Advance payments for Home Equity Access Scheme (HEAS) loans 065-22051321
This document outlines information about advance payments of loans under HEAS.
Service Officers
On this page
Eligibility and general enquiries about HEAS advance payments
Assessment of advance payments as an asset
Streaming a HEAS advance request
Eligibility and general enquiries about HEAS advance payments
Table 1: is for all:
- service centre and smart centre Service Officers
- Financial Information Service Officers (FIS Officer)
Step |
Action |
1 |
Customers enquiring about a HEAS advance + Read more ... If the customer is calling about:
Note: this information is available using digital channels. Customers are strongly encouraged to use digital options as the preferred method. If a customer has barriers preventing the use of digital options, offer to help with the advance payment application. |
2 |
Eligibility for a HEAS advance loan amount + Read more ... Customers must meet the eligibility criteria to apply for a HEAS advance payment. Staff can check existing customers advance information in:
This will show the:
Is the customer requesting an advance payment?
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3 |
Request a HEAS advance payment via Centrelink online account + Read more ... Can the customer apply using the Request advance payment online service?
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4 |
Request a HEAS advance via a Home Equity Access Scheme variation form (SA497) + Read more ...
Staff can issue a SA497 paper form via:
Details about lodging the HEAS advance request are included in the SA497 form. Customer lodges a SA497 at a service centre Refer the SA497 to the Home Equity Access Scheme (HEAS) National team for processing. Staff must:
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5 |
Withdrawal of a HEAS advance request + Read more ... Customers can withdraw their request for an advance payment at any time before the request is processed and finalised. Verbal requests for withdrawal are not accepted if:
If consent has been provided, the withdrawal of the HEAS advance request must be:
Staff can request withdrawal action by the Home Equity Access Scheme National team. Use Fast Note, select Auto text, use Complex Assessment > Request for CAO action > CAO Home Equity Access Scheme. |
Assessment of advance payments as an asset
Table 2: is for all:
- service centre and smart centre Service Officers
- Financial Information Service Officers (FIS Officer)
Step |
Action |
1 |
HEAS advance payments are an assessable asset + Read more ...
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2 |
Check if the HEAS advance payment has been granted + Read more ... Go to the Home Equity Access Scheme Advance (HEASADV) screen in Process Direct. Has the customer been granted a HEAS advance payment?
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3 |
Confirm loan security + Read more ... To confirm the secured property the customer has their HEAS loan against, go to screens:
Has the customer secured the HEAS loan against their principal home?
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4 |
HEAS advance payment recorded on SVDI + Read more ... The system automatically records the HEAS advance payment on the Direct Investments (SVDI) screen as a financial investment, after the HEAS advance payment is granted. This cannot be manually coded onto the SVDI screen by staff. The coding will show the day after the HEAS advance payment grant is finalised. The advance payment coding on the SVDI screen includes the following details:
To check if the HEAS advance payment has been recorded, go to the Savings Summary (SVS) screen. Does the HEAS advance payment show as an investment type?
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5 |
Investigate and fix task locking conflicts + Read more ... If a HEAS advance payment is not automatically added to the Direct Investments (SVDI) screen, this may have occurred due to a task locking conflict with another system activity. Check if this has occurred, go to the Trans/Trigger List (TTL) screen in Customer First, and look for the HEASAV trigger:
To investigate and fix the conflict, if the MFU:
Has the fix resulted in the HEAS advance payment being updated on SVDI screen?
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6 |
Updating the balance of HEAS advance payments on the SVDI screen + Read more ... Customers must notify of updates to the balance of their HEAS advance payment to ensure correct assessments under the income and assets tests. Customers can update their HEAS advance balance by:
When HEAS customers contact to update their savings balances, staff must check the HEAS advance payment continues to be correctly recorded. For example, a HEAS customer may have a $5,000 HEAS advance recorded on the SVDI screen. When the customer contacts, they advise of an increase of $5,000 in their bank account where their pension is paid. In this example, staff would zero the balance of the HEAS advance payment on the SVDI screen (including updating the loan deduction field where applicable) and update the SVS screen for the customer's pension account. See the Resources page for more examples. Once the HEAS advance balance has reached zero, the customer is not required to notify again. |
7 |
HEAS reminder letter + Read more ...
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8 |
Removal of asset test exemption + Read more ...
Note: task locking conflicts may occur. |
Streaming a HEAS advance request
For the Home Equity Access Scheme National team only.
Table 3: is for HEAS trained streaming Service Officers only.
Step |
Action |
1 |
Select the work item + Read more ...
Alternatively, manually key each screen using the Super Key field.
