Youth Allowance (YA) job seeker or Australian Apprentice returning to full-time study 102-07010010

Is the study full-time?

• Yes, go to Step 2
• No, see Youth Allowance (YA) job seekers returning to part-time study. Procedure ends here

Is the customer enrolled in an approved course of study for YA, or approved course of study for ABSTUDY or Assistance for Isolated Children (AIC)?

• Yes, go to Step 3
• No, the customer cannot be paid YA or ABSTUDY as a full-time student. The customer may continue to receive YA as a job seeker if the course is considered an approved activity. See Part-time or full-time study as an approved activity for Youth Allowance (YA). Procedure ends here

Check which benefit would be the most appropriate and beneficial student payment for the customer, taking into account:

• Non-Indigenous Australians may continue to receive YA
• Indigenous Australians may be eligible for ABSTUDY or YA as a full-time student
• Customers receiving ABSTUDY may be entitled to additional ABSTUDY allowances and benefits which are not available to YA customers
• Study requirements for ABSTUDY are more flexible than study requirements for YA
• Students living in remote areas may be eligible for Assistance for Isolated Children (AIC)
• Family Assistance Act payment are
• payable for AIC students
• not payable for a customer who receives YA or ABSTUDY
• Family Tax Benefit (FTB) may be more beneficial than YA or ABSTUDY in some family circumstances
• The Personal Assets Test does not apply to AIC
• The Parental Income Test (PIT) for AIC is only applied to the Additional Boarding Allowance component of AIC
• Rent Assistance (RA) is not available for AIC students
• Some YA job seekers who are single principal carers may be eligible for Pensioner Education Supplement (PES)
• YA job seekers with a partial capacity to work (PCW) of 0-14 hours may be able to study and still meet their mutual obligation requirements as a job seeker, and are also deemed Independent

See the Resources page for a link to the Payment and Service Finder.

If the most appropriate and beneficial payment is:

• YA, see Table 2
• ABSTUDY, ABSTUDY PES, AIC or PES, see Table 4

Is the customer currently recorded as a job seeker?

• Yes, and will/ has become a student:
• before the Ordinary Waiting Period (OWP) has been fully served, go to Step 2
• after the OWP has been fully served or OWP was not applied, go to Step 3
• after their 22^nd birthday, go to Step 7
• No, the customer was an Australian Apprentice, see Customer no longer an Australian Apprentice

Service Officers who are not suitably skilled for this step should create a Fast Note - select Auto Text, use Students, ABSTUDY and Apprentices > Update > YAL study update action DOC.

YA (student) customers are not subject to an OWP. Where a YA (job seeker) is granted with an OWP, but they started study and qualify for YA (student) before fully serving the OWP, reject the claim and re-grant YA (student).

To reject YA (job seeker), go to the Benefit Action (BA) screen in Customer First and complete the following fields:

• Service Reason: 'YAL' (Youth Allowance)
• Action:
• 'REJ' (Reject) for YAL/ASS customers
• 'CAN' (Cancel) for YAL/CUR customers
• Reason: 'COP' (Another payment is more appropriate)
• Effect Date: YA (job seeker) grant date
• Go to the Assessment Results (AR) screen, confirm that status is YAL/REJ-COP and finalise the activity

Create a new claim using the SOA Shell tile of the Process Direct landing page.

On the SOA Shell Creation page complete the following:

• Benefit Type: Youth Allowance (student)
• Customer CRN: Customer Reference Number with no spaces
• Date of Receipt: date of receipt of YA (job seeker) claim
• Select Create Claim

Process the claim using the information supplied in the YA (job seeker) claim and the study details given by the customer. See Assessing and coding student and Australian Apprentice claims for Youth Allowance (YA).

Customers considered independent for YA (job seeker) because of an assess PCW (coded PCW on the Independent/Homeless/Away From Home Details (NIH) screen) cannot retain this status as a full-time student.

