Change of circumstance for Farm Household Allowance (FHA) 002-02080000

The completed FFA reviewed by the FHCO.

The FHCO will:

• check that the details in the file support the decision to grant
• refer to the grant DOC for any further details used in the assessment
• send any claims that are not eligible to the processing team using Fast Note. Select Auto text, use Rural > FHCO FHA eligibility check request
• include all details that need reviewing

Review the FHCO request. The eligibility review cannot be completed verbally.

Make a request for all the documents needed for the FHA entitlement review. This may include:

• additional years of tax returns
• business plan
• advice on the commercial scale and suitability of land
• other expert advice for the farm enterprise
• details of labour contributions
• details of capital contributions

Refer to the FHA guidelines.

See Mutual obligations, failures and exemptions from the activity test for Farm Household Allowance (FHA) customers.

Check and update contact details.

A change of address can affect the customer's eligibility for FHA. They may no longer be farming, or they (or their partner) may no longer meet the definition of a farmer for FHA.

If a customer is requesting to update their address only and not their partner's, this is a family and domestic violence interaction point, see Family and domestic violence.

Go to Step 4

Any changes relating to the customer's farm or farming business may affect their eligibility for FHA. This includes changes to:

• ownership
• business structure
• farm size
• level of farm involvement.

If the customer:

• wants more information about the possible effect of the change on their FHA payments, transfer to Farmer Assistance hotline 13 23 16
• and partner are no longer farming, example, due to the sale of the farm. See Suspending, cancelling and restoring Farm Household Allowance (FHA)

For all other farm related changes:

• Use Fast Note - select Auto text, use Rural > FHCO > Notification in change of circumstance
• the additional keyword ACTFHA will be automatically added and transferred to region code FHH

Key relevant changes. For:

• updating the Farmer Specific Data, see Eligibility and payability for Farm Household Allowance (FHA)
• updating the details of farm business use Process Direct FHA workflow
• customer changes that affect the customer's entitlement where a follow-up Social Service Plan (SSP):
• generates, check and approve the SSP. See Table 2 > Step 3
• does not generate, see Table 2 > Step 1

Record the details on a DOC.

For income and asset related changes, go to Step 5

Using the Manage Income and Assets option online, FHA customers can:

• update their income and assets details
• view existing business details

This creates a Change of Circumstance (CoC) interaction activity work item. The work item is allocated to staff with FHA skills tags to process using the FHA workflow in Process Direct.

The Social Service Plan (SSP) will generate as part of the activity. Finalising the activity will complete and approve the SSP.

If extra information is required, see Requesting information (CLK).

Is the change to business assets and an aggregation assessment referral is needed before processing the update?

• Yes. If the Service Officer:
• does not have the delegation to complete a primary aggregation assessment, check the customer has lodged all required documents for claim assessment or reassessment before completing the referral, see Streaming and processing a new claim for Farm Household Allowance (FHA)
• has the delegation to complete the primary aggregation assessment, see Assessing assets for Farm Household Allowance (FHA)
• No, go to Step 6

Is there a change to business income?

• Yes, see Assessing income for Farm Household Allowance (FHA)
• No, go to Step 7

See Farm Household Allowance (FHA) customers going overseas.

If the person entering permanent care is the:

• farmer and they are unable to farm, they are no longer eligible for FHA because they cannot contribute significant labour. Cancel the FHA using reason BLA (not a farmer)
• partner of the farmer, cancel the FHA using reason NSL (Significant labour not contributed to farm). Use Fast Note - select Auto text, use Rural > SUS/CAN/RES > FHA cancellation to clearly document the cancellation reason. See Suspending, cancelling and restoring Farm Household Allowance (FHA)

For partnered customers, illness separated rates are applicable to FHA customers. See Assessment of circumstances for a couple separated due to illness

If the partner of a farmer:

• has taken over the farming responsibilities, they can continue to receive FHA as a farmer. Go to Step 11
• has not taken over farming responsibilities, they will no longer be eligible for FHA. Cancel FHA using reason NPF (Not a partner of a farmer). See Suspending, cancelling and restoring Farm Household Allowance (FHA)

If the farmer and/or partner are no longer farming, they may wish to test their eligibility for another payment. Discuss alternate payment options with the customer and/or partner. Record details of discussion on a DOC.

