Changes which may affect the Parental Income Test (PIT) 108-02020000

Item

Q888 letter - Advice to affected ABSTUDY or Youth Allowance customer with deceased Parental Income Test linked parent

Youth Allowance

Please accept our sympathy on the recent loss of your parent/guardian. Our social workers can help you through this difficult time. If you would like to contact a social worker, please call 132 490 or visit one of our service centres.

We know this is not a good time, but it is important that we make sure you are being paid the correct rate of Youth Allowance.

Please call us on 132 490 within 22 days of the date of this letter. If you do not do this, your Youth Allowance may be stopped until we talk to you.

This is a notice given under section 63 of the Social Security (Administration) Act.

ABSTUDY

Please accept our sympathy on the recent loss of your parent/guardian. Our social workers can help you through this difficult time. If you would like to contact a social worker, please call 1800 132 317 or visit one of our service centres.

We know this is not a good time, but it is important that we make sure you are being paid the correct rate of ABSTUDY.

Please call us on 1800 132 317 within 22 days of the date of this letter. If you do not do this, your ABSTUDY may be stopped until we talk to you.

This is a notice given under section 343 of the Student Assistance Act 1973.

Scenario

Description

Effect on payment

A sibling becomes independent

Wendy and Stan are siblings and are both receiving ABSTUDY. Stan has had casual employment and now qualifies for independent status on the basis of meeting the self-supporting criteria.

When Stan's record is updated as independent, the information will be transferred across to Wendy's record and it will show that Stan is no longer included in the family pool.

Therefore, Wendy's ABSTUDY payment will no longer be affected by Stan's circumstances as he is not part of her family pool.