Returning to the parental home when in receipt of the Away from Home rate of ABSTUDY 102-03010130

The customer is currently in receipt of the Away from Home (AFH) rate of ABSTUDY and they have returned to their parental home.

Students or Australian Apprentices who have independent status receive a higher rate of payment, not the AFH rate. Therefore, this procedure does not apply to them.

Has the customer returned to the parental home on a temporary or permanent basis?

• Temporarily, go to Step 2
• Permanently, go to Step 7

ABSTUDY customers can return home to complete a part of their course (for example, practical training) for up to one term or semester (depending on the structure of the course) or during vacation periods. Short visits home (for example, return for a weekend visit) do not affect the payment of the AFH rate if residence at the study or Australian Apprenticeship location is maintained during temporary breaks. For ABSTUDY students in receipt of Residential Cost Option see Payment of Residential Costs Option (RCO) for ABSTUDY and ABSTUDY Pensioner Education Supplement (PES).

Customers may return home:

• to undertake part of their course/training, or undertake part of their full-time Australian Apprenticeship
• during their scheduled vacation period (secondary student)
• during their scheduled vacation period and continue to maintain their study location residence (secondary non-schooling, tertiary student, or Australian Apprentice), or
• for a short visit (for example, for a weekend visit)

Has the customer returned home for any of the above?

• Yes, go to Step 3
• No, go to Step 7

Will the customer continue to maintain their accommodation away from home whilst staying at the parental home temporarily?

• Yes, go to Step 8
• No, go to Step 4

If the student is a secondary boarder and:

• lives on campus for a few days, then at home for the rest of the time each week throughout the term, go to Step 5
• is required to undertake part of their course at home for e.g. a work placement, go to Step 6

None of the above, go to Step 7.

A secondary boarding student, who is in receipt of the Away from Home rate of ABSTUDY, may have an arrangement where they do not live on campus 100% of the time. They may reside at their permanent home for a few days each week. Away from home entitlements can continue to be paid as long as the student boards for a minimum of 4 days per week.

Is the student living on campus for 4 or more days per week?

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

Secondary boarding students who return home, to undertake part of their course, for longer than one term, may continue to qualify for Away from Home entitlements under continuity of study provisions, provided they remain enrolled at the same education institution. For example, students enrolled in Tec-NQ.

Is the student a secondary boarding student who is:

• undertaking part of their course at the permanent home for more than 1 term, and
• enrolled at the same education institution that they were granted the Away from Home rate to attend?
• Yes, they may still qualify for away from allowances under continuity of study provisions, see Assessing continuity of study for ABSTUDY away from home rate
• No, go to step 7

The customer is not entitled to the AFH rate or Rent Assistance (RA). The customer’s eligibility for payment must also be reassessed as they may no longer be qualified under the study requirements for ABSTUDY or requirements to continue to meet the definition of an Australian Apprentice.

Note: ABSTUDY customers who have been boarding in a hostel or boarding school may have had payments for the whole study term paid to the boarding institution in advance. These customers require more action. See Cessation of the ABSTUDY Away from Home rate.

Is the customer still entitled to ABSTUDY?

• Yes, go to Step 9
• No, cancel their ABSTUDY payment and record details on a DOC
  Procedure ends here

• Advise the customer they must notify Services Australia within 14 days of any changes in their circumstances including if they:
• cease their course/training or Australian Apprenticeship
• change their rent details, or
• return to their parental home permanently
• Update the customer’s postal address if they wish to receive correspondence at the parental home for the duration of their stay
• If the customer is maintaining accommodation away from home and they continue to have a rent liability, then Rent Assistance (RA) can continue. No change to the AC screen will be required
• If the customer is maintaining accommodation away from home but not paying rent, the customer's AC screen for the Term/Semester address must be updated:
• type of rent field: No rent paid - NRP
• Sharer Status field: Does not live in Shared Accommodation - NAS

See Completing the Accommodation Details (AC) screen and assessing Rent Assistance (RA) to finalise the AC screen update. Note: if this procedure was accessed from that page, it will have opened in a new window. Close this procedure and return there. Record details of decision/discussion on a DOC.

Procedure ends here.

• For system coding, see Cessation of the ABSTUDY Away from Home rate
• If the customer was receiving Rent Assistance (RA), they will continue to qualify if:
• they continue to pay rent, and
• they are 25 or over, or
• they are independent but not an accommodated independent person
• If the customer does not meet the above RA qualification rules and are receiving Rent Assistance (RA), they will cease to qualify for RA from the earlier of:
• the date they ceased to qualify for the Away from Home rate, or
• the date they ceased to pay for accommodation
• Ensure the customer's Term/Semester address is end dated, the AC screen is updated for their home address and the sharer status is recorded as Lives with parents - LWP
• Run the Change in Contact Details workflow to update the customer's address and accommodation details

See Completing the Accommodation Details (AC) screen and assessing Rent Assistance (RA) to finalise the AC screen update.

If the customer has a sibling in receipt of payment as a dependent child of the parent, see Changes which may affect the Parental Income Test (PIT).

Advise the customer of their new rate of payment and record details of decision/discussion with customer on a DOC.