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Telephone Allowance (TAL) debts 107-04020090

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For staff responsible for raising debts.

This document outlines the circumstances where debts for overpayments of Telephone Allowance (TAL) should be raised and recovered. It also explains the different coding that must be used when a customer was the holder of a Commonwealth Seniors Health Card (CSHC) before to 20 September 2009 and receiving TAL.

Raising and recovering overpayment of TAL

This table describes the actions to take to raise and recover debts for overpayments of TAL.

Expand table

Step

Action

1

TAL Debt

A decision has been made that a debt for Telephone Allowance (TAL) is to be under subsection 1223(1).

If the debt is to be raised for a customer who is in receipt of TAL because they:

  • are in receipt of an eligible Social Security payment, go to Step 2
  • were a holder of a Commonwealth Seniors Health Card (CSHC) before 20 September 2009, go to Step 3

2

Eligible Social Security payment

The debt is raised under the primary benefit type. For example, Disability Support Pension (DSP), Age Pension etc.

Go to Step 4.

3

Commonwealth Seniors Health Card

The debt is raised as per normal debt processing, with the following exceptions:

  • The Debt Benefit Code is 'TEL'

On the Add Debt (OPAD) screen, the:

  • Reason field will default to TAD 'You were not entitled to Telephone Allowance'
  • Section of Act field will:
    • default with section 1223(1) of the Social Security Act 1991
    • remain unprotected to allow changes to the default section of the Act reference

Note: the Start Date for TEL debts can only be on or after 17 September 2001 as this was the date Seniors Health Care Card holders became eligible for TAL.

4

The Account Payable (OPAOD) screen

The OPAOD screen will be unprotected as per normal new debt processing. The text on OPAOD will default to:

  • 'You were not entitled to receive Telephone Allowance'