Full-time study exemptions for Youth Allowance (student) customers when their partner dies 010-19101857

If a Youth Allowance (YA) (student) customer's partner has died and they have been granted PBV, one of the following Deeming exemptions will have been coded through Miscellaneous Update Details (NMIS) screen updates and apply on the Activity and Exemption Summary (AEX) screen:

• Bereavement Period - Partner (BPP), or
• Bereavement Period - Pregnant Partner (BPE)

Has a PBV claim been assessed and a BPP or BPE exemption is current?

• Yes, see Step 1 in Table 2
• No, go to Step 2
  Note: if the customer has not tested their eligibility for Partner Bereavement Payment but they would like to, transfer to the bereavement queue. See Assessing entitlement to a Partner Bereavement Payment

A YA customer does not need to claim or be eligible for PBV to be eligible for a Part-time or full-time study as an approved mutual obligation requirement for Youth Allowance (YA)

If the customer tells us their partner has died:

• Within 14 weeks, determine whether a full-time study exemption applies
• More than 14 weeks ago, and the customer is not pregnant, they are not eligible for a Part-time or full-time study as an approved mutual obligation requirement for Youth Allowance (YA)
• More than 14 weeks ago and the customer was pregnant on the day their partner died and they are still pregnant, determine whether a full-time study exemption applies

If the customer is not linked to their deceased partner, verify the relationship.

Check if the customer is eligible to be regarded as a member of a couple.

Is evidence required to establish whether the customer was a member of a couple and whether the customer is pregnant?

• Yes, go to Step 3
• No, go to Step 4

Request evidence proving:

• the customer was a member of a couple with the deceased person immediately before their death, and
• the customer was pregnant on the day their partner died and is still pregnant

Acceptable evidence for relationship includes:

• joint bank account statements
• insurance policies
• lease agreements
• dependent spouse rebate, or
• statements from their parents

Acceptable evidence for pregnancy is:

• a letter from a doctor or registered midwife which includes estimated date of confinement

Document the following on the record:

• The customer is seeking a Partner Bereavement Payment (PBV) and/or a Part-time or full-time study as an approved mutual obligation requirement for Youth Allowance (YA)
• Advice given to the customer regarding evidence required
• Name, date of birth and date of death of the deceased partner

Procedure ends here.

Where the customer was a member of a couple at the time of their partner's death:

• Go to the Miscellaneous Update Details (NMIS) screen on the customer's record, and complete the following fields:
• Date of Partner Death:
• Notified By:
• Bereavement Payment Type: (only if the customer wishes to apply for a bereavement payment. See Partner Bereavement Payment (PBV) to assess whether the customer should apply for the Partner Bereavement Payment (PBV) or the Lump Sum Bereavement Payment (LBS)
• Complete this activity

See Table 2.

Check if the customer has:

• taken an approved leave of absence from study
• deferred their course of study
• cancelled their enrolment, or
• reduced their study load to part time

Do any of these study circumstances apply?

• Yes, go to Step 2
• No, advise the customer:
• their payment will continue as normal
• to contact Services Australia if their study details change

Procedure ends here.

Confirm that the customer intends to return to full-time study:

• in the next available study period, and
• within 21 weeks after the end date of the partner bereavement exemption (BPP or BPE) period

Does the customer have an intention to return to qualifying study?

• Yes, go to Step 4
• No, go to Step 3

Customers not intending to return to qualifying study are no longer entitled to YA as a student.

If the customer still requires financial support they may be eligible to continue to receive payment as a job seeker. This is unless another payment is more suitable.

• Update the study details:
• End the course of study on the Education Details (EDC) screen
• Correct the Student End Date: field to yesterday's date
• Update the Newstart Education Status (NES) screen:
• Key today's date in the Event Date: field
• Key 'NST' (Not a student) in the Student Status: field
• Update the Education Level Attained: field if necessary

If the customer wishes to receive payment as a job seeker and is under 22 years of age:

• their YA payment will remain current and they will be assessed as a job seeker
• an exemption from mutual obligations will apply for the bereavement period
• they will receive
• an advice 7 days prior to end date to notify that their exemption period is ending. This will advise they need to attend any appointments and undertake their approved activities

If the customer wishes to receive payment as a job seeker and is 22 years of age or older:

• go to the Benefit Action (BA) screen
• cancel the payment Not A Student (NST) using today's date as the date of event.
• use Assisted Customer Claim to submit a claim for JobSeeker Payment
• advise the customer they will:
• be exempt from the mutual obligations of JobSeeker Payment
• receive an advice 7 days prior to end date to notify that their exemption period is ending. This will advise they need to attend any appointments and undertake their approved activities
• be contacted to discuss their mutual obligation at the end of the exemption expiry

See Student to Job seeker transfers.

Procedure ends here.

An intention to study must be keyed to allow YA to continue to be paid.

Customers must tell Services Australia if they do not intend to return to study within 14 days.

• Update study details:
• End the current course of study on the Education Details (EDC) screen
• Correct the Student End Date: field to yesterday's date
• Key Source:, Date of receipt: as today, and Action: 'C' and select Continue
• Select Add new EDC details:
• Key today's date in the Participation Status Event Date: field
• Key the Participation Status with 'INT' where the customer will return to tertiary study, or 'INS' where returning to secondary study
• Key today's date in the Inst Course Start Date: and Student Start Date: fields
• Key the last day of the bereavement exemption in the Inst Course End Date: and Student End Date: fields as per the Activity and Exemption Summary (AEX) screen
• Key Action: 'I'
• Select Continue

Key the return to study course details if the customer can provide them. See Coding new study details. This may require the intention to study end date to be changed.

If not, the customer will receive a letter approximately 3 weeks before the end of their bereavement exemption period. This will advise them how to provide their new study details.

Note: consideration should be given to extending the allowable time to exclude the bereavement period.