Eligibility for Assistance for Isolated Children (AIC) Second Home Allowance (SHA) 010-03040030

Are the general Assistance for Isolated Children (AIC) eligibility criteria met for both the applicant and the student?

• Yes, go to Step 2
• No, go to Step 7

Some second home or boarding arrangements have similarities. To assist in determining the correct allowance the applicant may be eligible for, see the Resources page for examples of possible unique living arrangements.

Is the student living in a second family home that has been set up so the student or a sibling can have daily access to appropriate education?

• Yes, and the second home was established for:
• the student, go to Step 4
• a sibling, go to Step 3
• No, go to Step 7

For the student to be deemed isolated, they must live in the second home with a sibling that meets a geographical isolation rule.

Check the Living Arrangement Details (EILA) screen on the sibling's record to establish if they have been and remain approved for AIC SHA.

See Isolation conditions for Assistance for Isolated Children (AIC).

If the sibling:

• has been approved for AIC SHA, go to Step 6
• has not been approved for AIC SHA, assess this student's circumstances, go to Step 4

To be eligible for SHA, the nominated principal family home must be and remain approved as the principal family home by meeting all of the following:

• Is the usual place of residence of the family for the entire eligibility period
• Is where the student normally lives, except when they live away from home to attend school
• Is where the student and the family normally live during school holidays
• Is where the applicant and/or partner live for more than half of the eligibility period

Does the nominated principal family home meet all of the above?

• Yes, go to Step 5
• No, go to Step 7

For the second family home to be approved for SHA, all of the following must be met:

• Costs of maintaining the student's second family home is incurred by the family
• The second home is not the normal residence of the applicant or their partner (if applicable)
• The second home must be closer or more accessible to the school the student attends when compared to the principal family home
• A First Home Owners Grant or state-based first homeowner assistance has never been received by the family in respect of the second home
• The family does not receive Rent Assistance (RA) for the second home

Does the second home meet all of the above?

• Yes, go to Step 6
• No, go to Step 7

Is the student receiving DSP or PPS?

• Yes, and the student is studying:
• at a primary or ungraded level, the student may be eligible for AIC Pensioner Education Supplement (PES). Go to Step 8
• at a secondary or tertiary level. The student is not eligible for AIC, but may be eligible for Pensioner Education Supplement (PES), go to Step 7
• No, go to Step 8

Tell the applicant they are not eligible for Second Home allowance (SHA).

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 information on a DOC on the applicant's record:

• Reason(s) the applicant and/or student are not eligible for AIC SHA
• Advice given to the applicant about eligibility
• Any other relevant details (e.g. information provided by applicant)

Is a new claim or change of circumstance being assessed?

• Yes, go to Step 9
• No, procedure ends here

Tell the applicant they may be eligible for Second Home Allowance (SHA) for the student.

Record details on a DOC on the applicant's record.

Tell the applicant to lodge a claim, see Claiming Assistance for Isolated Children (AIC).

Is a new claim or change of circumstance being assessed?

• Yes, go to Step 9
• No, procedure ends here

On the Living Arrangement Details (EILA) screen, update the following fields:

• Living Arrangement: key SHA (Second Home Allowance)
• 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, key the student's entitlement end date
• otherwise, leave blank
• PFH Non-Approved Reason: if the principal family home is disallowed, key:
• BEN (Receives income or other benefit)
• DNL (Student does not normally live here)
• IAC (Inadequate accommodation)
• NFT (Parent not full-time at permanent home)
• SH Non-Approval Reason: if the second family home is disallowed, key:
• MAI (Second home not maintained)
• NES (No eligible student in second home)
• PRH (Permanent home)
• RAS (Receive RA or similar government assistance)
• SHP (Normal residence of separated/divorced parent)
• No of SHA Siblings: key the number of other students in the family living in the second home. This field must be updated on all SHA CURrent student’s records living in the second home.

Does the student stay in the second home for at least 4 nights in the school week?

• Yes, the student is considered full-time, and the maximum rate is payable. If:
• the student is currently receiving a pro-rata rate of SHA, go to Step 14
• otherwise, go to Step 15
• No, go to Step 10

Students residing in the second home fewer than 4 nights in the school week are considered part time and are eligible for a pro-rata rate of SHA.

To calculate the student’s daily SHA entitlement:

• take the number of days the student stays in the second home each fortnight, DIVIDED BY
• the number of days in a calendar year, then MULTIPLIED BY
• the maximum annual rate of SHA (see Rates and Thresholds index) then DIVIDED BY
• 14 EQUALS
• Students daily rate. Note the student’s daily rate of entitlement for manual rate coding. Note: round calculated daily rate to the fourth decimal point, for example 9.41213307 becomes 9.4121

See the Resources page for examples.

Once the daily rate has been calculated, go to Step 11.

Part time SHA students require manual coding to pay a pro rata rate of SHA.

In Customer First, on the Manual Assessment (MAS) screen, update the following fields:

• DOE: when assessing a:
• New claim, key the grant date,
• Change of circumstances, key the date the change occurred
• Type: key MAN
• Reason: key MWA (MANUAL WORK AROUND)
• Notes: ‘SHA pro-rata’
• Select Continue

Is a new claim being assessed?

• Yes, go to Step 12
• No, go to Step 13

The Manual Rate (MAR) screen can only be accessed via the Assessment Result (AR) screen. When assessing a new claim activity, ensure all other required screens are coded before navigating to the AR screen. See Processing an Assistance for Isolated Children (AIC) claim.

Once all screens have been coded for the new claim, navigate to the AR screen, the Manual MAR screen will display. Code the ESH new rate field: manually code the daily rate of SHA entitlement calculated in Step 10. Select Continue twice.

Continue to process the new claim, see Processing an Assistance for Isolated Children (AIC) claim.

When coding SHA pro-rata entitlement in a non-new claim activity, the Manual Rate (MAR) screen can only be accessed through Customer Record.

In Customer Record:

• go to the Activity List (AL) screen
• ‘S’elect the started activity
• in the Nxt field, key AR
• press [Enter]
• on the Assessments Results (AR) screen, S’elect one of the future payments
• in the Nxt field, key RATS
• press [Enter]
• key ‘M’ in the payment line displaying the From date aligning with the DOE date keyed on the MAS screen
• press [Enter]
• in the ESH New Rate Details: field, key the calculated daily rate of SHA entitlement
• press [Enter] twice

On the Assessment Result (AR) screen the manual rate will be displaying, finalise the activity.

In Customer First:

• DOC the record
• use Fast Note - select Auto text, use Students, ABSTUDY and Apprentices > AIC > AIC Updated/Reassessed

Procedure ends here.

An update to the Manual Assessment (MAS) screen is required where a student receiving a pro‑rata SHA rate advises they are now staying four or more nights per week at the second home.

In Customer Record:

• go to the MAS screen and code the following fields:
• DOE: key the date the change occurred
• Type: key AUT
• Select Continue
• Go to the Assessment Result (AR) screen and finalise the activity

Once the assessment is finalised, go to Customer First and DOC the record. Use Fast Note - select Auto text, use Students, ABSTUDY and Apprentices > AIC > AIC Updated/Reassessed.

Procedure ends here.

Is a new claim being assessed?

• Yes, continue to process the claim, see Processing an Assistance for Isolated Children (AIC) claim
• No:
• Finalise the activity on the Assessment Result (AR) screen
• DOC the record, use Fast Note - select Auto text, use Students, ABSTUDY and Apprentices > AIC > AIC Updated/Reassessed
• Procedure ends here