Additional Child Care Subsidy (ACCS) (transition to work) eligibility and applications 007-17103149

To be eligible for ACCS (transition to work), customers must be eligible for CCS.

Is the customer current on CCS or eligible for CCS?

• Yes, go to Step 2
• No, the customer is not eligible for ACCS (transition to work). Procedure ends here.

To be eligible for ACCS (transition to work) the customer must be receiving an eligible income support payment, which includes:

• JobSeeker Payment (JSP)
• Youth Allowance (YA)
• Parenting Payment (PPP/PPS)
• Disability Support Pension (DSP)
• Carer payment (CP)
• Special Benefit (SpB)
• ABSTUDY Living Allowance (means tested)
• Austudy
• Farmhouse Household Allowance (FHA)

Is the customer in receipt of an eligible income support payment?

• Yes, go to Step 3
• No, the customer is not eligible for ACCS (transition to work). Procedure ends here

The customer must meet the ACCS (transition to work) recognised participation requirements, which include:

• Study requirements
• Job search requirements, or
• Work, or
• Training requirements:
• Vocational Training
• Other non-vocational training, which includes other programs to improve employment prospects.

The recognised participation type undertaken should be recorded for CCS on the Recognised Participation Details (RPD) screen if the customer completes more than 48 hours each fortnight.

Note: customers commencing recognised participation types in the future can apply for ACCS (transition to work) no more than 28 days before the start date.

For more information see ACCS (transition to work) approved recognised participation types and time limits.

Is the customer undertaking or commencing an ACCS (transition to work) approved recognised participation type within 28 days of claiming?

• Yes, go to Step 4
• No, the customer is not eligible for ACCS (transition to work). Advise the customer they can make an application online no earlier than 28 days before starting an ACCS (transition to work) approved recognised participation type. Procedure ends here

In addition to receiving an eligible income support payment and undertaking an approved recognised participation type, the individual must also meet the following criteria:

• The Adjusted Taxable Income (ATI) does not exceed the Child Care Subsidy (CCS) lower income threshold amount, and
• The individual has an active Job Plan or Participation Plan (where required)
• The time limits for which ACCS (transition to work) can be paid have not been exceeded. For more information, see Additional Child Care Subsidy (ACCS) (transition to work) approved recognised participation types and time limits

For study or training recognised participation types, proof of enrolment must be documentation from the educational institution confirming:

• the individual's name
• the name of the educational institution
• course name and qualification level
• start and end dates of the course
• study load - full-time/part-time or percentage load. Note: the study load requirements for ACCS (transition to work) are the same as those for income support payments for studying. For more information, see Assessing Study Load requirements

Further proof of enrolment information is required for customers studying with Open Universities Australia. If the customer is unable to provide evidence that they are studying towards a qualification, they are not eligible for ACCS (transition to work).

Has the customer been studying for 6 months or more before applying for ACCS (transition to work)?

• Yes, go to Step 2
• No, go to Step 3

An individual studying a course between levels 2 and 8 of the Australian Qualifications Framework study level (Certificate II to Graduate Diploma) have to be making satisfactory progress to meet the ACCS (transition to work) recognised participation requirements.

An individual enrolled in a course that is 12 months or longer, are required to provide evidence of their progress towards course completion every 12 months.

Further, if an individual has been studying for more than 6 months when applying for ACCS (transition to work), they are required to demonstrate satisfactory progress as well as proof of enrolment when applying for ACCS (transition to work).

Satisfactory progress means the individual is participating in the course and achieving the minimum requirements of that course to the satisfactory of the course provider (such as achieving a pass grade for at least one of their subjects). Documentation to support progression can include:

• Academic transcripts of results
• Certificates of attainment
• Other official documentation, including letters from their course provider confirming attendance, completion of the course/modules, and that detail the course/modules that have been attempted/completed

For work recognised participation types, suitable evidence may include:

• for paid work, a letter and/or pay slip/s from their employer or business, outlining:
• the individual's name
• the name of employer or business
• employment or business ABN
• start and end date (if applicable)
• role or position
• hours of work and pay rate
• for unpaid work (in a family business, work experience placement, internship or voluntary work), a letter from their employer/business, outlining:
• the individual's name
• the name of employer or business
• employment or business ABN
• start and end date (if applicable)
• role or position
• hours of work
• for voluntary work evidence also needs to include sufficient information to confirm it will reasonably be expected to improve their work skills and/or employment prospects
• for setting up a business, evidence outlining:
• registration of business, including business name
• business ABN
• business start date

