Initial contact for an early claim for family assistance and Parental Leave Pay (PPL) 007-01010020

Family Tax Benefit (FTB)

Early claims can be lodged up to 97 days before a child's expected date of birth or entrustment to care as part of an adoption process.

Proof of the child's birth or entrustment to care must be provided for the claim to be finalised.

Paid Parental Leave (PPL)

Early claims can be lodged up to 97 days before a child's expected date of birth or entrustment to care as part of an adoption process.

For children born before 1 July 2023, secondary/tertiary PPL customers can also claim in this period if they intend taking over primary care within 12 months for a PPL transfer.

Customers are encouraged to lodge an early claim. An early claim is used to assess the customer's eligibility and, for early PPL claims, to confirm their employer registration.

Proof of the child's birth or entrustment to care must be provided for the claim to be finalised.

For children born or adopted before 1 July 2023:

• For Parental Leave Pay to be paid from the date of birth or entry into care, the customer must lodge an effective claim with their child’s proof of birth or entry into care details within 28 days of the birth or entry into care
• The 28 day period commences the day after the date of birth or entry into care. If the customer lodges their claim or provides the required information after the 28 days, the earliest possible PPL period start date is the date of claim

For children born or adopted on or after 1 July 2023:

• Where a customer claims Parental Leave Pay proof or birth or entry into care must be provided within 56 days of the child’s birth or entry into care otherwise the claim will be made Not Effective (NEF)
• If proof or birth or entry into care is provided, a customer can have their PPL days backdated up to 100 days in the past, but not before the child’s date of birth or entry into care

Customers can change their claim choice up until payments start. Customers who choose to receive Newborn Supplement (NBS) with FTB Part A can still claim PPL even after payment has been made. Any NBS and Newborn Upfront Payment (NBU) that has been paid will be a recoverable debt.

Note: PPL will be counted as ordinary income for calculating the rate of Income Support Payments (ISP).

Customers who receive (or are intending to claim) an ISP should carefully consider the impact PPL will have on their ISP when making their claim choice.

Customers should be encouraged to make an early claim online. This provides customers with a streamlined experience and is the preferred service offer. Ensure customers have 'active' online account access before directing them to claim online.

If the customer is not capable or does not have access to suitable technology to claim online, a Claim for Parental Leave Pay and Family Tax Benefit (FA100) can be issued by a Service Officer.

Extra assistance is available to help remote Indigenous customers make a claim.

The customer must lodge their claim within the family assistance and PPL allowable early claim period and provide:

• information and evidence (if required) for the residence assessment for customers claiming FTB and PPL
• their Tax File Number (TFN)
• their bank account details
• the expected date of birth and primary care dates

Additionally, PPL customers must provide:

• information and evidence (if required) about how the customer meets the PPL work test and the PPL income test
• their employer's Australian Business Number (ABN)

For children born or adopted before 1 July 2023, primary claimants must also provide a nominated start date for their PPL period, if they are entitled to one.

The customer will be sent a letter advising the outcome of their early claim.

If assessed as eligible pending proof of birth or entry into care, they will be sent a reminder to provide proof of the child's birth.

Tell FTB customers claiming PPL that when their PPL claim is assessed pending proof of birth, FTB Part B will cease from the expected date of birth or entry into care, to reduce possible risk of overpayment during their PPL period.

For a family deemed unable or unsuitable to complete an online claim, when helping eligible remote Indigenous customers or when helping customers in crisis or financial hardship it is reasonable for additional assistance to be provided. Service Officers and the Smart Centres Families and Child Care (FCC) Processing team work in partnership to provide a suitable outcome. If appropriate, consider a verbal claim, if a claim is required. For verbal claims, the customer must agree to the privacy agreement before starting the claim. For these claims, the Assisted Customer Claim (ACC) can only be submitted if the customer meets the claim signature requirements by either accepting the Verbal Signature Declaration or returning a signed Families Declaration Form (FDF).

If the Verbal Signature Declaration has not been accepted, the workflow will generate an FDF for the customer to sign and return, before the ACC can be submitted.

Refer the activity to Families Processing for priority processing. See Progress of claim - Families claims.

ACC should not be used for verbal claims in any other circumstances.

Other payments have their own procedures for customers who cannot claim online.