Online and Assisted Customer Claims (ACC) for Single Income Family Supplement (SIFS) 133-03010120

SIFS claims are assessed against circumstances for the assessment year (2012-13 onwards). Families have until 30 June each year to lodge their SIFS claim for the previous financial year. For example, by 30 June 2019 for the 2017-18 financial year. Note: from 1 July 2017, SIFS is not payable to new customers (through FTB instalment reconciliation, FTB lump sum claims or SIFS standalone claims) for the 2017-18 and later financial years. Grandfathering provisions for SIFS apply for existing families.

Online

Customers with a Centrelink online account can claim SIFS online.

Customers:

• need to answer questions relevant to their circumstances
• can save their responses and continue with their claim at a later time (incomplete online claims expire if not submitted within 13 weeks of being started)
• can submit an online claim after:
• answering all mandatory questions
• accepting a declaration
• uploading the required documents

Customers can check the progress of their completed claim through:

• their Centrelink online account, or
• the Express Plus Centrelink mobile app

Customers can voluntarily withdraw or cancel their claim within 14 days of submitting it.

ACC

Staff must complete Assisted Customer Claim (ACC) for customers who contact and are unable or unsuitable to complete an online claim. Collect the information to submit their SIFS claim. Advise the customer of any documents they may need to provide to finalise their claim.

The online claim process helps to ensure customers submit complete and accurate claims. Customers can submit a claim after:

• they answer all mandatory questions
• accept a declaration

From the 2017-18 financial year onwards, grandfathering provisions are in place for eligible families. These customers are assessed for SIFS (at a rate greater than nil) in respect of 30 June 2017. To keep their SIFS grandfathering status, these families must maintain continuous eligibility to SIFS payments from 1 July 2017. The grandfathering status will reassess when:

• a customer undergoes FTB reconciliation
• their lump sum claim is assessed, or
• their SIFS standalone claim is assessed

Customers who do not receive FTB for the full financial year must use the stand-alone SIFS online claim to apply for SIFS.