Vacation of home to enter care situation (INH) reviews 110-02090000

Has the work item been allocated to a HVR processing Service Officer?

• Yes, go to Step 2
• No, escalate to home vacation review (HVR) processing if:
• customer contact is required
• documentation has been provided for a vacation of home review
• In Customer First create an open Work Item using Fast Note. Select Auto text, use Assessments and Reviews > Income and assets > Action required - Home vacation review
• If scanned documentation is determined to be for a Vacation of Home Review, close the scan Work Item. Include details of documentation received in the Fast Note
• Do not select link to existing activity or annotate the existing DOC, as this will finalise the review activity
• Do not restore payment if suspended due to non-compliance with a vacation of home review
• Procedure ends here

If a vacation of home to enter care situation (INH) review has matured, the Manual Follow-up (MFU) can be found on the Activity List (AL) screen with the code 'INH' (vacation of home).

Is the customer or partner currently in receipt of an income support payment (includes suspended payments)?

• Yes, go to Step 3
• No, no review required
• Remove the reason and date home vacated from the Accommodation Details (AC) screen
• Finalise the INH review
• Record details in a DOC via Fast Note - select Auto text, use Assessments and Reviews > Income and assets > 2YR Home Vacation Review
• If the customer or their partner have benefit status of RCA/CUR or RCA/NCL, go to Step 10
• Procedure ends here

Customers getting DSP (Blind) or Age Pension (Blind) payments may not need to disclose their income and assets To confirm status, check the Benefit Status line on Customer Summary.

Is this customer getting DSB - DSP (Blind) or AGB - Age Pension (Blind)?

• Yes, go to Step 4
• No, go to Step 5

Customers getting DSB - DSP (Blind) or AGB - Age Pension (Blind) payments do not need to disclose their income and assets, unless they are:

• getting Rent Assistance (RA), or
• have a partner who is getting or claiming an income and asset tested payment
• are in Aged Care and benefit status shows RCA/CUR or RCA/NCL, see Aged Care means assessment for more information

Check Pension Disability Information (PDI) and Accommodation Circumstances Summary (ACS) screens.

Is the customer required to disclose their income and assets?

• Yes, go to Step 5
• No, on the Accommodation Details (AC) screen:
• Update Home Ownership to a non-homeowner, see Home Ownership field on the Accommodation Details (AC) screen
• Event Date is the end date of the 2 year exemption period
• Clear the Reason Home Vacated field
• Clear the Date Home Vacated field
• Make sure the Blind - Income & Assets Exempt: field is coded 'Y' on the Pensions Disability Information (PDI) screen
• Finalise the INH review
• Record details in a DOC via Fast Note - select Auto Text, use Assessments and Reviews > Income and assets > 2YR Home Vacation Review
• If the customer or their partner have benefit status of RCA/CUR or RCA/NCL, go to Step 10
• Procedure ends here

Check the Marital Status (MS) screen. Confirm if customer is currently or was previously a member of a couple since the date they entered a care situation.

Check the RCA Institution Summary (RIS) and Accommodation Details (AC) screens for date home vacated to enter care.

Has the customer remained single since the date they entered a care situation?

• Yes, see Table 2
• No, go to Step 6

INH reviews may be set, but no longer required if:

• both parties enter a care situation where one member of the couple returns to the principal home
• there has been a change in relationship status from single to partnered since entering care

Is the customer currently coded as partnered on Marital Status (MS) screen?

• Yes, go to Step 7
• No, go to Step 9

Is the customer’s current partner currently a homeowner, e.g. living in the principal home or proceeds of sale exempt?

• Yes, the customer remains a homeowner while their partner is considered a homeowner. On Accommodation Details (AC) screen:
• Home Ownership for customer remains a homeowner (GFH)
• Home Ownership for partner remains a homeowner (HOM)
• Clear the Reason Home Vacated field
• Clear the Date Home Vacated field
• Make sure the correct qualifier code exists on Marital Status (MS) screen - ILC for customer and ILP for partner. See Assessment of circumstances for a couple separated due to illness
• Check the proceeds of the sale and exemption have been correctly recorded? See Sale of principal home
• Finalise the INH review
• Record details in a DOC via Fast Note - select Auto Text, use Assessments and Reviews > Income and assets > 2YR Home Vacation Review
• If the customer or their partner have benefit status of RCA/CUR or RCA/NCL, go to Step 10
• Procedure ends here
• No, go to Step 8

Check the RCA Institution Summary (RIS) and Accommodation Details (AC) screens for date home vacated to enter care situation.

Has the customer's partner vacated the former home to enter a care situation at a later date than the customer?

