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Eligibility for Assistance for Isolated Children (AIC) Boarding Allowance (BBA/ABA) 010-03040010

This page outlines how to assess Basic Boarding Allowance (BBA) and Additional Boarding Allowance (ABA) for students who need to live away from home to undertake approved study.

On this page:

Basic Boarding Allowance (BBA)

Additional Boarding Allowance (ABA)

Past period reassessments

Basic Boarding Allowance (BBA)

Table 1

Step	Action
1	General eligibility Has the general AIC eligibility criteria been met for the applicant and student? Yes, go to Step 2 No, go to Step 8
2	Approved boarding arrangement A student is required to be living at an approved board arrangement while they live away from the principal family home for study. Approved board arrangements include: boarding at a boarding school, hostel or special institution boarding in a private arrangement where the board is not provided by a natural or adoptive parent of the student or by an older dependent sibling who lives with the student in what could be regarded as the family's second home Note: a board arrangement may be approved where the student does not board for the whole school week. Is the student living away from home in an approved board arrangement during the school term? Yes, go to Step 3 No, go to Step 8
3	Basic Boarding Allowance (BBA) versus Second Home Allowance (SHA) Care needs to be taken when determining a student's circumstances for BA or SHA. For assistance in determining whether a living arrangement is boarding or a second home, see the Resources page. If the student's circumstances are more aligned with: Basic Boarding Allowance (BBA), go to Step 4 Second Home Allowance (SHA), see Eligibility for Assistance for Isolated Children (AIC) Second Home Allowance (SHA) Neither of the above, go to Step 8
4	Boarding costs Does the applicant/student/family incur a cost in boarding the student away from home? Yes, go to Step 5 No, go to Step 8
5	Disability Support Pensioner (DSP) or Parenting Payment Single (PPS) Is the student receiving DSP or PPS? Yes, and the student is studying at a: primary level or an equivalent ungraded level, the student may be eligible for AIC Pensioner Education Supplement (PES). Go to Step 6 secondary or tertiary level, the student is not eligible for AIC but may be eligible for PES. Go to Step 8 No, go to Step 6
6	In State care including foster care Is the student in State authorised care? Yes, go to Step 7 No, go to Step 9
7	Foster care allowance A foster care allowance or similar allowance is a payment made by a State/Territory Department to a nominated carer which is intended directly for the upkeep or personal use of the person under care. For example, regular Adolescent Community Placement or Placement Provider Reimbursement payments made directly or indirectly by the Victorian Government. Is the applicant receiving a foster care allowance (or similar)? Yes, and the AIC applicant is: an individual, go to Step 9 an organisation, go to Step 8 No, go to Step 9
8	Student does not meet eligibility criteria for BBA Tell the applicant they are not eligible for AIC BBA for the student. If general AIC eligibility criteria are met, check eligibility for other AIC allowances. See Eligibility for Assistance for Isolated Children (AIC) allowances. Record the following details on a DOC on the applicant's record: Reason(s) the student and applicant are not eligible for AIC BBA Advice given to the applicant about ineligibility Any other relevant details (for example, information provided by applicant) Is a new claim or change of circumstances being assessed? Yes, go to Step 11 No, procedure ends here
9	Student meets eligibility criteria for BBA Tell the applicant they may be eligible for AIC BBA for the student. While general advice based on information provided by the applicant can be given over the phone, encourage the applicant to test their eligibility in person. Tell the applicant to lodge a claim. See Claiming Assistance for Isolated Children (AIC). Record details on a DOC on the applicant's record. Is a new claim or change of circumstances being assessed? Yes, go to Step 10 No: and the applicant wishes to assess their eligibility for ABA (verbally or indicated on the SY040 form), see Table 2 otherwise, procedure ends here
10	Approved living arrangement coding On the Living Arrangement Details (EILA) screen, update the following fields: Living Arrangement: SCH - Boarding at a school or hostel PRI - Private boarding Living Arrangement Start Date: see Determining the entitlement start date for Assistance for Isolated Children (AIC) End Date: when the student: has partial entitlement for the year or is a short term boarder, key the student's entitlement end date. See Determining the entitlement end date for Assistance for Isolated Children (AIC) otherwise, leave blank Board Provider Relationship: (for private boarders only) OTH - Other PAR - Parent REL - Other relative Annual Boarding Fees: key 1 Nights Boarding Per Week: key the nights the student is boarding per week Short Term Boarder: key Y/N For short term boarders only ST Boarder Date of Receipt: key Date of Receipt of claim ST boarder Late Lodge Conc: key 'Y' Does the applicant wish to assess their eligibility for ABA (verbally or indicated on the SY040 form)? Yes, see Table 2 No, for: New claim assessments, continue to process the claim Change of circumstances, finalise the activity on the Assessments Results (AR) screen. Procedure ends here
11	Not approved living arrangement coding On the Living Arrangement Details (EILA) screen, update the following fields: Living Arrangement: key NOP - Not approved Living Arrangement Start Date: key claim lodgement date Leave all other fields blank. Is a new claim being assessed? Yes, continue to process the claim No, finalise the activity on the Assessments Results (AR) screen. Procedure ends here