For training participation types, suitable evidence may include:

For apprenticeships and traineeships, a letter from the company (if applicable) or educational institution outlining:

• the individual's name
• the name of the educational institution
• course name and qualification level
• start and end dates of the course and

Note: where the apprenticeship or traineeship is included in the Student Assistance (Education Institutions and Courses) Determination 2009 (No. 2) it is considered an approved course of education or study. Staff should assess whether customer is eligible for ACCS (transition to work) under Study as a more beneficial (for timing limits) recognised participation type.

Evidence of non-vocational training, that is other programs, customers are required to provide details of the program which should include:

• the individual's name
• the name of the provider
• the program name and purpose
• start and end dates of the program

Where a customer's job search efforts are monitored by an Employment Service Provider as part of their mandatory mutual obligation requirements, no additional evidence is required to support this recognised participation type however, evidence may be requested if required.

If an individual has no requirement to look for work, and is participating in the recognised participation type voluntarily (even where registered with an Employment Service Provider), evidence of looking for work is required. Evidence may include, but is not limited to:

• a letter from their Employment Service Provider confirming the customer is undertaking job search activities
• a record of job search activities
• a record of contacts or copies of correspondence with potential employers
• a list of jobs applied for - this may be in the form of a print out of their profile from an employment site which lists positions applied for

Customers can apply for ACCS (transition to work) at the same time as lodging a claim for CCS, or separately where they are already receiving CCS.

The preferred method for lodging an application for ACCS (transition to work) is via Centrelink online account, as this is the most convenient and efficient method for lodgement and assessment of claims.

• Online claim for CCS/ACCS (transition to work), go to Step 2
• Assisted Customer Claim (ACC) for CCS/ACCS (transition to work), go to Step 3
• Online application for ACCS (transition to work), go to Step 9
• In very limited circumstances, a customer can be issued an offline (paper) form - FA085 Application for Additional Child Care Subsidy (transition to work). The Resources page has a link to the form

Before issuing a FA085, Service Officers must review the customer's record to confirm they:

• are CCS current
• receive an ACCS (transition to work) eligible income support payment
• have an income estimate equal to or below the lower income threshold
• have an ACCS (transition to work) recognised participation type recorded for CCS on the RPD screen if the customer completes more than 48 hours each fortnight

Note: There is no verbal application for CCS current customers wishing to apply for ACCS (transition to work).

Customers can apply for ACCS (transition to work) at the same time they complete a CCS claim. For information about claiming CCS, see Claiming Child Care Subsidy (CCS) and Additional Child Care Subsidy (ACCS).

If the customer receives an ACCS (transition to work) eligible income support payment, the CCS claim will present the customer with the option to claim ACCS (transition to work). For details of the ACCS (transition to work) question set, go to Step 5.

After completing the CCS/ACCS claim, the Next steps page displays:

• a list of Required tasks, which will include any evidence requirements for ACCS (transition to work)
• the date by which the claim must be submitted before it will expire
• a link to Upload documents service with an Upload button against each Required task

All Required tasks must be provided before the customer can Submit their CCS/ACCS claim.

Customers can access their online claim to return to the Next steps page at any time before it is submitted.

Customers have the option to:

• go Back to the Review your claim page
• Save their claim

Until all required documentation has been provided, and the claim submitted, it is deemed no claim has been lodged or decision made. This means a customer's CCS payment can only be backdated from the date the claim is submitted. This is not reviewable.

Note: while CCS can be backdated up to 28 days from the date of claim, ACCS (transition to work) start dates cannot be backdated. The start date for ACCS (transition to work) applications is the start of the next CCS fortnight after the date the claim was submitted.

Started claims will automatically expire after 13 weeks.

Procedure ends here.

An ACC is available for customers who:

• Are not eligible for self service or
• a staff member has deemed self services to be inappropriate based on their circumstances

An ACC can also assist Indigenous customers living in remote communities who have language or literacy barriers affecting their capacity to use online claims or forms.

