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Initial contact by a customer who is ill, injured or has a disability 008-01010000

This document outlines how to help customers when they contact Services Australia and advise they are ill, injured, or have a disability.

Helping customers with an illness, injury or disability

Step	Action
1	Identify the most appropriate service offer Customers and staff can use the Payment and Service Finder to identify the best payment to claim based on the customer's circumstances. This includes all service offers for: JobSeeker Payment (JSP) or Youth Allowance (YA) (Incapacitated). This includes customers who are: unemployed employed but cannot work due to an illness or injury Disability Support Pension (DSP)
2	Australian residence requirements Customers who are not Australian residents or a certain SCV holder will not be eligible for JSP, DSP or YA. Customers who have recently arrived in Australia may not be eligible for certain payments because of residence requirements. For help assessing if a customer is an Australian resident (CLK), see: Residence assessment for customers claiming DSP Residence assessments for customers claiming JSP Residence assessment for customers claiming Youth Allowance (YA) and/or Tertiary Access Payment (TAP) Does the customer meet residence requirements? Yes, go to Step 3 No, they do not qualify for payment. Procedure ends here
3	Age requirements To be eligible for: JobSeeker Payment (JSP), the customer must be: at least 22 years of age, and under Age Pension age Youth Allowance (YA), the customer must be within the minimum and maximum qualifying ages Disability Support Pension (DSP), the customer must be: at least 16 years of age, and under Age Pension age when they claim Does the customer meet the age requirements for payment? Yes, go to Step 4 No, and they are: over Age Pension age, advise the customer to claim Age Pension. Procedure ends here under YA qualifying age, the customer is not eligible for payment. Procedure ends here
4	Income and assets requirements Advise customers that: an income and assets test applies to income support payments (excluding DSP Blind) waiting periods may apply to certain payments, delaying the start of payment, or reducing the rate of payment for a period Are the customer's income and assets within current limits as outlined in the Rate Charts? Yes, go to Step 5 No, they do not qualify for payment. Procedure ends here
5	Compensation payments Eligibility for payment may be affected by: current compensation payments, or whether the customer has taken reasonable action to claim compensation if it is available and appropriate Is the customer receiving, or have they ever received compensation? Yes, the customer will need to provide compensation details with their claim for a Compensation affected payment (CAP). Go to Step 6 No, go to Step 6
6	Duration of incapacity The customer's capacity to work affects which payment they can apply for. Does the customer think they will be able to do any work, including part-time, full-time, casual within the next 2 years? Yes, go to Step 7 No/unsure, go to Step 8
7	Customer may be eligible for JSP or YA (incapacitated) If the customer would like to test their eligibility to JSP or YA incapacitated, see Customers claiming JSP or YA (Incapacitated). Procedure ends here.
8	Employment qualifications for customers with a permanent incapacity If a customer is claiming DSP, the assessment of their eligibility may take into account the number of hours they are working. Income from work may also affect their rate of payment. Does the customer meet the work requirements for DSP by: working no more than 15 hours or more per week in open employment, or currently working but the employment is in jeopardy, suspended, expected to cease or significantly reduce solely due to the customer's medical condition/s? Yes, go to Step 9 No, they do not qualify for payment. Procedure ends here
9	Customer may be eligible for DSP If the customer would like to test their eligibility to DSP, they may claim JSP/YA (Provisional) at the same time. See Claiming DSP.
10	Additional support Customers who are ill, injured or have a disability can face barriers when seeking help and when accessing services. Advise the customer they have the option to appoint a nominee to assist with their payments and services. For more information, see Nominees.