If the customer is at risk or is experiencing vulnerability, offer referral to available resources, external service providers or agency specialist staff if required.

An FHA customer, whether a farmer or the partner of a farmer, is not eligible for FHA while in prison or psychiatric confinement.

If a farmer is confined and they have a partner receiving FHA as a:

• farmer, where there are no other changes in circumstance, the partner continues to be eligible for FHA
• partner of a farmer, the partner may be eligible to receive FHA:
• for a grace period of 14 weeks starting from the date of confinement, or
• as a farmer in their own right, if they take over the farming responsibilities

Action

Use Fast Note - select Auto text, use Rural > Update > FHA Confirmation of prison admission. The processing team will follow up with Prison Servicing.

Assess and record details

When assessing prison or psychiatric confinement:

• contact the relevant state/local Prison Servicing team for follow up with authorities about incarceration dates and actions to the record. For Prison Servicing team contacts, see Admission process for customers entering prison or psychiatric confinement.
• manually cancel the FHA for the confined person using , reason IMP (in prison) or PSY (psychiatric confinement). See Suspending, cancelling and restoring Farm Household Allowance (FHA).

Upon release from incarceration or psychiatric confinement, the customer must lodge a new claim for FHA, this is regardless of the length of time they were confined.

For partnered customers:

Go to Marital Status (MS) screen:

• Event Date, the date they entered prison or psychiatric confinement
• Marital Status remains as MAR, REG, or DEF
• Key partner permitted to enquire status (if required)
• Qualifier Code, key appropriate code, where:
• customer is confined use, GAC (in gaol) or PSC (in psychiatric care)
• partner is confined use, GAP (partner in gaol) or PSP (partner in psychiatric care)
• Key Source and DOR fields and press [Enter]

A Social Service Plan (SSP) generates as part of the activity and is approved when the activity finalises.

Finalise the activity on the same day as it is started.

If it is not possible to finalise on the same day, the SSP must be manually finalised.

Do not go to ELD/SSP via the Super Key after selecting the activity unless advised by ICT.

When the activity is ready to manually finalise:

• select the transaction
• go to the SWE screen
• select Assess and go through all the screens to get to the SPP
• finalise the activity

If the partner receives FHA as the partner of a farmer, they can continue to receive FHA for a grace period of up to 14 weeks.

The grace period rules for imprisonment and psychiatric confinement do not overrule the 1460 day rule for FHA eligibility.

When a grace period is granted:

• Create a manual follow up to review the customer's circumstance 14 weeks from the date of confinement
• The FHA cancels after 14 weeks with reason PTG or PTP
• The 14 weeks count towards the customer’s cumulative total of 1460 days on payment

If a customer advises they are separating, see Separating safely - protecting personal details to ensure personal information is kept safe.

If the customer has separated in the last 6 months, this is a family and domestic violence interaction point, see Family and domestic violence.

Where a farmer and their partner cease to be a couple (including due to the death of the farmer) the payments for a customer receiving FHA as a:

• farmer, if they continue to meet eligibility, they can continue receiving FHA
• partner of a farmer, they may be eligible to receive FHA:
• for a grace period of up to 14 weeks starting from the date the relationship ends, or
• as a farmer in their own right, if they take over the farming responsibilities

After verifying the separation:

• go to Marital status (MS) screen
• Event Date field, enter the date of separation
• If required, enter/update partner permitted to enquire status

A Social Service Plan (SSP) generates as part of the activity and is approved when the activity finalises.

Finalise the activity on the same day as it is started.

If it is not possible to finalise on the same day, the SSP must be manually finalised.

Do not go to ELD/SSP via the Super Key after selecting the activity unless advised by ICT.

When the activity is ready to manually finalise:

• select the transaction
• go to the SWE screen
• select Assess and go through all the screens to get to the SPP
• finalise the activity

The grace period rules for separation do not overrule the 1460 day rule for FHA eligibility.

Before applying the grace period for the partner of a farmer, assess their eligibility for FHA as a farmer in their own right.