Before using the ACC workflow to complete a verbal claim, or enter details from an offline (paper) claim, Service Officers must update the customer's personal details via the Change in Contact Details workflow as these questions are not asked in the ACC. If the ACC started before the workflow was run, the claim can be saved and the updates made outside the claim before submitting it. Updates made using the Change in Contact Details workflow will appear on the Review and Submit page in the ACC.

For information about claiming CCS via an ACC, see Claiming Child Care Subsidy (CCS) and Additional Child Care Subsidy (ACCS).

When completing an ACC for CCS, if the customer is in receipt of an ACCS (transition to work) eligible payment, the ACC will prompt the Service Officer to ask whether they wish to apply for ACCS (transition to work).

If there is a started CCS claim on the Customer Claim Summary, the claim can be:

• continued by selecting the pencil icon under the Actions column
• cancelled by selecting the trash icon under the Actions column

'Channel Hopping' within the ACC workflow allows:

• the customer to start a claim online and have it continued by a Service Officer, or
• a Service Officer to help a customer with starting a claim, which would then be completed by the customer online (a Centrelink online account linked to myGov is required)

Go to Step 4.

If a customer indicates they are undertaking an ACCS (transition to work) approved recognised participation type, and receiving an eligible income support payment, they will be presented with the 'Additional Child Care Subsidy - Transition to Work' page:

Do you want to be assessed for Additional Child Care Subsidy (transition to work)?

• If No is selected, the customer will not be required to complete any further relevant to (transition to work). Go to Step 5
• If Yes is selected, customers will be required to provide details of the recognised participation type (or types) they would like to claim ACCS for:
• Study
• Vocational training - including training or unpaid work experience or internship
• Other non-vocational training programs
• Work - including paid work, volunteering, unpaid work in a family owned business or setting up a business
• Looking for work

Study

If the customer has been enrolled in any course of study within the last 10 years, details of the study are required, including if the course was completed.

Full details of the course currently being undertaken, or to commence within the next 28 days, are required:

• Education institution
• Full name of course
• Level of study
• Study load (full time/part time)
• Start date and expected end date

Vocational training

Full details of the vocational training being undertaken, or to commence within the next 28 days, are required:

• Name of training institution
• Full name of course
• Type of course
• Study load (full time/part time)
• Start date and expended end date

Other non-vocational program

Full details of the non-vocational program being undertaken, or to commence within the next 28 days, are required:

• Name of the provider/institution
• Name of the program
• Start date and expected end date

Work

Details for each employer are required:

• Type of work (paid work, unpaid voluntary work, unpaid work in a family owned business, or setting up a business)
• Employer's name
• Employment start date
• End date (if applicable) or Ongoing

Looking for work

The name of the customer's Employment Service Provider is required (if applicable) and the start date they commenced looking for work.

After providing details of all recognised participation types, the Subsidy Period page will display:

• Would you like us to start paying your Additional Child Care Subsidy from the earliest possible start date?
• Select Yes or No as appropriate. If No is selected, customers will need to advise what date they would like to start receiving ACCS, noting the start date must be a future date and the first Monday of a CCS fortnight
• When do you want the Additional Care Subsidy to end? Customers have the following options:
• Specific end date (customers to advise)
• After the maximum allowable period has been exhausted

Go to Step 5.

Check that all information is correct on the Review your claim page.

If answers need to be corrected, select the relevant Update button

If personal details need to be corrected, exit the ACC and update using the Change in Contact Details workflow. This information will then populate into the claim

Verbal claim declaration

Does the customer agree to a verbal declaration script being read to meet their signature requirements?

• Yes, Service Officers must select the my obligations hyperlink (bottom of review page) and read the claim declaration to the customer. Select the 'I have read, understood and accept my obligations' check box. Go to Step 6
• No, ask the customer to sign in to their online account, accept the Declaration and Acknowledgement and submit their claim. Note: as a last resort, a Customer Declaration Form (CDF) can be provided.
• The CDF must be printed by selecting the printer icon on the right of the Review and submit page, and issued to the customer to sign and return. Advise the customer the claim will not be taken as submitted until the signed CDF is returned, and any supporting documentation (if applicable) is provided
• Run the Request and Manage Customer Tasks guided procedure in Customer First to request the claimant return the signed CDF within 14 days
• Ask claimant to sign CDF. Scan CDF to their record

Go to Step 6.