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2 |
Review HEAS advance payment request details + Read more ... Online service request
See Report suspected fraud and corruption for more details. Note: customers must answer more questions if it has been more than 13 weeks since they were paid:
Home Equity Access Scheme variation form (SA497)
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3 |
HEAS advance payment request + Read more ... Has the HEAS advance payment request been submitted a part of a new application for HEAS?
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4 |
Other Change of Circumstances + Read more ... If the customer advised a change to their circumstances, provisional data shows on a new line, with the date of effect as the date of request. To view or edit the Loan Details (HEAS) screen, select:
Review the customer's circumstances for the following criteria:
Has the customer requested any of the above change in circumstances?
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5 |
HEAS Advance additional questions + Read more ... If a customer has not received a fortnightly loan payment or a lump sum within the last 13 weeks, the SA498 will ask the following questions:
Was it identified that the customer needed to answer additional questions?
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6 |
Assessment of HEAS Advance lump sum + Read more ... When coding an Advance lump sum request, the:
On completion of the advance activity:
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7 |
Eligibility for a HEAS advance loan amount + Read more ... Customers must meet the eligibility criteria to apply for a HEAS advance loan payment. Once eligibility is met, the customer may be entitled to a HEAS advance payment if all the following apply:
Is the customer eligible to apply for a HEAS Advance payment?
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8 |
Check for an existing HEAS loan + Read more ... For customers with fortnightly loan payments, the receipt of a HEAS advance lump sum amount reduces their fortnightly loan payment component for the next 26 fortnights. Staff must tell customers about the:
Staff must check for an existing HEAS loan in Process Direct:
Does a loan show on the HEAS screen?
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9 |
Reviewing supporting documents + Read more ...
Staff must check that:
Has all the required information, documentation, and consent by partners been provided?
If the requested information has not been returned by the due date and the request is to be rejected, see Table 1 on the HEAS trained streaming Service Officer tab in Processing applications for Home Equity Access Scheme (HEAS). |
10 |
HEAS Advance screen (HEASADV) + Read more ...
The system automatically calculates the maximum HEAS advance amount available to the customer. The HEAS advance amount keyed must be equal to, or less than this amount. If the HEAS advance loan amount is requested via an:
Staff must make genuine attempts to contact the customer if they have requested more than the system calculated maximum advance amount. Tell the customer the maximum advance amount they can request. The customer can:
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11 |
Date of decision + Read more ...
For example, if the activity was started on 09/07/2024 and not finalised until 11/07/2024 the decision date is 11/07/2024. This date is recorded as the actual date the advance is assessed and is used for the immediate payment processing and delivery of the advance lump sum. Grant date/start date determination
When any of these changes have effective dates within the entitlement period, the advance grant date is set to the latest of all dates. This is to make sure the customer is paid the lump sum based on their correct rate of payment. Does the grant date fall on EPED?
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12 |
Provisional outcome + Read more ...
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13 |
Outcome of HEAS Advance payment request + Read more ... Is the HEAS Advance payment to be granted?
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14 |
Finalise the HEAS Advance loan payment request + Read more ...
When the HEAS loan is secured against the customer's principal home, the HEAS advance payment is recorded on the Direct Investments (SVDI) screen as Investment Type HEAS. |
Complex Assessment Officer (CAO)
On this page
Processing advance payment requests - Process Direct
Processing advance payment requests - Process Direct
For the Home Equity Access Scheme National team only.
Table 1
Step |
Action |
1 |
Select the work item + Read more ...
Alternatively, manually key each screen using the Super Key field:
If a customer is partnered and they have also requested an advance lump sum, code the activities separately. If the work items have not automatically bundled:
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2 |
Review HEAS advance payment request details + Read more ... Online service request
See Report suspected fraud and corruption for more details. Note: customers must answer more questions if it has been more than 13 weeks since they were paid:
Home Equity Access Scheme variation form (SA497)
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3 |
HEAS advance payment request + Read more ... Has the HEAS advance payment request been submitted as part of a new application for HEAS?
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4 |
Other Change of Circumstances + Read more ... Customers can lodge another Change of Circumstance (COC) with the HEAS advance payment request, including requests to:
In these instances, a separate work item is presented in Process Direct. Has the customer requested any of the above change in circumstances?
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5 |
Date of decision + Read more ...
For example, if the activity was started on 09/07/2024 and not finalised until 11/07/2024 the decision date is 11/07/2024. This date is recorded as the actual date the advance is assessed and is used for the immediate payment processing and delivery of the advance lump sum. Grant date/start date determination The grant date of the HEAS Advance payment is the latest of the following dates:
Due to a system limitation, do not complete the finalisation on the customer’s Entitlement Period End Date (EPED). The system does not correctly recognise the advance amount being paid to the customer. The grant date cannot be a future date. To determine the grant date, the system finds the EPSD of the current entitlement period. Consideration is given to any of the following changes in the same period:
When any of these changes have effective dates within the entitlement period, the advance grant date is set to the latest of all dates. This is to make sure the customer is paid the lump sum based on their correct rate of payment. Does the grant date fall on EPED?