If the E517NM - This customer is not eligible for the PCW - Independent Rate or E516NM - This customer is eligible for the Independent rate of YAL error appear on the SWE table, go to the Independent/Homeless/Away From Home Summary (NIHS) table:

• Select the Edit Row icon on the current IND/PCW line
• Update the Change Independent/Homeless/Away Details screen
• End Reason: field, select NLW (no longer eligible - Partial Capacity to Work)
• End Date: field, enter the day immediately before the Participation Status Event Date recorded on the Customer Study Details (EDC) screen in Process Direct or Education Course Details (EDC) screen in Customer First for the new course

Parental Income Test (PIT) information will need to be updated for these customers if not recorded, unless they can be considered independent for a different reason. See Independence for Youth Allowance (YA) customers.

Procedure ends here.

Check the Independent/Homeless/Away From Home Details (NIH) screen to confirm if the job seeker has been receiving YA as an independent person due to having a PCW.

PCW independence does not apply to YA students and must be ended.

If the customer does not have PCW independence recorded, go to Step 5.

If the customer has PCW independence recorded end PCW

If the Participation Status Event Date (PSED) is:

• in the future, go to Step 4
• today or in the past, make updates in either:

• Go to the NIH screen
• Select Edit on the PCW - Assessed as having partial capacity to work entry
• The Change Independent/Homeless/Away Details window will display
• Update the End Date: key in the day immediately before the PSED
• Update the End Reason: select NLW - no longer eligible - Partial Capacity to Work
• Select Save
• Go to Step 5

• Go to the NIHS screen
• Select the current PCW entry
• In the End Reason field, enter NLW - no longer eligible - Partial Capacity to Work
• In the End Date field, enter the day immediately before the PSED recorded on the Education Course Details (EDC) screen for the new course
• Key 'C' in the Action field to correct the information and press [Enter]
• Go to Step 5

PCW independence cannot be ended from a date in the future.

If the update is based on a:

• Change of Circumstance (CoC) transaction from the Manage study details service, place the work item on hold until the PSED
• digital image (such as a proof of enrolment):
• close the digital image work item, see Viewing Centrelink customers' digital images
• tell the customer to update their study details online when they become a student, see General notification provisions and exceptions
• verbal declaration, tell the customer to update their study details online when they become a student

Discuss other independence categories with the customer. See Independence for Youth Allowance (YA) customers. If none apply, issue a Mod JY using the Mail Forms guided procedure in Customer First and tell the customer to upload this when they update their study details.

Record details of the discussion on a DOC

Go to Step 6

When course information is available, these details should be recorded manually on the customer's record at the first point of contact. See Tables 2 and 3 in Coding new study details. Once completed, continue with this procedure.

If the customer's payment is cancelled, and they are contacting within 13 weeks of the cancellation decision, restore the payment via the Benefit Action (BA) screen. See Restoration of Youth Allowance (YA) or Austudy for full-time students and Australian Apprentices. Do not finalise the restoration activity until all payment affecting updates are complete.

If a customer cannot provide their course details at this time, they can log into their Centrelink online account and select My Details > Personal and contact details > Manage study details from the menu. Job seekers are able to use the Manage Study Details service to provide their course details.

When the customer is not able to use the online service, request a Study Details (MOD ST) form see Requesting information (CLK).

Go to Step 6.

To meet YA full-time study requirements the student must be making satisfactory progress towards completing their course. Satisfactory progress must be assessed if the student:

• has previously withdrawn from, or attempted, a tertiary course at the same level as the current level of study, or
• is resuming a course they have previously started but not completed, or
• is re-attempting Year 12 after 2 previous attempts

For tertiary students, see Assessing satisfactory progress for Youth Allowance (YA) tertiary students.

For secondary students, see Assessing satisfactory progress for Youth Allowance (YA) secondary students.

Is the student making satisfactory progress?

• Yes, see Table 3
• No:
• The customer is not eligible for YA as a student. Investigate eligibility for YA as a job seeker or an alternative payment
• Procedure ends here

Unless they opt out, YA (job seeker) customers, whose payment is current, are automatically transferred to JobSeeker Payment (JSP) from the date they turn 22. If a customer’s activity is changing from job seeker to student from a date after their 22nd birthday, do not code study details, as this will prevent the transfer to JSP.

