Assessment of circumstances for customers with partner in prison 106-07120050

• If a customer contacts and advises:
• their partner is in prison, go to Step 2
• their partner has been released from prison, see Step 1 in Table 2
• If notification is received that a customer:
• has been imprisoned, see Prison admission process and claims during incarceration
• has been released from prison, see Centrelink service standards and procedures for pre-release and post-release prison customers

Confirm prison admission. Once confirmed, determine if the customer considers themselves to be a member of a couple with that person.

Does the customer consider themselves to be a member of a couple?

• Yes, go to Step 3
• No, if the customer is receiving:
• Parenting Payment, see Transfer from Parenting Payment Single (PPP) to Parenting Payment Single (PPS)
• Other income support payment, see Change in relationship status from partnered to single
• Procedure ends here

When it has been established the customer and their partner are separated due to partner in prison, update the Marital Status (MS) screen with the appropriate relationship qualifier code. This ensures the customer’s entitlements are treated differently to their recorded relationship status.

To update the MS screen:

• Next: field, key ‘MS‘ to access new screen for updating
• Event Date: field, enter the date the customer became separated due to partner in prison
• Marital Status: field will remain as 'MAR', 'REG' or 'DEF'
• PPE Cust and PPE Ptnr: fields, update as required
• Qualifier Code: field, enter GAP - Partner in Gaol
• Source: field, enter the source of the information
• Receipt Date: field, enter the date of receipt
• Select Continue to go to the Customer Details Task (CDTS) screen
• Update any other information by selecting the appropriate screens from the CDTS screen, including the Address Summary (AD) and Accommodation Details (AC) screen. The AD and AC screens will be presented for (P) partner

Note: if Austudy, YA and ABSTUDY customers still consider themselves to be a member of a couple, they will continue to receive the partnered rate, however the MS screen should still be updated as above.

The customer is entitled to the single rate of Rent Assistance (RA) if paying rent at their address.

If the MS screen is updated with a relationship qualifier code, a separate AC screen entry is automatically created for:

• the customer, and
• the partner who is in prison

The AC screen Event Date: field will default to the Event Date recorded on the MS screen.

The AC screen will allow separate coding for each member of the couple.

• For the customer:
• Check that the existing AC details remain accurate
• If an update is required, see Completing the AC screen and assessing RA
• For the partner in prison:
• If they are recorded as a homeowner and the existing AC details remain accurate, no further AC update is required
• If they are recorded as a homeowner or non-homeowner paying any Type of Rent, update the Type of Rent field to No rent paid - NRP and update the Sharer Status field to Does not live in Shared Accommodation – NAS

• Go to the Assessments Results (AR) screen by typing AR in the Next: field and finalise the activity
• Record details on a DOC
• If the customer is the carer of the imprisoned partner, the carer's qualification for payment may continue and the temporary cessation of care provisions applied. See:
• Temporary Cessation of Care (respite) provisions for Carer Payment (CP) and Carer Allowance (CA)
• Care receiver is absent from the caring situation
• Coding a one-off absence for Carer Allowance (CA)/Carer Payment (CP) when the care receiver is absent
• Income Test for illness separated or partner in prison customers

Confirm date of release. Once confirmed, update the record (customer who was not in prison) to remove the ‘partner in prison’ relationship qualifier code, if not already done.

On the Marital Status (MS) screen, record the following details:

• Next: field, key ‘MS’ to access new screen for updating
• Event Date: field, enter the date the customer’s partner was released from prison
• Marital Status: field will remain as 'MAR', 'REG' or 'DEF'
• PPE Cust and PPE Ptnr: fields, update as required
• Qualifier Code: field, leave blank
• Source: field, enter the source of the information
• Receipt Date: field, enter the date of receipt
• Select Continue to go to the Customer Details Task (CDTS) screen
• Update any other information by selecting the appropriate screens from the CDTS screen

A single combined AC screen entry is automatically created for Customer and partner when the MS screen is updated removing the 'partner in gaol' relationship qualifier code. The AC screen Event Date: field will default to the Event Date recorded on the MS screen.

The AC screen will allow only one entry for the couple.

Check the existing AC details remain accurate for the couple. If an update is required, see Completing the Accommodation Details (AC) screen and assessing Rent Assistance (RA).

Is the customer receiving FTB and/or CCS?

• Yes, go to Step 3
• No, go to Step 4

Income estimate

Check if they need to revise their current family income estimate and advise choices available to help reduce the chance of an overpayment during the reconciliation process. See Updating income estimates for the current financial year.

Entitlement to Family Tax Benefit (FTB) and Child Care Subsidy (CCS)

FTB can continue to be paid to an imprisoned or confined individual provided their FTB child is still in their care. However, if there is a change of care or a shared care arrangement exists, entitlement to FTB must be re-assessed.

If the customer is receiving CCS, see Child Care Subsidy (CCS) Activity Test. Customers may be eligible for an Activity Test exemption if they are in prison or confined.

Child Support liability

If the partner had child support payment commitments, they must notify the Child Support Agency of their change in circumstances. For contact details, see Child Support.

• Go to the Assessments Results (AR) screen by typing AR in the Next field and finalise the activity.
• Record details on a DOC
• Advise the customer of their new rate of payment (including any RA) and that the partnered income/assets test still applies. For rate information, see Rates and Thresholds. For details about the income/assets test, see:
• Parenting Payment Partnered (PPP) income and assets test
• Income test for partnered allowance customers
• Income Test for partnered pension customers
• Advise that Family Tax Benefit (FTB) Part B will still be assessed on the income of the lower earner. See Income tests for family assistance and Paid Parental Leave scheme payments
• Advise that the customer may still be entitled to CCS. For details about the income test see Combined family income for Child Care Subsidy (CCS) and Coding Activity Test details for Child Care Subsidy (CCS)