• Yes, set a new vacation of home review date (this only applies if the date the partner entered care is later than the customer)
• Update the Date Home Vacated field on the customer's AC screen. This will be the date the partner entered care. Code ‘INH’ in the Reason Home Vacated field
• A new INH review will be created
• A 2 year exemption period applies from this date
• Finalise the INH review. Do not finalise if the new expiry date is within 6 weeks of the 2 year end date, see Table 2
• Record details in a DOC via Fast Note - select Auto Text, use Assessments and Reviews > Income and assets > 2YR Home Vacation Review
• If the customer or their partner have benefit status of RCA/CUR or RCA/NCL, go to Step 10
• No, see Table 2

If a care recipient has been a member of a couple at any time while in care, the date the home was vacated may need to be changed. This depends on what has happened to the care recipient's partner and the former home.

Death of partner

If a customer’s partner passed away after the customer vacated their home to enter a care situation, the start date of the 2 year exemption is set from the later of the date:

• the customer entered a care situation
• the partner entered a care situation
• of the partner’s death, if they lived in the principal home

On the AC screen:

• Update the Date Vacated Home field on the surviving customer's AC screen, to the date of death of their deceased partner. Code ‘INH‘ in the Reason Home Vacated field
• A new INH review will be created
• Finalise the INH review. Do not finalise if the new expiry date is within 6 weeks of the 2 year end date, see Table 2
• Record details in a DOC via Fast Note - select Auto Text, use Assessments and Reviews > Income and assets > 2YR Home Vacation Review

Customer separates

If a customer separates after vacating their home to enter a care situation, the start date of their 2 year exemption is the date the customer entered a care situation.

The end date of the exemption may revert to an earlier date if:

• the original review date was based on a later date because the previous partner entered care, or
• no review was set as the customer's previous partner was residing in the principal home

The exemption period does not start from the date the relationship ended.

If customer or partner have benefit status of RCA/CUR or RCA/NCL updates to Residential Care Asset Assessment (RCAA) screen may be required.

• Aged Care skilled staff only can complete this process
• Non Aged Care staff refer to Aged Care (RCA) team by creating a Fast Note. Select Auto text - Aged Care > Enquiry > Aged Care Principal Home

Procedure ends here.

If the customer has sold or rented their former principal home, notification should have been provided for the:

• sale and destination of the proceeds, see Sale of principal home
• rental arrangement, see Assessing income from real estate and timeshare

If the former principal home was rented the home should already be recorded on the Real Estate (RE) screen as Type: EXE (exempt asset General 2 year exemption). The rental income should be included in the income test and the asset exemption ended at the end of the 2 year exemption.

Is the former principal home already recorded on Real Estate (RE) screen?

• Yes, go to Step 8
• No, go to Step 2

Check Accommodation Details (AC) screen for:

• LIF - Bequeathed life interest
• DEE - Deemed interest code

Does the customer have a life interest or deemed interest in the former home?

• Yes,
• Make a referral to a Complex Assessment Officer. Include in the referral notes the referral is due to a 2 year home vacation review
• Finalise the INH review
• Record details in a DOC use Fast Note - select Auto text, use Assessments and Reviews > Income and assets > 2YR Home Vacation Review
• Procedure ends here
• No, go to Step 3

Check for evidence on the customer record that the former home been sold:

• AC screen - customer Homeowner Ownership field - was a homeowner (e.g. codes GFH, NHH or HOM) at the time entered care, now a non-homeowner (codes GFN, NHN or NHO)
• Savings Summary (SVS) screen - check for significant increases in funds since the date of entering care
• DOCs (including archived) - to confirm notification of the sale and distribution of proceeds
• Documentation provided to confirm the sale of the former home

Check for evidence on record that former home has been sold, and either the:

• proceeds of the sale have already been recorded (see Sale of principal home)
• required documentation has been provided to confirm the sale and destination of proceeds (see Sale of principal home)

Is there evidence of either of the above?

• Yes, go to Step 10
• No, go to Step 4

If the ownership of the former principal home is unknown:

• Make a request for information using a QSS32 - Former home (see the Resources page
  Note: this is an example only. Tailor the request for information to the customer’s circumstances
• If the customer has a correspondence nominee, copies of letters and notices sent to the customer must also be sent to the nominee
• If a correspondence nominee is not recorded or documented, include the optional text on how to get an Authorising a person or organisation to enquire or act on your behalf (SS313) form (see the Resources page)
• Take care when a customer has a current Residential Care Assessment (RCA) record. The customer may be in an aged care home and not able to notify of their change of address or circumstances. Check that the request for information is being sent to the correct address
• Place the INH review on hold for 21 days+ delivery (allow extra time for mail delivery)
• Record details in a DOC use Fast Note - select Auto text, use Assessments and Reviews > Income and assets > 2YR Home Vacation Review
• Procedure ends here pending response

Has a response to the request for information been returned with the required information?

• Yes, go to Step 6
• No, go to Step 5

If the requested documentation has not been provided and the customer has a correspondence nominee, make 2 genuine attempts to contact the nominee to:

• explain the home vacation review requirements
• confirm ownership of the former principal home
• confirm current mailing addresses for customer and nominee (update if required)
• decide if an extension is needed to provide requested documents

Take care when a customer has a current Residential Care Assessment (RCA) record. The customer may be in an aged care home and not able to notify of their change of address or circumstances. Check that the request for information has been sent to the correct address.

