Overseas absences for acute family crisis 061-01110030

Question: A Youth Allowance (YA) (job seeker) customer contacts Centrelink wanting to go overseas for between 3 weeks and 3 months to visit and care for an unwell family member. Where is the line drawn between visiting and caring?

Answer: The purpose of travelling must be either 'visiting' a family member who is critically ill, has been hospitalised with an illness which is serious, or, where a family member has died or is subject to another life-threatening situation over which they have no control (for example, hostage situation). Assuming ongoing caring responsibilities for someone does not satisfy the definition of acute family crisis. Payment can be approved to visit the family member but cannot be extended in order to provide ongoing care.

Example 1: A customer attends a service centre with a medical certificate saying their parent in the United Kingdom (UK) had suffered an asthma attack and had been admitted to hospital for observation but had been released before the customer left Australia. The customer wanted to go overseas to visit their parent and remain for 3 weeks to provide care.

This case as presented does not satisfy the criteria for acute family crisis as customer's parent was not critically ill or hospitalised with an illness which is serious.

Example 2: Customer attends a service centre with a medical certificate saying their parent in the United Kingdom (UK) has suffered an asthma attack with severe complications and has been admitted to hospital. The doctor advises that the parent is seriously ill and will have to stay at least 3 weeks due to the additional complications. The parent will also require someone to look after them for 4 weeks once they can be released from hospital. The customer is the only child.

In cases like these Centrelink must look at whether the doctor thought the parent was critically ill (life-threatening), or seriously ill in hospital. (Note: asthma can be life threatening. It is up to the doctor to say how critical it was).

Based on that case, the customer may be paid for 3 weeks to visit their parent but not for the additional time their parent needs ongoing care.

Question: Customer contacts Centrelink wanting to go overseas due to the death of a family member. What situations are considered reasonable for approving payment outside Australia if travel is related to the death of a family member?

Answer: Generally, payment would only be approved if the death of a family member occurred overseas and the customer wanted to attend the funeral. Consideration may be given to customers who are able to demonstrate they were unable to travel at the time of death.

This provision generally does not cover situations where a person wants to accompany a body or take ashes overseas nor situations where cultural or religious customs require a person to travel after the death (for example 12 month mourning period) as these are not acute situations.

Example 1: A JobSeeker Payment (JSP) customer contacts Centrelink advising a family member died in New Zealand 3 months ago. The customer was unwell at the time of the funeral, now they in a position to travel and would like to travel to New Zealand to say their farewell. This event has had a significant emotional impact on their life.

Consideration may be given under the acute family crisis provision, for a specific negotiated period, due to the impact on the customer's wellbeing.

Example 2: A DSP customer contacts Centrelink advising a family member died in Australia. It was the family member's wish to be buried overseas in their country of birth. As the only remaining relative in Australia, they would like to take the body overseas for burial.

This case does not satisfy the criteria of an acute family crisis as the death occurred in Australia, therefore there is no immediate crisis overseas which necessitates travel. DSP may still be payable from date of departure if the customer has general portability available. See Disability Support Pension (DSP) customer going overseas.

Question: Is there anything that should be done if CIS has not accepted that the customer is going overseas for an approved reason?

Answer: Check that an alternative reason for payment or an alternative payment type is not a possibility for the customer. For example: if a JobSeeker Payment (JSP) customer and PPP customer partner are going overseas due to the death of the PPP customer's father, JSP would not normally be portable. However, PPP is portable for 6 weeks for any reason. If the current PPP customer can qualify for JSP, they would satisfy the definition of acute family crisis and be payable for a specific negotiated period. If the current JSP customer qualifies for PPP, their payment would then be portable for up to 6 weeks.