Qualification for Pension Bonus payments 065-07040000

The Pension Bonus Scheme (PBS) is closed to new registrations from 1 July 2014. Applications to register in the PBS that were lodged, or deemed to be lodged, before 1 July 2014 can be processed as usual.

To be eligible for a Pension Bonus, a customer must satisfy all of the following:

• be a registered member of the scheme
• have accrued at least one full 12 months bonus period
• have not already received a pension bonus under either the Social Security or Department of Veterans' Affairs (DVA) schemes
• have not received Age Pension (receipt of loan-only payments through the Home Equity Access Scheme, is not considered as having received Age Pension)
• have not at any time after qualifying for Age Pension received an income support payment from Social Security (other than Carer Payment), or a DVA Service Pension (other than a Carer Service Pension), or a DVA Veteran Payment, or a DVA Income Support Supplement (ISS) (other than a Carer ISS)
• be qualified to receive Age Pension without the aid of an international agreement
• claim the Pension Bonus within the required time limit
• lodge a claim for Age Pension (the claim for Pension Bonus is part of the Age Pension claim form) at time of claim

Note: if the claim for Age Pension is rejected, the claim for Pension Bonus is taken to have been withdrawn.

There are specific requirements for PBBP. The deceased person must:

• have died on or after 1 January 2008 and their death must be verified
• have been partnered at the time of death
• have been an Australian resident for the purposes of social security law at the time of death (not necessarily in Australia at the time of death - as long as their absence was temporary)
• have been registered for the PBS
• have accumulated at least one full year bonus period and met the work test while accruing the bonus period
• have met the residential requirements for PBBP, for example, must have been able to qualify for Age Pension without the use of an international agreement to satisfy residence criteria
• have not previously received a pension bonus
• have not, since being qualified for Age Pension:
• received an income support payment, apart from Carer Payment, or
• received a Department of Veterans' Affairs income support payment since reaching service pension age

In addition, the claimant must:

• be an Australian resident for the purposes of social security law at the time of claim
• be physically in Australia at the time of claim
• provide identity documentation
• have been partnered to the PBS member at the time the PBS member died

A customer who has received a Pension Bonus payment may be entitled to a PBTP if their Age Pension entitlement increases within the 13 weeks after grant of Age Pension and the increase is due to a reduction in the assessment of their income or assets.