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6 |
Reviewing Supporting Documents + Read more ... CAOs must check that:
Has all the required information, documentation, and consent by partners or third parties been provided?
If the requested information has not been returned by the due date and the request is to be Rejected, see Table 2 > Step 5. See the Resources page for:
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7 |
HEAS loan payments + Read more ... Check the Loan Details (HEAS) screen. Has the customer received a loan payment or a lump sum within the last 13 weeks?
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8 |
Additional questions + Read more ... When the customer has not received a loan payment or a lump sum within the last 13 weeks, the SA498 will ask the following questions:
Note: if all mandatory questions have not been answered, CAOs can use the Enhanced RFI in Process Direct to request the specific mandatory questions be completed. All changes must be signed by the customer and partner (if applicable). If the customer advises they have had a change in their relationship status, this may affect their rate of payment. Staff must update any changes before assessing the Advance Loan Amount. After updating the relationship changes, contact the customer and tell them about the changes to their Advance Loan Amount entitlement. |
9 |
Assessing HEAS Advance Payment request in HEAS + Read more ... If the customer advised a change to their circumstances, provisional data shows on a new line, with the date of effect as the date of request. To view or edit the Loan Details (HEAS) screen Select:
Review the customer’s circumstances for the following criteria:
Has the customer changed their existing Loan Security Value?
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10 |
Change Real Estate Business Details + Read more ... If the customer has changed their existing Real Estate details this may impact on their existing MLA. Check historical real estate information to determine if a formal valuation is required. For more details about a formal valuation and how deductions will impact the loan security value, see:
Formal valuation is required To request a formal valuation and place the Advance loan request activity on hold. In Process Direct, select the Status icon and update as follows:
Update the Progress of Claim Note with the reason for placing the claim on hold. When the formal valuation is returned, go to Step 11. |
11 |
Real Estate Business Details (REBS) screen + Read more ... To view or edit the REBS screen, select:
Was a formal valuation required?
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12 |
HEAS Advance screen (HEASADV) + Read more ... In Process Direct select Edit to view or edit the HEASADV screen. Check the Advance Loan amount the customer has requested within the Process Direct slider or SA497 variation form. Before selecting assess, check the following are correct:
The system automatically calculates the maximum HEAS advance amount available to the customer. The HEAS advance amount keyed must be equal to, or less than this amount. If the HEAS advance loan amount is requested via an:
Staff must make genuine attempts to contact the customer if they have requested more than the system calculated Maximum Advance amount. Tell the customer the maximum advance amount they can request. The customer can:
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13 |
Provisional outcome + Read more ...
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Assessment outcome
For the Home Equity Access Scheme National team only.
Table 2
Step |
Action |
1 |
Outcome of HEAS Advance Lump Sum request + Read more ... Is the HEAS Advance Lump Sum to be granted?
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2 |
Customer contact before rejecting HEAS advance request + Read more ... Before rejecting the HEAS advance payment request, the Decision Maker must contact the customer to explain the decision and give them an opportunity to provide more details. Complete the following actions:
Was contact with the customer successful?
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3 |
Partner's written consent is not provided or MLA is reached + Read more ... The customer can give more details when the HEAS loan advance amount cannot be granted for one of the following reasons:
Does the customer want to give more details?
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4 |
Rejecting the request + Read more ... Follow this process when the customer is uncontactable or one of the following rejection reasons apply:
In Process Direct:
A dialog box shows and confirms the work item has finalised successfully. A letter automatically generates and is sent to the customer with the rejection outcome. To view the letter, go to Customer First > Outbound Correspondence. |
5 |
Rejecting the request for a correspondence reason + Read more ... When correspondence is not received by the due date and the request is to be Rejected, the claim rejection reasons applied are:
The following approved work around for a known system issue is required when rejecting, complete the following:
Procedure ends here |
6 |
Before granting the HEAS Advance Loan amount + Read more ... Is the customer currently receiving a HEAS loan fortnightly payment?
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7 |
Advance Lump Sum only + Read more ... The following approved workaround for a known system issue required for E049PH - Current loan does not exist for this Link ID pending system fix and requires 2 separate activities. Staff must report through Roxy quoting PM38593 before actioning the work around. Note: these 2 activities must be completed on the same day. To update:
Do not finalise the activity
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8 |
Finalising the HEAS Advance Loan payment request + Read more ... To complete the HEAS Advance Loan payment request:
Overnight processing of grant outcomes results in the following:
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