Change of address to an aged care home 102-03010090

Services Australia can receive advice of a change of address into residential aged care from:

• a care recipient
• partner
• an authorised third party

See Adding or rejecting a nominee request and Accepting information from and disclosing information to a Power of Attorney for more details on confirming third party authorisation.

After confirming a permanent change of address into residential aged care updates are needed to the:

• home and/or postal address
• contact details, including phone number, and
• relationship status (if partnered)

See Searching for a customer on the system for help.

Does the care recipient have a Centrelink record?

• Yes, go to Step 3
• No, go to Step 2

If a thorough search for a record fails to produce a valid Centrelink record match:

• create a new record via the Add Person (AP) screen. See Adding a customer to the system

If the care recipient/third party is unable to give sufficient details to conduct a thorough search:

• do not add a new record
• tell the care recipient/third party that Services Australia will make contact with a request to complete an Aged Care - Calculation of your cost of care form

Help these customers by providing:

• details on the Commonwealth Seniors Health Card (CSHC)
• advice that customers may download this form from the Services Australia website
• the My Aged Care website for more details on aged care including fees and charges

Procedure ends here.

Ask the person advising the change of address if they have the following details:

• Name and address of the aged care home
• Date of entry
• details to determine if the care recipient is:
• in funded residential aged care, or
• an unfunded residential aged care (for example, Multi-purpose service, NATSIFAC)
• If the care recipient has paid any lump sum accommodation costs
• The address the care recipient wants their mail sent to from Customer First (Permanent residential aged care fee letters will be sent to the residential care service address, postal address not able to be added)

Does the care recipient/third party have the details needed?

• Yes, go to Step 5
• No, for move to:
• funded residential aged care, go to Step 4
• unfunded residential aged care, go to Table 2 > Step 1

When a care recipient enters funded residential aged care and Aged care data matching is completed:

• In Customer First:
• an RCA/NCL activity is created and has the details of entry into care
• use the RCA Institution (RIS) screen to verify entry by checking Admission Date and Care Type: Residential
• Aged Care skill tagged Service Officers can access ACSP and confirm any admission into care that has already been coded by the aged care service:
• contact the Aged Care (RCA) team to confirm details if needed. The Resources page has links to Office locator and contact details

Is there a Residential entry on RIS or can an aged care skill-tagged Service Officer supply all the relevant details now?

• Yes, go to Step 5
• No, see Table 2 > Step 1

If the change of address is for:

• entry into funded residential aged care, go to Step 6
• entry into unfunded residential aged care including:
• A multi-purpose service
• National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Flexible Aged Care (NATSIFAC) or
• In hospital assessed as a nursing home type patient
• Go to Step 6
• moving from one aged care home to another, see Step 7 in Obtaining and assessing information table
• respite care, see Temporary change of address to an aged care home for respite care. Procedure ends here
• a retirement village where the customer will be caring for themselves, see Retirement villages. Procedure ends here
• Procedure ends here

• Yes, go to Step 7
• No, go to Step 8

When a care recipient has permanently entered residential aged care, these accommodation arrangements automatically define a couple as illness separated.

After confirming the date of entry, determine the earliest date of notification that can be used:

• to code separated due to illness, and
• to record the Date of Receipt. Note: this may be the date of receipt of an RCA/NCL with a source of AUT for funded residential aged care

If an RCA/NCL activity is stopping the update of the contact details:

• cancel the new claim
• complete updates using the earliest date of notification
• re-index claim, see Indexing, re-indexing and cancelling claim activities

To update the MS screen in Customer First:

• key 'MS' in Next: field to access new screen for updating
• Event Date: field, enter the date the care recipient became illness separated
• Marital Status: field will remain as MAR, REG or DEF
• PPE Cust and PPE Ptnr: fields, update as required
• Qualifier Code: field, enter the appropriate illness separated qualifier code:
• 'ILB' - Illness Separated / Both have left home
• 'ILC' - Illness Separated / Customer has left home
• 'ILP' - Illness Separated / Partner has left home
• Source: field, enter the source of the details
• Receipt Date: field, enter the date of receipt

Note: after entering the correct 'illness separated' code on the MS screen, the records of the care recipient and partner continue to be linked and correctly shows as 'member of a couple'.

Select Continue to go to the Customer Details Task (CDTS) screen.

• For permanent entry into care, go to the CDTS screen in Customer First and select the Address Details (AD) screen manually:
• Select the appropriate line, then select Continue
• Update the Is RA being claimed on this address field to No
• Update the date of event to the date of admission
• Update the address details to the confirmed updated address
• Complete Source and Receipt Date fields
• For temporary care, update any temporary address from the AD screen if needed

Note: do not change the customer’s address (for example, postal address) to that of the nominee’s unless the customer and the nominee reside at the same address. If it is a court appointed arrangement and the nominee does not want the customer to receive their correspondence, suppress the customer’s copy without changing the postal address.

