Helping customers in crisis or financial hardship claim family assistance 003-06010020

The majority of customers have relatively straightforward circumstances and can largely self-manage their business with Services Australia through a variety of channels and with normal handoff protocols and supports.

A small number of family assistance customers are in crisis situations and may contact requiring special assistance.

If staff identify a customer is experiencing vulnerability, they should be able to access help to expedite the customer's business.

Customers often present with multiple issues, which need a brokered solution across a number of programs.

In these situations, local relationships are essential in achieving the best outcomes.

A family in crisis or a family experiencing financial hardship often have trouble in understanding and complying with claim requirements and/or need a speedy outcome to meet immediate financial needs.

For a family in crisis, it is reasonable to escalate a request for more help to provide a suitable outcome for the customer. If appropriate, consider a verbal claim if a claim is needed.

Assisted Customer Claim (ACC) can be run with families in crisis, if they:

• are experiencing difficulty in understanding or complying with claim requirements, and/or
• need a speedy outcome to meet immediate financial needs

If a customer cannot submit their claim electronically:

• a verbal signature declaration script needs to be read to the customer, or
• a Family Declaration form (FDF) signed and returned before the ACC can be submitted

From 10 June 2019, Family Tax Benefit (FTB) top-ups, supplements, lump sum claim amounts and instalment arrears can be used to recover any debts from the following payments:

• family assistance
• social security
• student assistance, and
• Paid Parental Leave

This will occur even if the customer has a current payment arrangement. Previously, FTB amounts could only be used to recover debts from the following payments:

• FTB
• Child Care Benefit (CCB), and
• Child Care Rebate (CCR)

If exceptional and/or unforeseen circumstances apply that may cause the customer to suffer severe financial hardship, customers can request to be temporarily excluded from debt recovery before any money being taken from their FTB arrears, lump sum or top-up payments.

The following is a list of staff best equipped to help a Families customer in crisis:

• Grandparent, Foster and Kinship Carer Advisers
• Community Liaison Unit officers or Community Engagement Officers
• F2F Incarcerated Customer Service Officers
• Multicultural Service Officers
• Indigenous Service Officers
• Community Partnership Specialist Officers
• Service Centre Managers, Team Leaders or Service Support Officers
• Case Co-ordinators (affected sites only)

Note: if a customer is at risk of suicide or self-harm, experiencing family and domestic violence, has multiple and complex issues or is a young person without adequate support, consider a referral to Social Work Services for more help.

One of the above listed advocates or a Social Worker can submit a Fast Note to request urgent allocation of a claim in unusual and traumatic cases, where there may not be established pathways for escalation. A locally negotiated approach may be appropriate.