Mobility Allowance (MOB) customer going overseas 008-05060000

Run the Portability Script - Departures and Returns. The script will prompt the Service Officer to ask the customer relevant questions about the travel, such as destination, date of departure, expected date of return, who is going and reason for absence.

The customer may contact after using the Travelling outside of Australia service within their Centrelink online account. If the online service has already coded the absence, details are recorded in a DOC. The online service may refer the customer to contact to:

• have their absence coded, or
• explore further portability for their situation

Issue the customer with a Pre Departure Interview - Portability Decision (XOB101) letter if requested.

Is the script working?

• Yes, see Coding departures and returns for customers leaving Australia. Procedure ends here
• No, go to Step 2

Ask the customer if they are leaving Australia temporarily or to live in another country.

See Assessing if a customer is an Australian resident (CLK) to determine this in more complex cases.

• If leaving to live in another country, go to Step 3
• If leaving temporarily, go to Table 2 > Step 1

Note: do not transfer the call to Centrelink International Services (CIS) unless instructed by the Portability Script.

MOB must be stopped from the date of departure as the customer no longer meets the residence rules. (Note: period of grace provisions apply)

Discuss the following with the customer where applicable:

• The requirement to reclaim if they return to Australia to live
• If they have a benefit status of period of grace (POG) before departure, MOB will cease from the day after departure. For details about the POG, see Cancellation and Period of Grace for Mobility Allowance (MOB)
• If MOB is current, the customer is payable for 14 days after departure (that is, one further payment)
• Eligibility for a MOB Health Care Card ceases immediately on departure as they no longer meet the qualification criteria
• If they were being paid any add-ons such as Rent Assistance (RA), they will also cease on departure from Australia

Record details of the decision in a DOC. Make sure the title of the DOC is MOB Discussion.

• Record the change of address on Address Details (AD) screen if the customer has provided new address details. Note: it is not mandatory for the customer to provide an address outside Australia
• Update the Accommodation Circumstance (AC) screen if required (for example, HOM to NHO) and check for changes in income/assets
• Update the Customer Advised Travel Details (RSCD) screen
• Update the Country of Residence (CRES) screen with the destination country
• Go to the Assessment Result (AR) screen and make sure that payment will cease from date of departure (or within 14 days) for a residence related reason
• Do not inhibit the advice

Note: customers receiving other payments cannot be transferred into Environment I if MOB has a status of current (CUR) or period of grace (POG), suspended (SUS), assessed (ASS) or cancel next pay (CNP). Leave them in their own environment until MOB ceases.

Procedure ends here.

To maintain qualification for MOB, the customer must:

• be continuing to be involved in an activity, or
• have a need to travel for this activity

For help, see:

• Eligibility for Mobility Allowance (MOB)
• Change of circumstances for Mobility Allowance (MOB) customers
• Rates for Mobility Allowance (MOB)
• the References page for the Social Security Guide, section 3.6.6.90 - Continuation of MOB during leave from employment & training

Consider the following:

• Is the customer on leave? What is the reason for travel? Is it travel during breaks or vacations, for study requirements, for employment, to attend a conference or voluntary work?
• Is the customer intending to return to their activity?
• If the customer is on Disability Support Pension (DSP) and receiving the higher rate of MOB, do they still qualify for higher rate MOB? If not, they may still qualify for the standard rate of MOB
• If the customer is receiving a primary Centrelink payment, is the payment portable and for how long? For example, DSP may be payable for 28 days, JSP may be paid for up to 6 weeks if they are travelling overseas for an approved reason

Does the customer remain qualified for MOB for some or all of their travel?

• Yes, go to Step 3
• No, go to Step 2

The customer loses qualification for MOB from the date of departure from Australia. MOB is not payable for the absence.

Note: MOB must be manually cancelled from the date of departure. Refer the case to the Helpdesk via the Level 2 Policy Helpdesk webform.

• Explain the decision to the customer that they are no longer entitled to MOB
• If benefit status is in a period of grace (POG), MOB will cancel on day of departure
• If MOB is current they will receive one further pay
• Record the details of the decision in a DOC. Make sure the title of the DOC is MOB Discussion
• Determine if the customer has to contact when they have returned to Australia
• Advise the customer of requirements to reclaim on their return to Australia
• Go to Step 5

The customer has continuing qualification for MOB and the payment is portable for a temporary absence.

Note: if the customer's qualification is for less than the maximum portability period, for example, their portability for their JSP is 2 weeks, then MOB is restricted to that period of time and must be manually suspended from the correct date. Refer the case to the Helpdesk via the Level 2 Policy Helpdesk webform.

If the customer is paid MOB at the higher rate, then the higher rate is payable during the portability period:

• Advise the customer of the decision
• Record the details of the decision in a DOC. Make sure the title of the DOC is MOB Discussion
• Determine if the customer has to contact when they have returned to Australia
• Advise the customer about the continuation of payment on their return to Australia
• Refer the customer to the Services Australia website for the international phone numbers for CIS
• Advise the customer they must make arrangements to deal with any mail, especially if mail is sent to an Australian address

• Medical review (MER) - if a review was due any time within the period of absence, the system will automatically reset its due date to expected date of return + 14 days or date of departure + 197 day
  
  Note: medical reviews are only for temporary medical conditions and not everyone will have temporary medical conditions
• Employment and Training Reviews (ETR) - there are no changes to review processing. Reviews will be sent to address requested by customer. Advise customer when to expect mail in regard to this review
• Verification action (VER) - there are no changes to review processing

• Record the change of address on Address Details (AD) screen if the customer has provided new address details.
  Note: it is not mandatory for the customer to provide an address outside Australia
• Record any overseas telephone number and/or email address if provided
• Update the RSCD screen
• Go to the (AR) screen and check the results are as expected.
  Note: the actual reassessment will not occur until the customer leaves Australia
• Do not suppress the auto advice
• If correct, finalise the activity