Cancel the current study update activity or transaction, if there is one.

If the customer will be undertaking:

• a short course of less than 12 months, they may be able to remain on JSP. See Part-time or full-time study as an approved activity for JobSeeker Payment (JSP)
• a course of 12 months or more, JSP may not be payable. If the customer wishes to receive a student payment, tell them to lodge a new claim for YA (student).

Record details on a DOC.

Procedure ends here.

Will the customer receive a scholarship for this course?

• Yes, see Assessing scholarship income
• If evidence of scholarship income is required, see Requesting information (CLK)
• Go to Step 2
• No, go to Step 2

Determine whether the customer's address or accommodation circumstances need to be updated.

See:

• Updating address details, ensuring the home address, and if required, the postal and/or term addresses are correctly updated
• Completing the Accommodation Details (AC) screen and assessing Rent Assistance (RA)
• Qualification for payment of Rent Assistance (RA)

Once the address and accommodation circumstances are up to date, go to Step 3.

As the customer is returning to full-time study, they may be eligible for YA:

• as an independent young person
• as a person who is required to live away from home, or
• at the 'at home' rate

Determine whether the customer is independent for YA under any category. See Independence for Youth Allowance (YA) customers. When assessing independence for YA consider if the customer was:

• previously granted independence under the partial capacity to work (PCW) category. This status cannot be used for independence for a YA (student)
• granted Unreasonable to Live at Home (UTLAH) in the previous 52 weeks. This status may be restored if there have been no changes in their circumstances. See Unreasonable to live at home (UTLAH) initial contact for Youth Allowance (YA), Disability Support Pension (DSP), Special Benefit (SpB) or Tertiary Access Payment (TAP)
• previously granted independence, under any other category. This can be restored if the customer continues to meet the criteria

If the customer:

• can have UTLAH restored and UTLAH has now been re-coded from the Participation Status Event Date, go to Step 5
• can have the previous independence status restored, and the previous independence status has now been recorded, go to Step 5
• wants to test their eligibility for independence under another category, determine if any evidence is needed and request the information from the customer. Go to Step 4
• does not want to test their eligibility for independence under another category or the customer is not eligible for independence under another category, decide whether the customer can be assessed for the away from home rate of YA. Once assessed, go to Step 4

Customers will become a YA dependent customer from the participation status event date if they:

• were in a partial capacity to work (PCW) category and are no longer considered independent as a YA student
• need to supply evidence for an independence assessment, or
• will not meet an independence criteria based on their current circumstances

In this case, check if the appropriate parental income has been recorded on the Household Income and Assets (NHI) screen for the base tax year or the current tax year.

Is the parental income information up to date?

• Yes, the customer will be assessed against the current parental means test data recorded. This may reduce the rate of payment or cancel it if the customer was previously assessed as independent. If the result is an unfavourable decision, see Advising verbally of an unfavourable decision.
  Remind the customer that if they have been assessed under base tax year and the parent(s)/guardian(s) have had a decrease in parental income in the year following the base tax year, they may be eligible for a current tax year assessment.
  If the YA
• remains payable, go to Step 5
• is cancelled, finalise any outstanding activities and record details on a DOC. Procedure ends here
• No, see Parent(s)/Guardian(s) details for the Base Tax Year and Current Tax Year MOD JY
• Note: parents or guardians of customers who are required to provide PIT information for this change in circumstances, are currently unable to use the Advise Parental Income online service. If the Parental Means Test information cannot be obtained from sibling records, or via a verbal MOD JY, request a MOD JY see Requesting information (CLK)

Does the customer have income from employment to declare?

