Assessing and coding a transfer to Austudy or Youth Allowance (YA) student claim from another payment 010-20020548

Scenario

Considerations and outcomes

Danni

• 32 years old
• Provider managed, receiving JobSeeker Payment (JSP)
• Lodged an Austudy claim on 1 March 2023
• 9 month TGC level course beginning on 3 March 2023
• Not entitled to Long Term Income Support (LTIS) rate
• No employment income

• Could be entitled to both JSP and Austudy if:
• Danni's provider grants a short course approval, or
• Danni can continue to meet their mutual obligation requirements while studying
• If Danni remains eligible, JSP appears to be most beneficial - basic rate is higher, no employment income so will not benefit from student income test, course does not attract Student Start-up Loan (SSL)
• If Danni does not remain eligible for JSP, Austudy is the only appropriate payment
• Unless the above information has been recorded on Notes/DL, make 2 genuine attempts to contact Danni to find out their circumstances
• Record this conversation in the claim grant/reject DOC

Shaina

• 27 years old
• Receiving JSP
• Not entitled to LTIS rate
• Has short course approval
• Reports employment income of $400 each fortnight, no other income
• Lodged an Austudy claim on 14 March 2023
• The study is a 1 year TGA level course that started on 7 March 2023
• Has accepted SSLs for both study periods

• Remains eligible for JSP with short course approval
• JSP basic rate is higher
• Student income test is more beneficial than job seeker income test. Shaina's income is under the student income free area so Austudy rate would not be affected
• Compare maximum Austudy basic rate to income affected JSP basic rate. Use the Payment and Service Finder if needed to compare rates
• Course attracts SSL
• Customer contact is required to discuss options. Base the decision on customer preference
• Record this conversation in the claim grant/reject DOC

Gertie

• 23 years old
• Provider managed, receiving JSP
• No employment income
• Lives with parents
• Lodged a Youth Allowance (YA) claim on 1 August 2022
• The study is a 1.5 year diploma that started on 3 July 2022
• No short course approval on the AEX screen
• Study has been reported on PBAS

• YA basic rate is lower than JSP
• Study is over 12 months, and Gertie should not be eligible for JSP from study start date, study has been accepted on Points Based Activation Summary (PBAS) reporting
• While Gertie cannot remain on JSP for a course of over 12 months, they will not be disadvantaged (e.g. JSP cancelled from study start date) where study has been accepted on any PBAS report since the study start date as part of their job seeking reporting requirements. Gertie is considered to be payable for both JSP and YA from 3 July 2022
• Qualification for JSP ceases on the date the YA claim is lodged
• Most beneficial grant date is 1 August 2022 - backdating YA to 3 July will result in a debt shell due to lower YA rate
• Record the reason for this decision in the claim finalisation Note/DOC

Shannon

• 24 years old
• Provider managed, receiving JSP
• No employment income
• Lives with parents
• Lodged a YA claim on 26 April 2023
• The study is a 3 year bachelor's degree that started on 28 February 2023
• No short course approval on the AEX screen
• No study reported on PBAS

• JSP basic rate is higher than YA, but Shannon loses entitlement to JSP on 28 February 2023 because the course is over 12 months, and it is not on the AEX screen or reported on PBAS
• YA can be backdated up to 13 weeks under Section 12 SS(A)A 1999, and can be granted from 28 February 2023
• A debt shell is created for investigation for the difference between JSP and YA rates
• Record the reason for this decision in the claim finalisation Note/DOC

Lorrae

• 34 years old
• Provider managed, receiving JSP
• Lodged an Austudy claim on 13 July 2023
• The study is a 2 year associate degree that started on 28 February 2023
• No short course approval on the AEX screen
• No study reported on PBAS

• Lorrae loses entitlement to JSP on 28 February 2023, as they are studying in a course that is longer than 12 months
• As the claim was lodged more than 13 weeks after the outgoing payment will cease, this claim is not considered a transfer. JSP is cancelled from study start date and Austudy is assessed as a standalone new claim
• Record the reason for this decision in the claim finalisation Note/DOC

Billy

• 23 years old
• Lives with parents
• Centrelink managed, receiving JSP
• Lodged a YA claim on 25 May 2023
• The study is a 3 year bachelor's degree that started on 1 August 2022
• Short course approval on the AEX screen

• JSP basic rate is higher than YA, but Billy cannot remain on JSP because they are studying in a course that is longer than 12 months
• For student claim purposes, as a Centrelink managed customer with approved study, Billy is considered to have met JSP requirements up to the day before their YA claim was lodged
• YA can backdated up to 13 weeks under Section 12 SS(A)A 1999. Billy qualifies for JSP and YA for that period. If:
• YA is most beneficial, grant YA from 13 weeks before claim lodged
• JSP is most beneficial, grant YA from claim lodgement date

Christy

• 28 years old
• Receiving JSP
• Single principal carer
• Reports earnings of $650 every 2nd or 3rd fortnight
• Lodged an Austudy claim on 23 April 2023
• The study is a 2 year TSC level course that started on 1 March 2023

• Christy may qualify for both JSP (with Pensioner Education Supplement (PES)) and Austudy for the period 1 March 2023-23 April 2023
• Student income test v Principal carer income test
• Course attracts SSLs
• As it is difficult to determine what is the most beneficial decision for Christy, call the customer to explain their options and assess as per customer preference. If their preference is to stay on JSP, issue a PES claim
• Record details of this conversation in the claim grant/rejection DOC

Paul

• 34 years old
• Receiving Parenting Payment Partnered (PPP)
• Partner is receiving JSP
• Their youngest child is 3 years old
• No employment income
• Lodged an Austudy claim
• The study is a TGD level course (any length)

• If Paul retains entitlement to PPP, there is no benefit to transfer to Austudy
• Customer contact is required. Paul may want to transfer to Austudy so that their partner can claim/transfer to PPP
• If Paul wants to transfer to Austudy so that their partner can claim and receive PPP, transfer to Austudy
• Record details of this conversation in the claim grant/reject DOC

Bianca

• 39 years old
• Receiving PPS
• Youngest child is 5 years old
• No employment income
• Lodged an Austudy claim
• The study is a TGB level course
• Customer has accepted SSLs for all periods

• For as long as Bianca retains entitlement to PPS, they are disadvantaged by transferring to Austudy due to the considerably lower rate, even taking SSL into account
• Do not take lodgement of the Austudy claim to mean Bianca has a preference to be transferred to Austudy
• Contact Bianca. This will likely confirm that Bianca was:
• trying to claim PES, or
• did not realise that either PPS or Austudy could be paid, not both.
  Assist Bianca to submit a PES claim
• Record details of this conversation in the claim grant/reject DOC
• Reject Austudy using reason code COP - Another Payment is More Appropriate