Double Orphan Pension (DOP) savings provisions and precluding payments 007-06010020

Precluding payments are to be recorded on the Child General Circumstances (CHG) screen in the Other Payments: field.

• 'S'elect the child from the Child Selection (CHS) screen in the customer's record
• Before coding CHG screen for a child, these screens must be completed:
• Child in Customer Care (CHC) and
• Change Child (CCH) screens

Coding on CHG screen

To Insert information - type the child's Other Payment: details onto the first available blank line. The fields to be completed are:

• Event Date: the date of commencement of the Other Payment details
• Other Payment: Valid codes are:
• DVD - DOP paid by DVA
• DVA - Veterans' Children Education Scheme
• APA - Postgraduate Awards Scheme
• DPP - Dependent Precluding Payment
• LMP - Labour Market Program

Complete the DOR: (Date of Receipt) and Source: fields and press [Enter] to display the expanded literal details. If deleting details a 'Delete Y/N' prompt will display for confirmation. Type 'Y' or 'N' to confirm the deletion.

Note: in shared care arrangements, where one parent/carer is receiving Veterans' Children Education Scheme (VCES) or Military Rehabilitation and Compensation Act Education and Training Scheme (MRCAETS) from DVA for a child, this does not preclude the other parent/carer from claiming or continuing to receive FTB for this child. Both parent/carer's can be paid their shared care percentage of the payment they elect to receive. Staff must contact the Department of Veterans' Affairs (DVA) Centrelink Clearance Team to confirm eligibility in shared care cases.

Finalise on the Assessment Results (AR) screen.

'S'elect the child from the Child Selection (CHS) screen in the customer's record.

On the Child General Circumstances (CHG) screen, complete the following fields:

• Event Date: the date the child ceased Other Payment details
• Other Payment: 'CEA'

Note: the code 'CEA' is used when a child ceases to receive one of the 'Other Payments'. Coding CEA will stop any effect the 'Other Payment' has on the child's eligibility to Family Tax Benefit (FTB). An 'Other Payment' should not be deleted when it ceases.

The Child Miscellaneous Circumstances (CHM) screen contains 2 fields that indicate if a customer is affected by one of the DOP savings provisions:

• DOP Stu Sav Prov: field - DOP Student Savings Provision. This field will indicate that DOP can be paid for a student who receives Youth Allowance
• CDA/DOP Sav Prov: field - CDA/DOP Savings Provision. This field indicates the customer may be entitled to the CDA or DOP savings provision

For more information on the CHM screen, see Child Miscellaneous Circumstances (CHM) screen.

If Youth Allowance (YA) is cancelled and the child is still attracting DOP, or if DOP ceases for the child, then the DOP savings provision no longer exists. If YA is cancelled and DOP continues then the customer is entitled to DOP on normal grounds, not under the savings provision.

The savings provision indicator is to be set to 'N' with the effect date of the cancellation of YA. The savings indicator for DOP is found on the Child Miscellaneous Circumstances (CHM) screen.

If YA continues to be paid but DOP is cancelled and then the customer reclaims, the customer is no longer entitled under the savings provision (unless there is no break in entitlement with the re-grant). The savings indicator is to be set to 'N' by the Service Officer with the date of effect as the date of cancellation of DOP.

If the customer claims DOP for the same child and there is no break in entitlement the previous entry of 'N' is to be deleted by the Service Officer.

The Family Tax Benefit (FTB) student review is conducted when a child turns 16 and the customer receives FTB instalments. DOP is reviewed at the same time.

If the child is receiving Youth Allowance (YA) and DOP, the child must continue to meet the savings provisions.

If payment is to continue after a review, another review must be set for 2 years' time or sooner if appropriate.

Customers receiving DOP before 1 July 2008 who have 10-34% actual care of the DOP child will be paid DOP (base and additional) based on the rate payable on 30 June 2008.

Customers receiving DOP before 1 July 2008 who have at least 35% actual care of the DOP child will be paid the lower of:

• the DOP rate payable on 30 June 2008
• if the DOP child is an FTB child on or after 1 July 2008, the DOP rate payable on that date using the current DOP legislation (section 1010 of the Social Security Act as in force on 30 June 2008) and 1 July 2008 FTB legislation relevant for the FTB Part A rate for the purposes of the additional rate of DOP)

Family Tax Benefit customers with a DOP child will not have FTB saved, as it will be subject to the change to shared care assessment rules.

This savings provision ensured that families receiving Carer Allowance (previously Child Disability Allowance) and DOP were not disadvantaged by the 1993 changes to the Family Allowance income and assets tests.

Note: there are no more customers being paid under this savings provision.

The savings provision that applied to the assets test was repealed because the new Family Tax Benefit (FTB) does not have an assets test. The savings provision applying to the income test has been retained.

From 1 July 2000, customers with saved children were eligible to receive the FTB rate they were receiving at 30 June 2000 for the 'saved' child. This was either $24.00 or $50.00 per fortnight depending on the age of the child at the time. The customer continued to be paid the saved rate until they could be paid a higher rate under the income test for FTB Part A.

The savings provision did not apply to FTB Part B and partnered customers who needed need to provide an estimate to be paid the Part B component.