This page lists:

• information or tasks required for the claim to be submitted
• bank account and TFN details will display as supplementary tasks
• the date by which the claim must be submitted before it expires
• links to download or print required forms

Advise the customer of documents or evidence requirements, particularly in relation to ACCS (transition to work), explaining their claim cannot be lodged until the evidence is provided. Where the customer has not agreed to the verbal declaration, they will need to submit their claim online via Online Services.

An ACC can be saved and will remain in draft for 13 weeks, after which time it will expire and a new claim (ACC) will need to be initiated.

Is documentation/evidence required?

• Yes, go to Step 7
• No, select Save. Go to Step 8

Encourage customers to access their Centrelink online account or the Express Plus Centrelink mobile app to upload documents and then submit their claim.

On the Next steps page there is a link to the Upload documents service with an Upload button against each Required task.

If the customer uploaded or provided documents before starting the ACC, access the customer's record in Process Direct and select the Documents icon. Investigate if documents are available to support the CCS/ACCS claim. Go to the Tasks icon in Process Direct and ensure the required documents have been updated to 'Provided'.

Has required documentation/evidence been provided?

• Yes, go to Step 8
• No, select Save. An ACC cannot be submitted if required documentation has not been provided. Advise the customer their date of claim will only take effect from the date they provide their documentation/evidence. Also advise the customer their started claim will expire in 13 weeks, after which time they will need to initiate a new claim. Procedure ends here

If it is determined sufficient evidence is available and accessible to support the CCS/ACCS claim, Service Officers are to Continue the ACC, and select the 'Provided' check box as appropriate

The ACC can be submitted where the only outstanding information:

• are bank account and/or TFN details. Remind customers to provide their details within 14 days. They can provide this information verbally, or via their online account or the Express Plus Centrelink mobile app as it will display as an outstanding task. If details are not provided within 28 days, their claim will be not effective and they will need to lodge a new claim
• is no active Job Plan/Participation Plan (where required). This will not present as a task in their online account, so Service Officers must advise the customer of this requirement and document this on their record. If not entered into within 28 days of lodgement, the ACCS (transition to work) application will be Not Effective and the customer will need to lodge a new application. Note: ACCS (transition to work) payments cannot be made until the Monday of the CCS fortnight after the customer enters into a Job Plan/Participation Plan

Once a claim is submitted, customers subscribed to Electronic Messaging will receive a Notification confirming the submission and reminded to monitor their claim tracker in their online account or Express Plus Centrelink mobile app.

The Submitted page will display:

• Claim ID
• Date submitting for processing
• Estimated Completion Date Range (ECDR), a date range that can be given to the customer
• A 'withdraw claim' option
• Tabs that link to Notifications, Tasks & Review claim details information

All CCS/ACCS (transition to work) combined claims are allocated to appropriately skilled Service Officers for processing. See Processing Additional Child Care Subsidy (ACCS) (transition to work) applications.

Procedure ends here.

The ' Additional Child Care Subsidy (transition to work)' service is available for selection from the Child Care Subsidy menu in Centrelink online account for identified customers. Only the following customers will be able to submit an application:

• Customers who are CCS current
• Customers who receive an ACCS (transition to work) eligible income support payment

Do you want to be assessed for Additional Child Care Subsidy (transition to work)?

• If Yes is selected, customers will be asked to provide details of recognised participation types to support their ACCS (transition to work) application

If the customer does not have an active Job Plan, a message will present advising a Job Plan must be approved within 28 days of submitting the application, and they should contact Centrelink or their Employment Services Provider about entering into a Job Plan.

Which recognised participation types would you like to claim Additional Child Care Subsidy for?

Customers can select one or more of the following:

• Study
• Vocational training - including training or unpaid work experience or internship
• Work - including paid work, volunteering, unpaid work in a family owned business or setting up a business
• Looking for work

For each recognised participation type being undertaken, customers will be prompted to provide all details. Customers will not be able to progress until responses have been recorded.

