Processing Additional Child Care Subsidy (ACCS) (transition to work) applications 007-17103150

To be eligible for ACCS (transition to work) customers need to:

• be eligible for CCS
• be receiving one of the following eligible Income Support payments:
• Parenting Payment
• JobSeeker Payment
• Disability Support Pension
• Youth Allowance
• Carer Payment
• Special Benefit (for those not qualified for Parenting Payment or JobSeeker Payment because they did not satisfy residence requirements)
• Austudy
• a means-tested payment under ABSTUDY
• Farm Household Allowance
• have a combined family income equal to or less than the lower CCS lower Income threshold
• have an active Job Plan or Participation Plan (where required)
• be undertaking an ACCS (transition to work) activity
• not exceed the relevant ACCS (transition to work) activity time limits

If the ACCS (transition to work) application is lodged as part of a CCS claim, ACCS Processing Service Officers will also need to assess the CCS component. This includes managing any exception processing for the customer to be considered for ACCS (transition to work). If a customer is not eligible for CCS, they cannot be considered for ACCS (transition to work).

Customers can apply for ACCS (transition to work):

• at the time of completing an online or staff assisted claim for Child Care Subsidy (CCS)
• if CCS current, as a standalone application using their online account
• in limited circumstances, using an offline (paper) FA085 Application for Additional Child Care Subsidy (transition to work) form - see the Resources page for a link to the FA085

Service Officers will:

• assist customers to meet their Job Plan or Disability Support Pension (DSP) Participation Plan requirements prior to lodging an application for ACCS (transition to work)
• direct new CCS customers to lodge a combined CCS/ACCS (transition to work) claim online
• complete a staff assisted claim for CCS/ACCS (transition to work) if appropriate
• direct current CCS customers to lodge an ACCS (transition to work) application using their online account
• issue a FA085 Application for Additional Child Care Subsidy (transition to work) after confirming the customer meets all of the following:
• is receiving an eligible income support payment
• is undertaking in an approved activity
• has an income equal to or below the lower income threshold, and
• is unable to lodge a claim online or through the staff-assisted channel
• escalate pending applications to the ACCS Processing Team where the customer meets the hardship criteria. For more information see Claiming Child Care Subsidy (CCS) and Additional Child Care Subsidy (ACCS)

The ACCS Processing Team will assess all ACCS (transition to work) applications (including combined CCS/ACCS claims) using information provided in the claim. They will advise the customer in writing of the outcome.

When processing ACCS (transition to work) applications, ACCS Processing Service Officers must review the evidence provided to confirm the customer is participating in the stated activity. This includes:

• proof of job search activities, job interviews, or applications
• proof of enrolment in a course of study or education
• proof of progress of study where the customer started their course more than 6 months before applying for ACCS (transition to work)
• evidence of employment
• proof of enrolment in vocational training or other program to improve employment prospects

If evidence is not provided, the application will be made not effective and considered not to have been made. The customer will need to make a new application for ACCS (transition to work) if they wish to be assessed again.

For claims lodged on or after 1 July 2022, customers:

• can be eligible for ACCS (transition to work) without having to enter into a Job Plan/Participation Plan where this is not a requirement of their income support payment
• with mutual obligation requirements as part of their income support payment must have an active Job Plan (where applicable)
• receiving Disability Support Pension (DSP) with participation requirements must negotiate a DSP Participation Plan to meet requirements for ACCS (transition to work). If a DSP customer does not have participation requirements, they do not need to enter into a Participation Plan for ACCS (transition to work).

Note: on 28 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 backdated to 1 July 2022. See the Process page for more information relating to Not Effective claims assessed under historical voluntary job plan/participation requirements.

For claims lodged before 1 July 2022, see Job Plan/Participation Plan requirements for ACCS (transition to work) for further details.

If a customer fails to enter into a Job Plan/Participation Plan within 28 days of applying for ACCS (transition to work), their application will be made not effective and considered to have not been made. The customer will need to lodge a new application.

The earliest start date for ACCS (transition to work) is the first CCS Monday (after the application was lodged) where all eligibility criteria has been met. Applications lodged on a CCS Monday that meet all eligibility criteria (at time of lodgement) may start from the same CCS Monday.

If further information is required to process an ACCS (transition to work) application, customers will be asked to provide the information within 14 days. If the information is not supplied, the application will be not effective and considered not to have been made. The customer will be required to make a new application for ACCS (transition to work). There are no backdating provisions for this subsidy.

Note: where the application was combined with a CCS claim, the CCS component of the claim will be assessed and the customer notified of the outcome.

If a customer nominates a start date for ACCS (transition to work), but no sessions of care occur in that CCS fortnight, the start date can be changed to the CCS fortnight in which the first session of care will occur.

Customers must let the agency know as soon as possible if their circumstances change. This may affect their eligibility to ACCS or CCS. Notifiable events may include:

• an increase in family income estimate
• expiry of an active Job Plan/Participation Plan, or
• no longer meeting the ACCS (transition to work) activity requirements

If the change of circumstances entitles the customer to another type of ACCS payment, entitlement to ACCS (transition to work) will cease. The period for which they receive the other ACCS will not count towards their transition to work time limit for that activity. If the customer wants to continue receiving ACCS (transition to work) they will need to re-apply.