If there is a correspondence nominee, check if copies of the request for information have been issued.

For action to take for Residential Care Assessment (RCA) customers, see:

• Correspondence returned to Centrelink 'Whereabouts unknown’
• Change of address to an aged care home

Has the end date of the 2 year exemption been reached?

• Yes, go to Step 11
• No,
• hold INH review for the end date of the 2 year exemption
• record details in a DOC use Fast Note - select Auto text, use Assessments and Reviews > Income and assets > 2YR Home Vacation Review

Does the customer still own the former principal home?

• Yes, go to Step 7
• No, go to Step 8

If the former home has not been sold at the end of the 2 year exemption:

• the customer is treated as a non-homeowner
• the principal home is an assessable asset

On the Accommodation Details (AC) screen update these fields:

• Home Ownership with the required non-homeowner code:
• GFN - Non homeowner in Govt funded Aged Care
• SRN - Non homeowner Lives in Special Residence
• Event Date is the end date of the 2 year exemption
• Clear Reason Home Vacated
• Clear Date Home Vacated

Update partner's AC screen if relevant.

Is the former home a retirement village unit?

• Yes, go to Step 9
• No, go to Step 8

If the former principal home is already coded on the REBI screen (due to rental income) as an exempt asset General 2 year exemption code NAA, end date the entry:

• Update the REBI screen: Remove any entry in Sold/Gifted/Ceased and code 'C' for change in Action field
• Update the Real Estate (RE) screen with the following details from Mod R:
• % Asset Owned
• Current Market Value
• Gross Annual Income
• Allowable Income Dedns
• Annual Interest
• Make sure the Curtilage type field is blank as curtilage no longer applies
• Event Date is the end date of the 2 year exemption

If the former home was not recorded on REBS screen, record the former home on the RE screen as an assessable asset.

Follow the process for Assessing and coding the Real estate details Mod R: The Event Date on the RE screen is the same as recorded on the AC screen.

Finalise the INH review.

Record details in a DOC use Fast Note - select Auto text, use Assessments and Reviews > Income and assets > 2YR Home Vacation Review.

Procedure ends here.

If the former home is a retirement village and the customer has not received a refund of their entry contribution:

• Check the Other Assets Summary (OASS) screen to see if any entry contribution is being assessed. If it is, select it to go to the OAS screen
• Enter the description as 'OTHER ASSET'
• In the Total Asset $: field, update value as detailed below:
• If the customer has not received a refund but expects to later, for example, when the unit has sold, do not remove the asset value of the entry contribution until the refund is received

If an assessable amount is not already coded, the net refundable amount should now be on the OAS screen as it is no longer exempt. This is because the Entry Contribution was exempt (more than the Extra Allowable Amount).

If the customer has not received a refund, check the contract for the previous retirement village:

• If the terminology indicates a loan has been created between the customer and the retirement village, the deeming provisions would apply on the balance due to the customer. See Loans
• If not, then deeming would not apply

Procedure ends here.

If the home is sold during the 2 year exemption period:

• the customer is treated as a non-homeowner, and
• proceeds of sale are assessed as an asset and subject to deeming from the date of sale of the former principal home

On the Accommodation details (AC) screen update these fields:

• Update Home Ownership with the required non-homeowner code:
• GFN - Non homeowner in Govt funded Aged Care, if not already coded
• SRN - Non homeowner Lives in Special Residence, if not already coded
• Event Date: settlement date for the sale of the home
• Clear Reason Home Vacated
• Clear Date Home Vacated

Update the partner's AC screen if relevant.

Follow the process for Sale of principal home.

Code the income and asset changes including removing the Household and Personal Effects (HPE) from the Other Asset Summary (OAS) screen.

Finalise the INH review.

Record details in a DOC via Fast Note - select Auto text, use Assessments and Reviews > Income and assets > 2YR Home Vacation Review.

Procedure ends here.

If the customer was issued an appropriate request for information/action and has failed to reply within the allowable time, the payment may be suspended FRC.

Refer to the payment specific process for suspension instructions:

• Suspension of Age Pension
• Suspension of Disability Support Pension (DSP)

DOC the suspension of payment and include the text:

Please refer to the 2YR Home Vacation Review DOC dated (xx/xx/xx) for further information relating to this matter

Close DOC - 2YR Home Vacation Review.

Finalise the home vacation review adding in the notes ‘payment suspended FRC'.

If the documentation is received for Home Vacation Review, scan to file, do not restore payments.

Escalate to HVR processing, create an open work item use Fast Note - select Auto text, use Assessments and Reviews > Income and assets > Action required - Home vacation review.

If the care recipient has passed away when the payment is suspended, HVR processing staff are to restore payment from the date payment was suspended. Service Officers in a service centre or smart centre can then proceed with DEA action.