Additional Boarding Allowance (ABA)

Table 2

Step	Action
1	State/foster care Where a student is in state authorised care or a foster care arrangement, the applicant may qualify for Additional Boarding Allowance (ABA), if they are not receiving a foster care allowance or similar allowance from a government authority. Is the student in state or foster care and the applicant is receiving a foster care allowance (or similar)? Yes, go to Step 11 No, go to Step 2
2	Details needed to assess ABA Additional Boarding Allowance (ABA) rate is calculated using a combination of the Parental Income Test (PIT) and the amount of actual boarding charges being paid. Where eligibility for Basic Boarding Allowance (BBA) has been established, and eligibility for Additional Boarding Allowance (ABA) is to be determined, the applicant will need to provide the following information: Boarding fees Any scholarships or subsidies received Parental Income Test (PIT) details If boarding fees have not been provided, make a genuine attempt to contact the applicant by phone to obtain this information verbally. If required, send an AIC Additional Boarding Allowance - Request for information Q888 letter. See Creating a Q999 or Q888 letter. Tell the applicant to contact again once they have provided the required documents. Is there enough information to assess ABA? Yes, go to Step 3 No, ABA cannot be assessed until the above has been provided. Go to Step 9
3	Additional Boarding Allowance (ABA) payable? Check the board provider's website on the fees charged for the period being claimed. If the boarding fees on the provider's website: match the advised fees, use the amount advised by the applicant exceed the advised fees, use the amount advised by the applicant are less than the advised fees, use the lower amount listed on the provider's website are not available, use the amount advised by the applicant See Rates and Thresholds index to determine the BBA rate. Does the annual actual boarding fees for the student, as determined to be used above, exceed the Basic Boarding Allowance rate less $250? Yes, go to Step 4 No, go to Step 9
4	Parental Income Test (PIT) As ABA is means tested, check and update the required screens to make sure the parent(s)/guardian(s) details are correctly recorded for the Parental Income Test (PIT). For help with coding, see Applying, assessing and coding parental income for Assistance for Isolated Children (AIC). After PIT details have been recorded, go to Step 5.
5	Actual boarding charges On the Living Arrangement Details (EILA) screen, update the Annual Boarding Fees field by keying the actual boarding fees. Is a new claim or end of year review being assessed? Yes, continue to process the activity No, go to Step 6
6	Assessment results Go to the Assessment Results (AR) screen and check if ABA is paying. Note: the rate of ABA payable is determined by the Parental Income Test and whether the actual boarding fees are greater than the minimum threshold, see Rates and Thresholds. Is ABA paying on the AR screen? Yes, finalise the activity. Go to Step 10 No, and the ABA assessment is for: a period when AIC was previously paid, go to Step 7 all other circumstances, finalise the activity. Go to Step 9
7	Check the current date on the Limiting Date (LMTD) screen When reassessing ABA for a period where AIC was previously paid, the limiting date applied by the system may be affecting the reassessment. Go to the LMTD screen and check the current limiting date applied by the system. Is the period being assessed for ABA before the current limiting date? Yes, go to Step 8 No, the limiting date is not affecting the ABA assessment. Finalise the activity, go to Step 9
8	ABA entitlement check Before applying the required work around, confirmation of ABA entitlement is required. Confirm the applicant had ABA entitlement for the period being assessed, were the: boarding fees paid greater than the BBA rate less $250, see Rates and Thresholds index and parent(s): exempt from the Parental Income Test (PIT), or income did not reduce the ABA rate to Nil. For assistance calculating PIT reduction, see Applying the Parental Income Test (PIT) reduction table on Resources in Applying the Parental Income Test (PIT) for ABSTUDY and Youth Allowance (YA) Did the student's circumstances meet the above criteria, and the applicant was eligible for ABA? Yes, a work around is required to pay ABA. See Table 3 No, the applicant is not eligible for ABA. Finalise the activity, go to Step 9
9	Only BBA is payable Tell the applicant based on their current circumstances AIC ABA is not payable for the student. Record details on a DOC on the student's record. Use Fast Note - select Auto text, use Students, ABSTUDY & Apprentices > AIC > AIC Updated/Reassessed > Confirm, include all relevant details. Procedure ends here.
10	BBA and ABA are payable Tell the applicant based on their current circumstances AIC ABA is payable for the student. Record details on a Note on the student's record. Use Fast Note - select Auto text, use Students, ABSTUDY & Apprentices > AIC > AIC Updated/Reassessed > Confirm, include all relevant details. Procedure ends here.
11	Student does not meet eligibility criteria for ABA Tell the applicant they are not eligible for AIC ABA for the student due to the applicant receiving foster care allowance (or other similar allowance). Note: if the student's circumstances change and the applicant no longer receives foster care allowance (or other similar allowance), ABA can be reassessed. Record details on a Note on the applicant's record: Use Fast Note - select Auto text, use Students, ABSTUDY & Apprentices > AIC > AIC Updated/Reassessed > Confirm, include all relevant details Include: the reason the student and applicant are not eligible for AIC ABA advice given to the applicant about ineligibility any other relevant details (for example, information provided by applicant) Is a new claim or end of year review being assessed? Yes, continue to process the activity No, procedure ends here

