Verification of independence categories for Youth Allowance (YA) for Payment Accuracy Reviews (PAR) 110-14040020

Customers who do not qualify under any of the Independent criteria may need a Parent(s)/Guardian(s) details - for the BASE tax year and CURRENT tax year for dependent Youth Allowance or ABSTUDY customers form (MOD JY).

A MOD JY is not required if the customer is exempt from the Parental Income Test (PIT). See: Parental Income Test (PIT).

Customers, who are currently assessed as independent at the time of selection for Payment Accuracy Reviews, do not need to re-verify their circumstances, as long as nothing has changed.

If the customer’s circumstances have changed or if the customer is being assessed for independence for the first time, verification will be required. See the Process page.

The non-reviewable Independent categories include:

• 22 years of age or older
• PCH - have or have had a natural or legally adopted dependent child
• PBM, PCO - is or has been married or in a registered relationship
• PDF, PDS - previously lived, or are living in a de-facto relationship for at least 12 months, or at least 6 months when the relationship ended due to special circumstances
• PSS, PSC - worked for on average 30 hours a week for a total of 18 months within a 2 year period
• PSP, PPC - worked continuously for at least 15 hours a week for at least 2 years since they last left secondary school and the parental home is in a regional or remote area
• PSG, PGC - been out of secondary school for at least 14 months, have worked and earned in a 14 month period, 75% or more of Wage Level A of the National Training Wage schedule included in a modern award and the parental home is in a regional or remote area
• PAW (discontinued from 2 March 2023) - earned at least $15,000 gross income in approved agricultural work anytime between 30 November 2020 and 31 December 2021 for customers who claimed under this criteria from 1 March 2021 to 1 March 2023

The reviewable Independent categories include:

• POR - orphan
• PPG - parents unable to care for customer
• HDH, HNH, HOE, HSR - unreasonable to live at home (UTLAH)
• PRE - refugee without parents in Australia
• PSF, PSU - was or is in State care
• PCW - partial capacity to work (only for YA (job seekers)
• PSN - special safety net criteria for disadvantaged customers