If the care recipient/third party advises payment of a lump sum accommodation payment, see Aged care fees and charges - accommodation payments for more details on coding.

If care recipient/third party advises that the principal home is sold, see Sale of principal home.

Is the care recipient, or their partner receiving an income support payment or concession card?

• Yes, read the Note below and action if required, then go to Step 9
• No, record details in a Fast Note. Procedure ends here

Note: if the customer is under Age Pension age and not receiving Disability Support Pension (DSP), see Claiming Disability Support Pension (DSP).

If the customer is current on Jobseeker Payment (JSP) and enters a residential aged care facility, Service Officers must refer to Request an Employment Services Assessment (ESAt) for specific instructions on how to request an ESAt for the customer. This is regardless of if the customer has lodged medical evidence or not.

Update the accommodation details even if the care recipient is not paying any rent.

Customer First only accepts the Home ownership codes GFN and GFH if:

• the care recipient has an aged care status of RCA/CUR-DSS or RCA/CUR-SFR, or
• AC screen is updated within a means assessment activity and the result will be RCA/CUR-DSS or RCA/CUR-SFR
• for help in assessing home ownership, see Determining homeowners and non-homeowners

If the means assessment will be rejected, including when the care recipient has been discharged from care, correct Home Ownership codes.

Update these fields on the AC screen:

• Address Type code 'HOM' - Home
• Event Date: field as date of admission
• Accommodation details for: field, code 'C' for Customer:
• Including partnered care recipients as they are now separated due to illness
• For care recipients currently in funded permanent residential aged care Home Ownership:
• ‘GFN' = Non homeowner in Govt funded aged care
• 'GFH' = Homeowner in Govt funded aged care
• 'NHO' = Non homeowner, only used in limited cases when not RCA/CUR
• 'HOM' = Jointly/singly owns or purchasing home, only used in limited cases when not RCA/CUR
• For care recipients currently in funded permanent residential aged care:
• Type of Rent: is updated to NRP - No Rent Paid unless the care recipient has a current PINS deduction for Government Rent.
  The rent type must be coded as GOV.
  A MFU auto creates to follow up coding of the AC screen and end the PINS deduction
• GFN and NHO: the remaining fields on the AC screen must be left blank. When coding in Process Direct the $ Gross Household Rent and $ Net Rent fields will default to 0.00 when left blank
• GFH and HOM: the remaining fields until Vacation of home can be left blank. When coding in Process Direct the $ Gross Household Rent and $ Net Rent fields will default to 0.00 when left blank
• For care recipients currently in unfunded residential aged care:
• Home Ownership= 'NHN' = Non home owner Lives in Nursing Home
• 'NHH' = Lives in a Nursing Home (homeowner)
• Type of Rent: would be recorded as MNT - Maintenance fees for nursing home or retirement village where rent component can be determined, or BOA - Board and Lodging where the rent component cannot be determined.
  The system will automatically apply the two thirds rule to the total amount when calculating the RA entitlement
• Sharer Status: EXE – exempt, otherwise blank
• Rent Verification: EXC - Exempt as customer full time in non-Commonwealth Residential Care otherwise blank
• Reason Home Vacated (for GFH, NHH only):
• INH - In Nursing Home (other than EX5), home exempt for 2 years (for care recipients who entered care after 1 July 2014)
• EXA - In aged care paying periodic accommodation charge (including Daily Accommodation Contribution) to indefinitely and entry into care before 1 January 2017
• EXP - In aged care paying periodic accommodation bond (or Daily Accommodation Payment) and entry into care before 1 January 2017
• Date Home Vacated (for GFH, NHH only): Date the care recipient left the principal home. This may already be updated. For example, if care recipient was previously in respite care or hospital
• Note: if partnered, make sure the AC screen is updated for the care recipient only. If the partner remains in the home the 'Reason Home Vacated' and 'Date Home Vacated' are not coded
• Remaining fields are blank

Was the care recipient paying rent before their change of address?

• Yes, go to Step 10
• No,
• attach a manual Fast Note with details of the update
• finalise via the AR screen
• go to Table 2 > Step 4

Confirm if the care recipient is liable to pay rent after the address change.