When a grace period is granted:

• Create a manual follow up to review the customer's circumstance 14 weeks from the date of separation
• The FHA cancels after 14 weeks with reason BLA or NPF
• The 14 weeks count towards the customer’s cumulative total of 1460 days on payment
• If the customer is experiencing vulnerability as a result of the separation, offer referral to available resources, external service providers or agency specialist staff if required

For help, see:

• Family and domestic violence
• Separating safely - protecting personal details
• Change in relationship status from partnered to single
• Death of a Farm Household Allowance (FHA) customer or partner

If a farmer becomes partnered the:

• farmer may continue to be eligible for FHA
• partner may be eligible for FHA as a
• farmer, or
• partner of a farmer

Invite the partner to claim FHA where applicable.

Update customer details. See Separating safely - protecting personal details and Change in relationship status from single to partnered

A customer receiving FHA as the partner of a farmer may be eligible for FHA as a farmer if they meet farmer eligibility criteria.

There is no need for a new claim, reassessment is based on the customer's circumstances.

The total cumulative period for FHA is 4 years in specified 10 year periods, regardless of the farmer/partner status of the customer. The clock will not reset if their status changes.

Record details:

• Use Fast Note - select Auto text, use Rural > Update> Reassess for Partner of farmer to farmer
• This automatically
• adds the keyword ACTFHA, and
• transfers the activity to region code FHH

Tell the customer:

• they will receive a letter advising any changes to their FHA entitlement
• Smart Centre Rural Processing staff will contact them if further details are needed

Assess eligibility for FHA as a farmer.

Using Process Direct > FHA workflow to update FHA Farmer Specific Data with the new details.

FHA is a payment for 4 years in each specific 10 year period:

• The first period is 1 July 2014 to 30 June 2024
• The second period is 1 July 2024 to 30 June 2034

Customers can choose to opt out or continue to receive payment from the start of the second 10 year period.

A letter is sent to customers 90 days before the end of the specific 10 year period, giving the customer the option to:

• continue to receive FHA , or
• stop their payment

Customers can change their mind up until 30 June of the first year of the specific 10 year period.

The customer or correspondence nominee can accept the opt out/in declaration.

The customer can opt out:

• using their online services account. See Accessing and using Centrelink self service, or
• with a Service Officer using the FHA Opt Out workflow

Customers that opt out and their payment cancels as of 1 July 2024, will need to lodge a new claim if they wish to receive FHA again.

Staff can view the customer’s choice via the Farm Opt Out (FOO) screen. This is a view only screen.

Search for CoC interaction activities, from the Transaction Icon.

Is there an incomplete CoC interaction activity?

• Yes, action the activity
• No, see Table 2

In the customer's record:

• key PD_SSP or Social Services Plan in the Super Key, or
• select the SSP Icon

Update the SSP type to Working Age Fortnightly and search for the latest approved SSP.

Check:

• Assessment Status is Approved, and
• Next Decision field is blank

Is the latest SSP approved:

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

To create a reassessment SSP:

• select the FHA Workflow from the Task Selector
• select FHA Benefit Action
• select + Add button
• key the required fields on the Benefit Action details screen:
• Benefit Type - Farm Household Allowance
• Date of Effect - (DD/MM/YYYY)
• Benefit action - REA
• Reason - Reassessment
• Select Current, or Previous Approved SSP
• Select the relevant SSP ID
• Comment - Free text to explain the updates made
• select Save
• add the Receipt Date, Channel and Service Reason. If the system does not select a default Service Reason, select the most relevant Service Reason for this update

This will create a new SSP.

Reassessment period covers multiple chains

To make sure all periods are covered when reassessing multiple chains, complete a separate reassessment on each of the following:

• currently approved chain, and
• the previously approved chain

Go to Step 3

Select the new SSP.

The activity must be completed in Process Direct when the SSP has not been finalised and shows ‘PD SSP30000000000’.

On the Services Plan screen, check the:

• Assessment Status is Determined, and
• Next Decision field is blank.

Review and approve SSP.

If a status error displays when approving an SPP that shows as To Be Distributed:

• Select the Back button
• Go to the Search SSP screen. The SSP should update to Approved

To show the updated status, clear out of the customer record then go back in

If the SSP result is incorrect, do not finalise the SSP, refer the record for further investigation.

Go to Step 4

Record details of the reassessment on a DOC.