Death of a Double Orphan Pension (DOP) child 007-04070000

When an advice is received of the death of a child, offer social worker assistance.

If the deceased child was also a care receiver for Carer Payment (CP) and/or Carer Allowance (CA), see:

• Death of a care receiver and the effect on Carer Payment (CP)
• Death of a child care receiver and the effect on Carer Allowance (CA)

All advices of the death of a child who is being paid Family Tax Benefit (FTB), Double Orphan Pension (DOP), Parental Leave Pay (PPL) and/or Dad and Partner Pay (DAP) are processed by the Families Bereavement and Double Orphan Pension (DOP) Processing Team.

• If the child's death has not yet been recorded, go to Step 2
• If the child's death has already been recorded, an automatic activity will appear to process the bereavement assistance for DOP. Transfer the activity using office code as 'DOP' with a keyword of 'BVE'. Go to Step 3

Double Orphan Pension (DOP) and Bereavement Smart Centre Processing staff, see step 1 of the Assess and calculate bereavement assistance, record death and check outcome table.

Obtain as much information as possible to allow identification of the child and correct assessment of payments, this results in less future contact with the customer at a stressful time.

Using the Notifications of death - FTB/CCB only/DAP and/or PPL child Fast Note, record all of the following information:

• full name and address and contact number of the person notifying of the death
• full name, address, contact number and Customer Reference Number (CRN) of the customer receiving FTB/PPL/DAP/DOP
• full name, date of birth and date of death of the deceased child
• name of the funeral director or hospital able to confirm the date of death
• whether FTB payment options were discussed and if the customer has chosen to be paid via instalments or a lump sum
• any other information considered to be confirmation of the death of a child
• whether there are any doubts regarding the information provided
• name of any person charged with the death of the child/ren

If the child's death has already been recorded, an automatic activity will appear to process the bereavement assistance for DOP. Transfer the activity using office code as 'DOP' with a keyword of 'BVE'.

Ensure the ACTDOC generated by the Fast Note is transferred to the Smart Centres Families Bereavement and DOP Team (region code DOP) to complete. See DOP in Office Locator for more information.

Does the person advising of the child's death and/or the Service Officer need assistance because the bereavement enquiry is complex?

• Yes, go to Step 3
• No, procedure ends here

For complex enquiries relating to child bereavement contact the DOP/Bereavement helpdesk.

Record the details of the child's death to prevent overpayments and to ensure the carer receives any bereavement assistance they are entitled to. If the child was attracting any other payments follow the procedures specific to that payment and then return to this procedure.

Was Parenting Payment (PP) or Family Tax Benefit being paid for the child?

• Yes, see:
• Death of a Parenting Payment (PP) child, and
• Death of a family assistance or Paid Parental Leave scheme child
• once appropriate 'child dies' procedure is actioned, go to Step 3
• No, go to Step 3

The carer is entitled to bereavement assistance by way of a lump sum or continuing payments for the bereavement period (up to 14 weeks from date of death) if immediately prior to the child's death:

• the child was a Family Tax Benefit (FTB) child of a person, or
• the carer was receiving a service pension and the rate included a dependent child add on or guardian allowance for the child

For more information, see Bereavement payment of Family Tax Benefit (FTB).

If the child was not an FTB child, the carer is entitled to 4 weeks of continuing payments from the date of death.

The system will automatically set up the correct date to cease payment.

• To calculate bereavement lump sum, go to Step 3
• To record death of DOP child, go to Step 4

• Calculate the rate at which DOP was payable immediately before the first available bereavement adjustment payday. The result is called the continued rate
• Calculate the number of the person's paydays in the bereavement period
• Multiply the continued rate by the number of the person's bereavement period paydays. The result is the amount of the lump sum payable to the person under this section

Access the carer's record.

Go to the Child Selection (CHS) screen by typing 'CHS' in Nxt: or by 'S'electing from the FAO Task Selector (FTS) screen.

A list of the customer's children will display, 'S'elect the deceased child and press [Enter].

The Child Task Selector (CHTS) screen will display, 'S'elect the Change Child (CCH) screen and press [Enter].

Record the date of death in the Date of death: field and press [Enter].

Complete footer details date of receipt and source.

Record all details on a DOC.

Access the Assessment Results (AR) screen.

Is the customer claiming a lump sum bereavement payment?

• Yes, go to Step 5
• No, record the details on a DOC and finalise activity via the AR screen. Procedure ends here

• on the AR screen there will be a line: DOP/BRV/OOP
• check the amount recorded to ensure the correct amount of bereavement lump sum will be paid
• if the amount is incorrect check the dates recorded within the activity, specifically the recorded date of death and date of receipt

Record the details on a DOC and finalise activity via the AR screen.