
• ineligibility coding is removed for the EPN (Excluded payment nominee) reason
• the higher measure to which they were transferred ends

The customer does not need to be living in an IM declared area or enhanced IM location, or under 25 for income management to be reinstated.

Scenario

Hannah was triggered onto enhanced IM VWPR UTLAH 5 months ago when Youth Allowance (YAL) was granted under UTLAH due to serious family breakdown.

Hannah has since had a baby and has transferred from Youth Allowance (UTLAH) to Parenting Payment Single (PPS).

Hannah still has NIH coded on the Independent/Homeless/Away From Home Details (NIH) screen as Unreasonable to live at home (HDH - Serious family breakdown).

Hannah remains on VWPR Youth UTLAH, as Hannah is still receiving a Category F enhanced IM qualifying payment (PPS is a pension – Parenting Payment Single).

Loss of the original UTLAH automatic trigger does not automatically end participation in enhanced IM.

As PPS payment is not subject to UTLAH criteria, Hannah may request to end participation on enhanced IM VWPR Youth UTLAH due to the loss of the original automatic trigger.

Note: if Hannah’s home or term address is in the Northern Territory (NT), they may profile for CeIM (DEY) if they meet the eligibility criteria when VWPR Youth UTLAH is ended.

Andrew is in receipt of Youth Allowance (YAL) UTLAH and has been on the enhanced IM VWPR UTLAH measure for the last 7 months.

Andrew has since transferred from YAL to Disability Support Pension (DSP).

The Independent/Homeless/Away From Home Details (NIH) screen shows: HSR - Customer at serious risk.

Although Andrew’s payment has changed, the UTLAH trigger remains because both YAL and DSP include UTLAH provisions for assessing independence.

As the original UTLAH trigger still applies, Andrew will remain on enhanced IM VWPR UTLAH measure for the rest of the 12 month period.

Peta has been on enhanced IM VWPR Youth SpB for the past 8 months while receiving Special Benefit (SpB).

Peta has now turned 16 and transferred from SpB‑USY to Youth Allowance (YAL).

The Benefit Status (XDS/XBS) screen confirms that SpB‑USY has cancelled and Peta is now receiving YAL.

Peta remains on VWPR Youth SpB, because they are still receiving a Category F enhanced IM qualifying payment (YAL is a social security benefit).

Loss of the SpB automatic trigger does not automatically end participation in enhanced IM.

As Peta is no longer receiving SpB, the original automatic trigger no longer applies. Peta may request to end participation in VWPR Youth SpB.

Note:

• Peta may profile for VWPR Youth UTLAH if YAL includes an eligible UTLAH determination, and would serve out the remaining period (e.g. 4 months)
• If Peta’s home or term address is in the Norther Territory (NT), they may profile for CeIM (DEY) if they meet the eligibility criteria

Len has been on enhanced IM VWPR Youth Crisis (CrP) for 7 months after receiving an eligible Crisis Payment following release from prison.

Len turned 25 years of age a month ago.

Len continues to meet eligibility and will remain on VWPR Youth CrP for the determined period.

Turning 25 (loss of the Youth CrP trigger) does not automatically end participation in enhanced IM.

As Len no longer meets the age requirements for the original automatic trigger for VWPR Youth CrP, the original trigger no longer applies. Len may request to end participation in VWPR Youth CrP.

Note: if Len’s home or term address is in the Northern Territory (NT), they may profile for CeIM (DEY) if they meet the eligibility criteria.