Sharer Status field on the Accommodation Details (AC) screen 108-18092640

Not all customers who share accommodation are considered sharers for the purposes of Rent Assistance (RA).

A customer is a sharer if all the following apply:

• the customer is single
• has no dependent children
• the customer and one or more other people have the legal right to share at least one major area of accommodation. This can include a:
  • kitchen
  • bedroom
  • bathroom
• is not an exempt sharer
• does not live in exempt accommodation

The system automatically determines situations where the customer does not meet the definition of a sharer. In these cases, if a customer meets the criteria for a Sharer Status field sharing option, the relevant sharing option must be used. The system will still pay the full rate of RA.

A customer is an exempt sharer if any of the following apply:

• receiving Disability Support Pension (DSP) or Carer Payment (CP)
• paying board and lodging and not able to give a breakup of the lodgings and the board components separately.
  Note: if a person pays for lodging only or has been able to separate the lodging component from their board, this exemption does not apply

The system automatically determines the above 2 situations are exempt sharers. Rent Assistance (RA) will pay at the full rate no matter what Sharer Status field option is used. The correct sharer code relating to the customer's sharing arrangements must be used.

A customer is also an exempt sharer when they are a single customer:

• with dependent child/ren and the customer gets RA with their primary benefit and not with Family Tax Benefit (FTB)
• living only with recipient child/ren. This is when the child/ren get a Social Security payment, ABSTUDY, a Service Pension or Veteran Payment, or Youth Allowance (YA) student, but the child/ren does not get RA.
  Note: if there is a third party sharing the accommodation, this exemption does not apply
• living in a caravan, boat, or mobile home on their own, even if they are sharing a major communal area of accommodation within the caravan park or marina
• living in exempt accommodation

These customers must have the specific option relevant to their situation used for the Sharer Status field for RA to pay at the correct full rate.

People living in exempt accommodation are exempt from the application of the sharers’ rate of Rent Assistance (RA) and from having to verify the amount of rent paid.

Staff must decide about if a customer is living in exempt accommodation. Not coding the correct sharer exemption code and choosing a sharing option in the Sharer Status field for these customers living in exempt accommodation will incorrectly pay the sharers' rate of RA.

For more details, review the definition for exempt accommodation or search exempt accommodation in the A-Z of Rent Assistance terms and codes.

The sharers' rate of RA addresses the inequity in payment rates between:

• singles customers who share, and
• members of a couple

The sharers' rate reflects the cost-of-living economies of scale for customers sharing accommodation.

The sharers' rate of RA is capped at two-thirds the maximum rate payable to single customers living alone. A sharers rate of RA will vary based on how much rent they pay over the threshold amount, up to the maximum RA rate payable.

A legal right to share a major area of accommodation can be shown in one of 2 ways:

• The customer's (and/or their current partner's) name is included on a formal lease or tenancy agreement, or
• The customer has:
  • a verbal agreement to share, and
  • there is a Rent Certificate (SU523HD) or Rent Declaration (SU336M) proving the customer pays regular amounts of money on a regular basis

If there is no evidence the customer has a legal right over the accommodation, the customer is not a sharer. The customer would be considered a guest.

If a customer is considered a sharer in their accommodation, the net rent rules apply.

When a single customer advises a change to living arrangements, the Living Arrangements question set must be asked. This is particularly important when the single person advises:

• they are moving in with another person, and
• there is no change in their relationship status

For details about QOL Check tool step question options for the AC screen, search QOL tool in the A-Z of Rent Assistance terms and codes.