Complete the steps below:

• If the care recipient is a partnered non-homeowner and the partner is still residing in the home and paying rent:
• RA entitlement is still applicable for the partner. For more details, see Vacation of principal home due to illness
• If the care recipient was paying rent for their principal home before moving into Commonwealth funded residential aged care and they continue to pay rent for the former principal home:
• RA is payable for the first 14 days after admission, and
• may need to be paid manually. This will make sure that the details on the AC screen matches the details on the RIS screen
• Make a manual payment via the Payment Adjustment (PYAJ) screen
• An APS5 or above must issue the payment via the PYAJ screen (no mySupport referral required). See Using the Payment Adjustment (PYAJ) screen
• Any debt raised for RA may need adjusting to take into account the 14 day rule. See Explaining and actioning negative adjustments on a customer’s record

If the care recipient has entered unfunded residential aged care (Multi-Purpose Service, NATSIFAC or in hospital as a nursing home type patient, see Rent Assistance (RA) for care receivers:

• Attach a manual Fast Note with the update details
• Finalise via the AR screen

See Table 2 > Step 4.

Is the care recipient receiving an income support payment (ISP)?

• Yes, go to Step 2
• No, go to Step 3

To confirm the change of address Services Australia must receive admission documents. This confirms if a member of a couple is separated due to illness.

Before making updates, the following details are needed:

• Evidence from a treating doctor or relevant health professional to confirm vacation of the home due to ill health, and/or
• Evidence from the accommodation provider that the move has occurred due to ill health
• Any documents needed to confirm changes to income and assets

Note: postal address details can be updated before confirming the care recipient has moved into residential care.

Complete the following actions:

• Update the Address Details (AD) screen with new postal address (if provided)
• Stop payment of Rent Assistance and update the Accommodation (AC) screen:
• Event Date: date of entry advised
• Type of Rent: NRP - No Rent Paid
• Net Rent Amount: delete amount in this field
• Create and complete a Fast Note stating Services Australia has received advice that the care recipient has moved permanently into residential aged care. Details not yet confirmed. Include the address and date
• See Requesting information (CLK) and send a request to confirm details, which may include:
• evidence that care recipient has entered residential aged care
• changes to income and assets that have been advised
• other supporting evidence that care recipient and partner are now separated due to illness (if needed)

Note: if the customer is under Age Pension age and not receiving Disability Support Pension (DSP), see Claiming Disability Support Pension (DSP).

If the customer is current on Jobseeker Payment (JSP) and enters a residential aged care facility, regardless of if the customer has lodged medical evidence or not, Service Officers must refer to Request an Employment Services Assessment (ESAt) for specific instructions on how to request an ESAt for the customer.

Procedure ends here.

The postal address can be updated before confirming the care recipient has moved into residential care.

Complete the following actions:

• Update the Address Details (AD) screen with new postal address (if provided)
• Create and complete a Fast Note stating that Services Australia has received advice that the care recipient has moved permanently into residential aged care. Details are not yet confirmed. Include the address and date

Procedure ends here.

If care recipient or nominee are on the phone, check and confirm Centrepay deductions and or Rent Deduction Scheme (RDS) details. See Rent Deduction Scheme (RDS) deductions or Starting, changing and cancelling a Centrepay deduction at the request of a customer if needed.

Are any updates to income and assets needed?

• Yes, go to Step 5
• No, procedure ends here

Has the care recipient/third party given enough details to complete the income and asset updates for changes that exceed the small change to asset values thresholds?

• Yes,
• Update any other changes as needed, for example, bank accounts. See Coding income and assets for Centrelink payments and services for more details
• Procedure ends here
• No, go to Step 6

Care recipient/third party can verify the move into residential aged care but cannot give all details of significant changes to income and assets:

• See Requesting information (CLK) and issue a request for details to confirm listing:
• changes to the income and assets advised
• supporting details needed to confirm changes
• Procedure ends here

For a funded residential aged care place, a new admission into care will create an RCA/NCL activity once admission is received. If RCA/NCL is currently on Activity List (AL), see Aged care means assessment - preliminary checks or complete unannounced transfer to Aged Care staff, see Transferring a call with Services Australia Workspace.

To update address details before completion of a new means assessment, or for other types of residential aged care get the following details from the care recipient or their authorised representative:

• Name and address of facility
• Date of entry
• details to determine if the care recipient is in:
• a funded aged care place, or
• unfunded residential aged care (for example, Multi-purpose service or NATSIFAC)
• the postal address the care recipient wants their mail sent to
• Update any other changes as needed. For example, bank accounts. See Coding income and assets for Centrelink payments and services for more details

Is the care recipient or partner receiving an income support payment or is there an existing entry on ACS screen?

• Yes, go to Step 8
• No, record details in a Fast Note. Procedure ends here

Update the accommodation details with new date of entry into care.

