Initial contact with customers claiming under the Assistance for Isolated Children (AIC) Scheme 010-03010010

Applicants should not be given verbal advice about their individual eligibility for AIC, as the rules and conditions for AIC are complex.

General AIC eligibility advice can be given, and applicants should be encouraged to submit a new claim to test eligibility. Difficult or complex cases may be referred to the AIC Customer Service number. For contact details, see ABSTUDY and Assistance for Isolated Children (AIC).

If the AIC Scheme enquiry is from:

• an individual, go to Step 2
• an organisation, go to Step 4

If an individual has contacted seeking advice as an applicant for AIC, Service Officers can refer:

• to Eligibility for Assistance for Isolated Children (AIC) Scheme, or
• the applicant to Services Australia website

Service Officers should consider, and advise, the applicant of the various payment options, including:

• Youth Allowance
• ABSTUDY
• Family Tax Benefit (FTB)

Note: FTB can be paid for a student for whom AIC is also payable. FTB is not payable for dependent young people aged 16-24 who are receiving Youth Allowance (YA) or ABSTUDY Living Allowance or the means tested component of the School Fees Allowance Group 2 where the student or Australian Apprentice is aged 16 or over.

Action is normally limited on the system to a DOC on the parent/guardian/student record or to contact the AIC Smart Centre if there is no record.

Look up local Processing Service details for: Assistance for Isolated Children (AIC).

Does the applicant want to apply for AIC?

• Yes, go to Step 5
• No, record details of the contact with the applicant on a DOC. Procedure ends here

Only non-government organisations that have full responsibility for the upkeep of the student can be accepted as an applicant for AIC.

Organisations wanting to apply on the student's behalf should be advised to complete the Claim for Assistance for Isolated Children (AIC) (SY040) and the Assistance for Isolated Children (AIC) Organisation details (SY067).

It is recommended the organisation calls the AIC Customer Service number. For contact details, see ABSTUDY and Assistance for Isolated Children (AIC).

The Resources page contains a link to the online forms.

Issue a Claim for Assistance for Isolated Children (AIC) (SY040) to the customer for each potentially eligible student within the family.

If the customer has contacted by phone they can be advised the claim form can instead be downloaded from the Services Australia website.

If it is an Organisation applying on behalf of the student make sure they have also completed the AIC Organisation details (SY067).

Advise the customer they:

• should lodge the claim with the required supporting documentation (as listed in the Notes of the Claim for Assistance for Isolated Children - SY040 form) as soon as possible. Claims must be lodged by the closing date
• may lodge the form and any supporting documentation online, by fax, at any office or post it to the Services Australia address shown on the claim form. More information about these options are shown on the form. The claim will be processed by the AIC Smart Centre

Claims received after 1 March in the year following that for which assistance is sought, will not be approved for payment of AIC, unless claimants meet the Intent to claim and vulnerable customers provisions.

Advise the customer:

• about other allowances that may be applicable, for example, Youth Allowance, ABSTUDY, PES
• any changes in circumstances must be advised within 14 days

Record the details of customer contact and forms issued on a DOC.

If the customer does not have an existing record, create an AIC record.