Payability and delivery of Dad and Partner Pay (DAP) 007-05020040

Service Officers can check the nominated start date by accessing the Online Claim Summary page. This can be located in Customer First workspace>Family Assistance>DAP circumstances Guided Procedure.

See, Change in circumstance for Dad and Partner Pay (DAP).

An individual claimant can receive both DAP and PPL for the same child. However:

• PPL and DAP must be taken at different times
• a maximum of 18 weeks of combined payments can be paid to 1 person

A family can receive a maximum of 20 weeks DAP and PPL combined for the same child (for example, 2 weeks DAP may be paid to the father at the same time that 18 weeks PPL is paid to the mother).

A customer can receive PPL for one child and DAP for another child at the same time.

In the case of a multiple birth, only one child may be payable for DAP. However in the event there is a significant delay between the births of the children from the same pregnancy, for example, 5 days apart, the births may be considered separate birth events and not part of a multiple birth. In these cases DAP may be payable for each child.

In addition only one child may be payable for DAP where multiple children are adopted as part of the same adoption process.

This applies even if the children from the same adoption process are being cared for in separate family units.

Note: If the claimant is claiming for DAP for more than one child from the same pregnancy (for example, twins) due to a significant delay between births of each child, for example 5 days between deliveries, advise the claimant they must provide a letter from the doctor/midwife who attended the births confirming the children were of the same pregnancy but born in separate birthing events.

These cases must be referred to the New Parent Programmes team with a letter from the doctor/midwife who attended the births confirming the children were of the same pregnancy but born in separate birthing events. The Resources page contains a link to the New Parent Programmes team contact details.

Customers and their employers may negotiate an arrangement where the employer pays a top up amount to supplement the employee's DAP.

The top up may be an adjustment to either part or full income replacement during the DAP period, and may be paid as a bonus or be deducted from the employee's leave balances.

This top up payment is not considered to be paid leave for the purposes of DAP eligibility under the Paid Parental Leave Act 2010. Customers are not required to advise Services Australia of these arrangements.

If leave is paid for any other purpose (such as sick leave or annual leave) during the DAP period, the customer would not be eligible to be paid DAP at the same time. In these cases customers must notify a change in circumstances for Dad and Partner Pay (DAP).

The payment rate applicable on each day of the DAP period is the daily rate of the National Minimum Wage.

The daily rate of the National Minimum Wage is applied to week days, Monday to Fridays. The daily rate for Saturday and Sunday is $0.

If an increase in the National Minimum Wage occurs during the DAP period, the customer will receive the new rate for the applicable days.

PAYG withholdings will be deducted from the customer's DAP payment automatically at a rate of 15%.

If the customer wishes to change the deduction amount (0% - 50%), see Managing Australian Taxation Office (ATO) tax deductions.

A Payment Summary will be generated on the system at the end of the financial year for which DAP was paid and customers can access a Payment Summary through a range of self service options.

The payment summary can be viewed on the Tax Payment Summary (TXGS) screen.

A year to date amount can be viewed on the Tax Year to Date Totals (TXYTD) screen.

Other deductions

PAYG tax withholdings may be deducted from DAP.

No other deductions may be taken from DAP. This includes deductions relating to:

• Child support debts and liabilities
• Debt recovery
• Centrepay
• Rent deductions scheme, or
• Compulsory rent deduction scheme

If the claim is granted prior to the nominated start date, DAP will be paid at the beginning of the DAP period.

Note: payment will be made shortly after the DAP period nominated start date and only when verification of birth and all requested documents have been provided and updated on the customer's record.

DAP can be paid at the same time as other family assistance and income support payments and does not preclude a person’s entitlement to family assistance.

DAP is treated as taxable income and counts as income for other payments, including:

• Parental Leave Pay (PPL)
• Family Tax Benefit (FTB) Part A
• FTB Part B
• any future DAP
• DAP is treated as ordinary income for calculating the rate of payment for income support payments.

DAP is not Income Managed. See: Identification and eligibility for Income Management.