Pension Supplement 108-08020000

Only the Minimum component of Pension Supplement can be paid quarterly. It will be:

• Pension Supplement Minimum (PSMIN)
• 2009 Transitional Minimum Supplement (TRMIN), or
• 2020 (former Wife Pension customers)Transitional Minimum Pension Supplement (TNMIN)

Changing the frequency for PSMIN/TNMIN/TRMIN will also change the payment frequency for the Energy Supplement. They must be paid together.

To change the frequency of Pension Supplement Minimum:

• go to the Regular Period Frequency (RPF) screen
• in the Entitlement field:
• legacy system, enter 'PSMIN', or
• in Customer First the field will default to 'Pension Supplement Minimum & Energy Supplement' when in receipt of PSMIN or the payment frequency had been previously set. If no default, select Pension Supplement Minimum & Energy Supplement
• code the Date of Effect field
• for current customers this can be any date between the start date of the current entitlement period and request to change the frequency
• new claims will default to the later of the start date of the current entitlement period and Date of Receipt
• code the payment frequency field
• '2WE' (two weekly), or
• 'QTR' (quarterly)
• complete Source and Date of Receipt fields
• select Update
• go to the Assessment Result (AR) screen and finalise activity

This screen will be protected if accessed in an activity performing a Benefit Transfer (BTR) in Customer Record.

For examples on how the quarterly payment is calculated, see the Resources page.

The Customer First RPF screen displays:

• any accrued amount of the quarterly Pension Supplement payment
• historical frequency changes of the quarterly payment of Pension Supplement

Quarterly payments are displayed on the Payment Details (PD) screen as:

• PSMIN- for customers receiving the current Pension Supplement Minimum
• TRMIN for customers receiving the 2009 Transitional Minimum Supplement
• TNMIN for customers receiving the 2020 Transitional Minimum Pension Supplement:
• These customers will be former Wife Pension customers moved to JobSeeker Payment (JSP) transitional rate on 20 March 2020

If the customer's income support payment ceases, entitlement to the Pension Supplement also ceases.

Any accrued Pension Supplement will be paid with their final income support payment.

If the customer's income support payment is restored, the minimum Pension Supplement amount frequency will remain the same as it was before payment ceased.

Wife Pension ceased on 19 March 2020. Customers commenced to receive JobSeeker Payment (JSP) at a transitional rate on 20 March 2020. The transitional rate includes Pension Supplement. Customers will continue to receive the JSP transitional rate while they continue to meet the eligibility rules for Wife Pension that were in place on 19 March 2020.

• If the customer loses eligibility for transitional rate:
• the rate of JSP will change to the normal rate
• Pension Supplement will stop.

Any accrued amount will be paid:

• Payment frequency is fortnightly - with the with the next regular income support payment
• Payment Pension Supplement frequency is quarterly - after the next quarterly test date.
  Customers who have period/s of zero rate during the quarter may still be entitled to some quarterly Pension Supplement Minimum amount if:
• they had previously elected to be paid quarterly Pension Supplement, and
• sometime during the quarter the customer was entitled to the Minimum Pension Supplement

If the customer's JSP transitional rate recommences, their Pension Supplement entitlement will automatically reassess.

There is no entitlement to the Pension Supplement for periods the customer is on a zero rate.

Quarterly payments

Customers who have period/s of zero rate during the quarter may still be entitled to some quarterly Pension Supplement Minimum amount if:

• they had previously elected to be paid quarterly Pension Supplement, and
• sometime during the quarter the customer was entitled to Pension Supplement Minimum

Any accrued amount will be paid with the final income support payment if payment is cancelled before the quarterly test date or, with their first income support payment that falls on, or after, the quarterly test date.

See the Resources page for an example.

This procedure does not cover overseas absences.

• For PSBAS, see Pension Supplement overseas absences
• For SUPPL, see Parenting Payment Single (PPS) customer and/or child going overseas

When a customer dies, the Pension Supplement is paid with the final primary payment.

Single customers

For single customers any accrued Pension Supplement Minimum amount is issued with the final income support payment.

Partnered customers

Deceased member - any accrued Pension Supplement Minimum amount will be paid with the final income support payment.

Surviving member - if the surviving person is also on quarterly Pension Supplement, the amount will start accruing at the single rate from the date of the cancellation of the partner's payment plus one.

The student must reside in Australia, have reached the qualifying age for Age Pension and must qualify for one of the following ABSTUDY Awards:

• Schooling B Award
• Tertiary Award, or
• Masters and Doctorate Award

Eligibility for pension supplement is a manual assessment for ABSTUDY customers and is paid using a manual rate recorded on the customer's record.

To see if Pension Supplement has been paid to an ABSTUDY customer:

• Go to the Payment Summary (PS) screen for the relevant period. If there is a payment type of 'ADD' this is most likely the pension supplement
• Go to the Supplementary Education Payments (EPSP) screen – the free text recorded there will confirm the payment type of 'ADD' is being used to pay Pension Supplement

The payment of Pension Supplement to ABSTUDY customers of Age Pension age is a manual process. Every quarter updates are assigned to a specialised team of skilled staff who apply changes on the EPSP screen.

• Email the Payment Summaries, Allowances and Supplements Business Team:
• See the Resources page for a link to the team contact details
• Use the Positional Mailbox
• Include the:
• Customer Reference Number (CRN)
• Customer name, and
• Eligibility status
• Advise the customer their entitlement needs to be checked
• Record the details on a DOC
• The business team will reply to the email with their advice

Procedure ends here until the email response is received.

• Follow the instructions in the email
• Contact the customer to advise the outcome
• Record the details on a DOC

Procedure ends here.

Work items are assigned by the Workload Management team for specialist staff with ABSTUDY knowledge to undertake manual coding of pension supplement.

Check the customer's record to determine if they are eligible for the Pension Supplement. See Pension Supplement.

• If the customer is not eligible for the Pension Supplement, no more action is required. Procedure ends here
• If the customer is eligible for the Pension Supplement, code on the Supplementary Education Payments (EPSP) screen. Go to Step 3

Complete this field based on details on the Customer Study Details (EDC) screen in Process Direct or Education Course Details (EDC) screen in Customer First.

Enter the start date. This will be the date the student is entitled to the Age Pension and receiving ABSTUDY Living Allowance as a full-time student.

Note: the Pension Supplement Basic Amount is payable up to a maximum of 6 weeks when the customer is out of Australia.

Use the payment code 'ADD'.

Note: the ADD code is used because there is no code for Pension Supplement. This code will appear as the payment type that will appear on the Payment Summary (PS) screen

Enter the reason code 'EXC'.

Leave this field blank.

Code the fortnightly rate of Pension Supplement.

Note:

• Arrears will be paid if the payment start date is backdated
• Check the Assessment Results (AR) screen for any arrears payment and check the dates to confirm the amount is correct
• If the payment is to start before the last CPI date of 20 March or 20 September, record an activity for each period using the relevant rate for that period

Code 'CUS'.

Add free text to identify that the ADD coding is to pay Pension Supplement.

Code '2we'.

Code the relevant end date, that is, the CPI end date of 19 March or 19 September or 6 weeks after the customer is outside Australia.

Record an online DOC on the record advising the Pension Supplement payment details.