Participation requirements for Disability Support Pension (DSP) customers under 35 years of age 008-03090000

From 1 July 2014, customers with participation requirements must participate in a compulsory work-focused activity designed to help them prepare for and find work. This is in addition to the requirement to attend regular participation interviews and enter into a Participation Plan. DSP payments may be suspended or cancelled if customers do not comply with their requirements.

To decide on activities the customer will do to improve economic participation they must:

• attend a DSP initial participation interview to receive information about payments, programs and local services in line with the customer's individual circumstances and capacity. Develop a Disability Support Pension (DSP) Participation Plan. The plan will include:
• at least one compulsory work focused activity that the customer has agreed to participate in (such as Disability Employment Services)
• the customer may choose to include voluntary activities
• the requirement to attend DSP participation interviews
• attend DSP follow-up participation interviews, and
• review the DSP plan at every participation interview

DSP participation interviews are conducted:

• quarterly for the first 18 months (starting on the day of the first interview), and
• every 6 months, except for customers who are working/reporting income who must attend annual participation interviews instead
• customers may be granted a temporary exemption from DSP participation requirements depending on their circumstances
• DSP customers not subject to DSP participation requirements can volunteer to participate. For these customers, attendance at participation interviews, entering into a Participation Plan and participation in activities are not compulsory

DSP customers engaged in employment in the open labour market are required to attend an initial participation interview and agree to a DSP Participation Plan. The customer must attend an annual follow-up participation interview. If however, no income has been reported for 6 weeks or more the customer will re-enter the normal participation cycle.

For DSP customers who are studying, attendance at all interviews (initial and follow-up) is compulsory. These customers will attend interviews every three or six months depending on where they are in the interview cycle.