Customer First only accepts the Home ownership codes GFN and GFH if the:

• Care recipient is RCA/CUR, or
• AC screen is updated within a means assessment activity and the result will be RCA/CUR

If means assessment will be rejected, including when care recipient has now been discharged from care, use correct Home Ownership code.

Update these fields on the AC screen:

• Address Type Used for RA Calc: field, code 'HOM' - Home
• Event Date: field as date of new admission
• Accommodation details for: field, code 'C' for Customer:
• including partnered care recipients as they are now separated due to illness
• For care recipients currently in a funded residential aged care home and in receipt of an income support payment, Home Ownership:
• ‘GFN' = Non homeowner in Govt funded aged care
• 'GFH' = Homeowner in Govt funded aged care
• ‘NHN’ = Non homeowner Lives in Nursing Home, used in limited cases when not RCA/CUR
• ‘NHH’ = Lives in a Nursing Home (homeowner), used in limited cases when not RCA/CUR
• For care recipients currently in funded residential aged care, Type of Rent: must be blank
• For care recipients currently in an unfunded bed in residential aged care, Home Ownership:
• ‘NHN’ = Non homeowner Lives in Nursing Home
• ‘NHH’ = Lives in a Nursing Home (homeowner)
• For care recipients currently in an unfunded residential aged care. Type of Rent. If the rent component:
• can be determined, the rent type is recorded as MNT - Maintenance fees for nursing home or retirement village
• cannot be determined, then the total amount payable by the care recipient would be recorded as rent type BOA - Board and Lodging. The system will automatically apply the two thirds rule to the total amount when calculating the RA entitlement
• Sharer Status: EXE - exempt (for NHH, NHN only), otherwise blank
• Rent Verification: EXC - Exempt as customer full time in non-Commonwealth Residential Care (for NHN, NHH only), otherwise blank
• Reason Home Vacated (for GFH, NHH only):
• INH - In Nursing Home (other than EX5), home exempt for 2 years (for care recipients who entered care after 1 July 2014)
• EXA - In aged care paying periodic accommodation charge (including Daily Accommodation Contribution) to indefinitely and entry into care before 1 January 2017
• EXP - In aged care paying periodic accommodation bond (or Daily Accommodation Payment) and entry into care before 1 January 2017
• Date Home Vacated (for GFH, NHH only): The original date that a care recipient left the principal home if there has not been any break in care. This may be date of entry to hospital, or previous residential care
• Note: if partnered, make sure the AC screen is updated for the care recipient only. If the partner remains in the home the 'Reason Home Vacated' and 'Date Home Vacated' are not coded
• Remaining fields are blank
• Procedure ends here.

Determine if referral to Local Peer Support (LPS) is required to update care recipient address after the move:

• If referral to LPS is required:
• complete the RCA/NCL activity, without changing the address, then
• make the LPS referral
• record a Fast Note detailing the referral to LPS
• Update a residential or postal address based on advice received from a care recipient or an authorised third party
• Care recipients receiving an income support payment (ISP) who move into an aged care home are at risk of mail being returned to Services Australia (if the address is not updated)
• Aged care systems send aged care letters. The default address is the residential address of the aged care home

More action is needed when a care recipient receives an ISP, or a concession card.

Does the care recipient receive an ISP or concession card?

• Yes, go to Step 2
• No,
• further referral is not needed
• procedure ends here

Delegation to change a Centrelink address based on data exchange only, is limited to staff at the APS4 level or above.

Service Officers not skilled in Aged Care or not APS4 or above must refer the address update to LPS staff in the Aged Care (RCA) team to complete as a separate activity. The Resources page contains links to Office Locator and contact details.

To update a customer's home address staff who are APS4 and above should:

• Confirm the entry details by opening ACSP:
• From ACSP home screen, select Care recipient search
• In Search by field, change to Centrelink ID
• Complete Centrelink ID field
• Select Search
• Care Summary screen will show and show all entries into care
• To find the aged care home address in ACSP:
• Click on the NAPS ID of the current permanent residential care service
• From Quick links menu, select Service details
• Within a Benefit Action (BA) RCA REA activity with Effect Date of Date of Entry:
• update the customer’s Customer First home address to the Street Address of the aged care home
• run the Change in Contact Details workflow to update home address, or
• update the home address details on the Address Details (AD) screen, complete via AR screen and add a DOC

Note: If a customer has a separate mailing address already on record do not update or end date the mailing address unless advice is received from the customer or the correspondence nominee.

• Use the Staff Feedback Tool when:
• a referral does not meet the criteria specified, or
• any activity has been placed on hold pending the address update
• See Aged Care Staff Portal (ACSP) - Care Recipient in Context (CRiC) for help with accessing details in ACSP

Procedure ends here.