Note: customers can apply for different recognised participation types within the same application. For example, ‘Work’ and ‘Study’. They can also apply for multiples of the same recognised participation type. For example, if 'Work' is selected, customers can record details of all employers where they have more than one employer.

Once all recognised participation details have been entered, customers will be asked:

'Would you like us to start paying your Additional Child Care Subsidy from the earliest possible start date?'

If no is selected, customers will be prompted: 'What date would you like us to start paying your Additional Child Care Subsidy?' Customers will only be able to use a future date which is the first Monday of a CCS fortnight.

When do you want the Additional Child Care Subsidy to end?

• Customers can choose from:
• Specific end date (noting the date must be the last Sunday of a CCS fortnight)
• After a number of weeks
• After the maximum allowable period has been exhausted

When the customer selects Next, they will be taken to the Review and submit page.

This page is displayed at the end of the transaction to confirm application details.

The page also provides 'change' links, which will return the customer to the relevant page, displaying the data they initially entered.

When the customer selects Next on the page to which they have been returned, they will be taken through the usual service flow.

Once a customer confirms the information is true and correct, the Next Steps page displays:

• a list of Required tasks, which will include evidence requirements for ACCS (transition to work)
• the date by which the claim or application must be submitted before it will expire
• a link to the Upload documents service with an Upload button against each Required task

Customers can access their online application/claim to return to the Next steps page at any time before it is submitted.

Customers have the option to:

• go Back to the Review your claim page
• Save the claim

Until all required documentation has been provided, and the application/claim submitted, it is deemed no claim has been lodged or decision made.

If the customer uploaded or provided documents before starting their application, select the Documents icon and investigate if documents are available to support the ACCS application. Go to the Tasks icon in Process Direct and ensure the required documents have been updated to 'Provided'.

Started claims and standalone applications will automatically expire after 13 weeks.

Once submitted, the customer will be issued with a receipt number.

All submitted standalone ACCS (transition to work) applications are allocated to appropriately skilled Service Officers for processing. See Processing Additional Child Care Subsidy (ACCS) (transition to work) applications.

Procedure ends here.

On 11 August 2023, Department of Education made changes to the Minister’s Rules to remove the Job Plan/Participation Plan requirement for customers that do not have mutual obligation or participation requirements. These changes were retrospectively backdated to 1 July 2022.

Check the original claim assessment outcome Note/DOC.

Has the customer contacted and requested reassessment of a non-effective claim lodged between 1 July 2022 and 20 November 2023 due to Job Plan requirements?

• Yes, go to Step 2
• No, the customer needs to reclaim if they would like to test their eligibility for ACCS (transition to work). See Table 3 for claiming options

To check for mutual obligations or participation requirements:

• For DSP customers, in Customer First, go to the Disability Support Pension screen by searching via Workspace or entering !dpsum in the next field
• For all other income support payments:
• Select > Participation Summary
• Under the Key Information tab check the Current participation category

To check for mutual obligation exemptions, go to the Activity and Exemption Summary (AEX) screen.

Did the customer have mutual obligation or participation requirements within 28 days of claim lodgement?

• Yes, the customer did not meet Job Plan requirements. The non effective outcome is correct. Procedure ends here
• No, and/or the customer was exempt from mutual obligations, go to Step 3

Check the customer’s Document List and see Table 3 to determine if evidence of the customer’s ACCS (transition to work) activity was provided.

Had the customer previously lodged evidence to support their ACCS (transition to work) activity?

• Yes, go to Step 4
• No, as supporting evidence is requirement of an effective claim, the claim non effective outcome is correct. Procedure ends here

Discuss with the customer their ACCS (transition to work) activity. Reassessment is required where the customer’s activity:

• has ceased
• will cease in the future (i.e. customer has advised of a changed end date for the activity), or
• is no longer being undertaken for at least 8 hours per fortnight

If the activity is Study, reassessment is required where:

• there was a change of course
• the customer’s study has been extended
• there has been a change to study load

To create a referral to the ACCSPT for reassessment:

• Use Fast Note - select Auto text, use Families > Updates > ACCS TTW vol Job Plan rea
• Include relevant dates where possible

Tell the customer the ACCS Processing team will:

• reassess the previously non effective claim, and
• advise of the outcome in writing

Procedure ends here.