• Yes:
• Determine the student's reporting requirements
• Remind the customer of their notification obligations as a statement reporter
• Remind the customer they are required to report their income via the appropriate channels
• Students with access to the Express Plus app may record the hours they have worked on their timesheet within the app, or keep a record of their employment information using the Earnings Worksheet (SU505) available on the agency's website
• Go to Step 6
• No:
• Remind the customer of the general notification provisions and exceptions
• Go to Step 6

• Tell the customer that as a full-time student they may be entitled to the following:
• Higher income free area
• Student Income Bank (SIB). If the customer has had Working Credits or an Australian Apprentice/Student Income Bank in the last 12 months, they may be eligible to transfer or restore their previous working credits or income bank balance
• Fares Allowance (FAA) (tertiary students only)
• Student Start-up Loan (SSL)
• If the customer is studying an approved scholarship, determine their eligibility for the Relocation Scholarship. See Relocation Scholarship (RS) eligibility and Relocation Scholarship (RS) payment and coding
• Tell the customer their current Health Care Card will continue from the date they become a full-time student

Was the customer a job seeker?

• Yes, go to Step 7
• No, procedure ends here

Coding and finalising the new study details should change the customer's activity type on the Activity and Exemption Summary (AEX) screen to full-time student. The system will also send a transaction to the Department of Employment and Workplace Relations to inactivate the job seeker registration. This will automatically inactivate the job seeker. This may take one minute to occur, and staff should not be locked in the record while this is being processed.

Is the job seeker registration inactive?

Yes, procedure ends here.

No, if the inactivation does not occur automatically.

In Process Direct:

• Select Customer Summary from the Process Direct Landing page
• Enter the customer's CRN, select Go
• Select anywhere in the Search Results field to enter the customer's record
• Select the More Options menu, select > Participation Summary > Job seeker registration & provider referral information > Inactivate Registration > Returned to Study
• Complete the workflow
• Procedure ends here

If the customer wants to apply for:

• ABSTUDY, see Claiming ABSTUDY. YA may need to be manually cancelled before granting ABSTUDY. The process varies depending on the course start date. If the customer:
• has started the course in a previous entitlement period, and ABSTUDY is not more beneficial than YA, cancel YA using the reason Customer receiving precluding payment (CPP) from date paid to plus 1, see Coding a cancellation. ABSTUDY can then be granted from the YA job seeker cancellation date
• has started the course in a previous entitlement period and ABSTUDY is more beneficial than YA, cancel YA using the reason Customer receiving precluding payment (CPP) from the date the customer became eligible for ABSTUDY, see Processing an ABSTUDY claim for details about offsetting YA overpayments using ABSTUDY arrears
• has started the course in the current entitlement period, and ABSTUDY is not more beneficial than YA, cancel YA using CPP from the student start date, see Coding a cancellation. ABSTUDY can then be granted from the YA job seeker cancellation date
• has started the course in the current entitlement period and ABSTUDY is more beneficial than YA, cancel YA using CPP from the date the customer became eligible for ABSTUDY, see Processing an ABSTUDY claim for details about offsetting YA overpayments using ABSTUDY arrears
• is starting in the future, code the Newstart Education Status (NES) screen from the course start date before assessing ABSTUDY. See Coding student status details table in Coding new study details. ABSTUDY can then be granted from the course start date
• wants to apply for ABSTUDY Pensioner Education Supplement (PES), begin initial contact procedures for student claiming PES. Manually cancel YA payment
• Assistance for Isolated Children (AIC), begin initial contact procedures for a student claiming AIC so that a benefit transfer can be actioned. This will automatically cancel the YA when AIC starts

If the customer has had Working Credits or Student Income Bank credits in the last 12 months, they may be eligible to transfer or restore their previous Working Credits or income bank balance.

When a customer is transferring from YA job seeker to ABSTUDY, code the new course details to change the customer's activity type from job seeker to student (before transferring to ABSTUDY).

Note: careful consideration needs to be taken to ensure transferring from YA to ABSTUDY is the most beneficial option for the customer, for example, there is no transfer of student income bank credits between YA (student) and ABSTUDY.

Record the discussion about alternative assistance on a DOC.