Past period reassessments

Table 3

Step	Action
1	Work around required A rejection and regrant of the AIC entitlement is required for the system to assess the correct Additional Boarding Allowance (ABA) entitlement for the applicant in a previously paid period. Go to the Activity List (AL) screen: Select the started activity Select the (C) radio button to cancel the activity Select Continue Select the radio button Yes - Cancel the Activity Select Continue Go to Step 2.
2	Contact the applicant Contact the applicant to advise of action to be taken and that they may receive multiple letters about payment status changes, they can disregard these. While in contact with the applicant, confirm all the required details are supplied for the period being assessed, such as: actual boarding fees any scholarships or subsidies received, and parental income details Once all details have been provided, go to Step 3.
3	Reject AIC payment Select the correct system. In the: Sys field, select 'ISS' Next field, key 'SVAIC' To reject the AIC, go to the Benefit Action (BA) screen and update the following fields: Service Reason: key EIC Action: key REJ Reason: key OTH Effect Date: date will default to date of claim lodgement Notes: 'REJ OTH to enable reassessment of previous Additional Boarding Allowance entitlement' Go to the Assessment Results (AR) screen, then go to Step 4.
4	Overpayment An overpayment will display on the AR screen: Note the amount, allowances and period of the overpayment In the debt action field, select Investigation Reqd Select all available check boxes under Inh Lttr Finalise the activity Go to the Limiting Date (LMTD) screen and check the current limiting date applied by the system. Is the period being assessed for ABA before the current limiting date? Yes, repeat Steps 3 and 4 in this table until the limiting date displaying is before the period being assessed No, go to Step 5
5	Assess ABA entitlement Once the Limiting Date is before the period being assessed, the system will allow for the assessment of ABA. Code the required screens as stepped out in Table 2 for the assessment of ABA for the past period Finalise the activity on the Assessment Results (AR) screen to pay the ABA entitlement Index and re-grant the previously rejected AIC entitlement. Note: use the claim grant date at the Date of Receipt (DOR) on the dummy claim Before finalising the dummy claim on the AR screen, go to Step 6
6	Arrears adjustment The dummy claim activity will result in a payment displaying to be paid to the applicant, these payments must not be released. To prevent incorrect arrears and debts: review noted amount of the overpayment created during the rejection activity manually adjust the arrears to $0 of all payment components for the period covering the noted overpayment For arrears adjustment coding assistance, see Step 9 in Restoration of Assistance for Isolated Children (AIC). Before finalising the activity, select all available check boxes under Inh Lttr to inhibit all letters the dummy new claim is triggering Once the claim outcome is displaying correct arrears and entitlement, finalise the activity on the AR screen Go to Step 7.
7	Debt offset Once the restoration has been finalised, the debt shell created in the rejection activity is required to be Finalised No Debt (FND). For staff trained in debt raising, any debt shells created must be Finalised No Debt (FND) - Payment Restored (PRS), see Finalised 'no debt' (FND) or 'zeroing' debts that are not legally recoverable. Once actioned, go to Step 8. For staff not trained in debt raising, record extra details on the DOC. Go to Step 8.
8	Documentation Record details of the actions taken to pay the ABA on a DOC on the student's record. Use Fast Note - select Auto text, use Students, ABSTUDY & Apprentices > AIC > AIC Updated/Reassessed > Confirm. Include information such as: AIC was cancelled and regranted to assess ABA entitlement for a previously paid period period and amount of ABA paid reassessment performed under AIC Guidelines 7.3.1.2 period and amount of any arrears that were manually adjusted For staff not trained in debt raising, include additional information such as: advice that debt shell(s) created were not Finalised No Debt (FND) Debt shell ID that requires FND action the Source Activity ID (AMR)s of the cancellation and regrant activities the reason for the cancellation regrant dates that have been used an estimate of the period that a debt exists other details that impact the assessment of the debt Procedure ends here.