Additional Child Care Subsidy (ACCS) (transition to work) change in circumstances and reviews 007-19070952

Customers must let the Services Australia know as soon as possible if their circumstances change as this may affect their eligibility or entitlement to ACCS or Child Care Subsidy (CCS). Notifiable events include:

• an increase in family income estimate
• a change to their course of study (extension or cessation)
• a change in their study load
• a change in the number of hours they are participating in their ACCS (transition to work) recognised participation type
• ceasing their ACCS (transition to work) recognised participation types

If the change of circumstances entitles the customer to another type of ACCS payment, entitlement to ACCS (transition to work) will cease. Also, the period for which they receive the other ACCS will not count towards their ACCS (transition to work) time limit for that recognised participation type. If the customer wants to continue receiving ACCS (transition to work) when the other ACCS payment expires, they will need to lodge a new application.

Customers can advise prior to their current course end date if their course has been extended and they have not already reached their allowable recognised participation type time limit. In these cases, the customer is not required to make a new application for ACCS (transition to work).

Subject to evidence of the new course dates, and proof of progress (where appropriate), the existing ACCS (transition to work) information can be updated to reflect the new course end date, and their weeks of entitlement reassessed.

For all other recognised participation type where the customer has not already reached their allowable time limit, the evidence will need to be provided to confirm the participation is ongoing (for example a letter from employer where the customer is undertaking unpaid internship). If the customer has been granted the full time limit for the recognised participation type, evidence of continuation should not be requested. The customer will not attract further ACCS (transition to work).

If the recognised participation type original end date has passed at the time of notification, and customer is seeking a retrospective extension, they will need to re-apply for ACCS (transition to work). There are no backdating provisions for ACCS (transition to work).

If a customer has ceased their ACCS (transition to work) recognised participation type, their ACCS eligibility must be reviewed as they may no longer be eligible.

Service Officers are to update recognised participation details for Child Care Subsidy (CCS), then forward an ACTDOC to the ACCS Processing Team to reassess ACCS (transition to work) entitlement. See the Process page for further details.

Where a customer contacts to advise they are no longer participating in the recognised participation type for which they are receiving ACCS (transition to work), and are now undertaking a different recognised participation type, they are required to lodge a new application.

Their current ACCS (transition to work) should be ended via ACTDOC notification to the ACCS Processing Team. See the Process page for further details.

Customers undertaking study or training as their ACCS (transition to work) recognised participation type are required to notify if they have a change in their study load from part time to full time, or vice versa.

Service Officers are to update the customer’s recognised participation details for Child Care Subsidy (CCS) if the total hours of recognised participation changes from more/less than 48 hours per fortnight.

If the customer has changed their study load, forward an ACTDOC to the ACCS Processing Team to reassess ongoing entitlement to ACCS (transition to work) entitlement. See the Process page for further details.

One of the eligibility criteria for ACCS (transition to work) is to have a combined family income equal to or less than the CCS lower Income threshold.

If a customer increases their income estimate above the CCS lower income threshold, the customer’s ACCS (transition to work) will automatically cancel effective on the last Sunday of the CCS fortnight when the change is notified.

When granting ACCS (transition to work), a review date may be set to assess progress of study. In these cases, customers will be required to provide evidence that they are still undertaking their study recognised participation type within 28 days of the review being initiated.

If the customer had included multiple recognised participation types in their original ACCS (transition to work) application and now wish to use a different recognised participation type to continue receiving payment, they will be required to lodge a new application and provide evidence they are still undertaking that recognised participation types.

Pending system functionality, no review action is required at this time.

Before 13 April 2024, there were ACCS (transition to work) assessments which were incorrectly starting from a non-CCS Monday. This occurred where:

• ACCS (transition to work) was cancelled/rejected correctly, and
• a change of circumstance due to an income estimate update was later completed on the customers record, resulting in ACCS (transition to work) incorrectly granting entitlement (auto restore)

This issue was fixed and impacted customers who had their ACCS (transition to work) start dates corrected to begin on a CCS Monday. The result was a debt due to the difference between their CCS only percentage and ACCS (transition to work) 95%.

For more information see Process > Table 5.

Service Officers are responsible for:

• accepting evidence to support an extension to an existing ACCS (transition to work) recognised participation types, including progress of study
• accepting evidence to support a change in study load
• updating CCS recognised participation details

ACCS Processing Team are responsible for assessing all scheduled reviews (including progress of study), and all ACCS (transition to work) reassessments due to recognised participation type or study load changes to determine the impact on eligibility and entitlement.