Special Benefit (SpB) customer going overseas 003-08070040

Scenario

Description

1

Travel outside Australia - not for an approved reason

Josef receives SpB and advises of going overseas for a family wedding.

As this is not an approved reason for payment of SpB overseas, the Smart Centre or service centre Service Officer is responsible for the decision. Complete the portability interview and advise customer of decision:

• Josef's payment will stop upon departure
• if Josef's payment has been stopped for more than 13 weeks due to being outside Australia, payment cannot be restored before the customer is referred to their Special Benefit Area Team and the customer has completed a Special Benefit review form (BC048)

Note: Josef is a PPV holder granted SpB before 1 January 2012 based on being exempt from the Newly Arrived Resident’s Waiting Period (NARWP) as the partner is an Australian citizen.

However, if Josef does not return within 13 weeks of the payment stopping, Josef must lodge a new claim.

The change in legislation on 1 January 2012 means Josef will no longer be exempt from the NARWP for this reason.

Josef will therefore have to wait until serving the current NARWP as the holder of a PPV residing in and in Australia.

Alternatively, Josef may possibly satisfy another reason allowing an exemption from the NARWP (for example, substantial change in circumstances beyond their control or family member of a refugee).

2

Travel outside Australia for humanitarian reasons

Jean has 2 children and advises of going overseas for custody proceedings for them. Jean is paid SpB.

Transfer all decisions if a customer has an approved reason for travel to Centrelink International Services (CIS) to make the decision on the customer's eligibility for ongoing payments while overseas:

• custody proceedings fall under the category of humanitarian reasons for portability
• Jean's solicitor advised the court case would be heard over a week in December. Jean is also allowed travelling time and a week to settle and to have discussions with the solicitor overseas. A specific negotiated period of 4 weeks is recorded and Jean is advised to call Services Australia if delayed because the period of portability could be extended to the maximum of 6 weeks if the court case were to take longer

3

Discretionary extension situation

Jean's SpB portability ended after 4 weeks overseas. However, in the week before the end of the specified negotiated period of 4 weeks, a train hit Jean and Jean was hospitalised with major leg injuries.

Personal injury is not grounds for an approved reason for payment of SpB, however, payment can be extended under the extension of portability conditions.

Jean provided evidence from a doctor stating the inability to fly home for another 2 months at least, depending on the response to treatment.

An extended period of 2 months was granted and Jean must either return home after this time or provide further evidence of being unable to travel back to Australia for the SpB to continue. See Discretion to extend portability period.