Parenting Payment Single (PPS) customer and/or child going overseas 102-11210000

• Yes:
• only the child/ren's departure has to be assessed and coded and the Portability Script - Departures and Returns cannot be used
• record information on a DOC
• go to Step 2
• No, go to Step 4

• Yes, go to Step 3
• No, see Step 7 in Table 2

• Yes:
• advise the customer they will lose qualification for PPS and payment will stop on the date the last child ceases to be a PP child and the requirement to reclaim if and when they regain qualification
• record the change in circumstances for the child (e.g. loss of care) and ensure appropriate letter issues. Note: the portability letter is not appropriate in these circumstances
• record details of the decision on a DOC
• ask the customer if they have any further questions, if not the interview can be terminated
• see Step 1 in Table 3
• No, customer's PPS will continue if they continue to have a PP child and otherwise remain qualified. See Step 1 in Table 3

Run the Portability Script - Departures and Returns. Use the script when available. While conducting the portability interview, the Service Officer will be able to determine if the customer has to contact when they have returned to Australia, and discuss this before the customer's departure to correctly assess their ongoing entitlements.

Customers with mutual obligation requirements will be granted a temporary exemption from their mutual obligation requirements for the period they are payable outside Australia (this will be automatically applied when the departure from Australia is recorded).

The customer may contact after using the online Travelling outside of Australia service. If the online service has already coded the absence, details are recorded on a DOC. The online service may refer the customer to contact to have their absence coded, or explore further portability for their situation.

Is the script working?

• Yes, see Coding departures and returns for customers leaving Australia. Procedure ends here
• No, and the interview:
• cannot be delayed, go to Step 5
• can be delayed, book an appointment to be completed by the customer's local service centre. Ensure customer contact details are correct. Record details on a DOC. Procedure ends here

Ask the customer:

• the date of departure
• the date they expect to return to Australia (if any)
• if their children are also travelling overseas and if so, for how long, and
• the country to which they are travelling

Check if customer must be referred to Centrelink International Services (CIS):

• go to the Additional Residence Details (ARD) screen
• if the Agreement Country field has a country recorded, payment is made under an agreement

Is the customer paid under an international agreement?

• Yes, go to Step 6
• No, go to Step 7

Is the Service Officer in Centrelink International Services (CIS)?

• Yes, see Portability of payments paid under International Agreements. Procedure ends here
• No, advise the customer the portability interview must be done by CIS and transfer the call immediately. See Centrelink International Services (CIS) - contact details for staff:
• if the customer does not have time to be transferred immediately to CIS, provide the customer with contact details and advise them to call at a time and date suitable to them, prior to their departure. See Centrelink International Services (CIS) - contact details for customers
• record actions on a completed DOC
• procedure ends here

• Yes, go to Step 8
• No, see Step 1 in Table 2

The customer's payment (including all add-on payments) will be cancelled from the date of departure:

• explain the decision to the customer and advise them of the requirement to reclaim if they ever decide to return to Australia
• if the customer is going to an agreement country and their partner is deceased, they may be able to continue to be paid under the agreement. See Transfers to international social security agreements. If this is a possibility, the system will generate a Manual Follow-up (MFU) activity when the payment cancels. Advise the customer they may be contacted by CIS about possibly transferring to an agreement
• if the customer is also receiving Family Tax Benefit (FTB), cancel the customer's payment from date of departure. Coding the departure for PPS will also cancel FTB and associated payments. For more information, see Family Tax Benefit (FTB), Child Care Subsidy (CCS) and Paid Parental Leave scheme customer/child going overseas

Check if the customer has employment income or is a stimulus customer

Check if the customer has employment income or is a 2WE reporter. If yes, see Recording and correcting employment income details.

A stimulus reporter will be re-profiled to a notification reporter from their Entitlement Period Start Day (EPSD) on departure. Ensure any outstanding reports are lodged. The system will issue any entitlements.

Finalise interview

Give the customer the contact details for Centrelink International Services (CIS), so they can contact Services Australia while outside Australia:

• check if the customer has any further queries
• record all details of the interview on a DOC including any contact address or phone number
• when the portability script is working, use it to issue the customer with a Pre-Departure Interview - Portability Decision (XOB101) letter

If the customer has provided new address details, record the change of address on the Address Details (AD) screen. Note: it is not mandatory for the customer to provide an address outside Australia.

Update the:

• Customer Advised Travel Details (RSCD) screen
• Country of Residence (CRES) screen

Are any of the customer's children also leaving Australia?

• Yes, see Step 1 in Table 3
• No:
• go to the Assessment Results (AR) screen and check payment will cease from date of departure for a residence related reason
• do not inhibit the advice
• finalise the activity
• procedure ends here

Is the customer leaving Australia to complete full-time study as part of an Australian course or leaving to attend an Australian Defence Force Reserves training camp outside Australia?

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

Payment is portable for the duration of training camp or full-time course of study.

Advise the customer they may meet the requirement for payment outside Australia but they must speak to Centrelink International Services (CIS) for a decision on their ongoing portability:

• transfer the call to the CIS and explain the customer's circumstances. International Services will take over and complete the portability interview with the customer. Once transferred, complete a DOC advising what action has been taken (that is, call has been referred to CIS and details of travel, especially the reason)
• if the customer does not have time to be transferred immediately to CIS, provide the customer with contact details and advise them to call at a time and date suitable to them, prior to their departure. See Centrelink International Services (CIS) - contact details for customers:
• record actions on a DOC

Procedure ends here.

If the customer has evidence for their travel, advise them if they are registered for online services, they can use Upload documents to provide the evidence. If they are not registered, they can either take the evidence to a service centre for scanning to their record, or post it. For address details, see Centrelink International Services (CIS) – contact details for customers.

Procedure ends here.

PPS is not payable from the date of departure if the customer:

• lost payability for a portability reason (e.g., outside Australia more than 6 weeks) and the customer has been in Australia for less than 6 weeks since last return, or
• ceased to be the principal carer for all the customer's children for portability reasons (e.g., child/ren outside Australia more than 6 weeks) and the child/ren has/have not been in Australia for more than 6 weeks since their last return

Note: if the customer is no longer the principal carer for any child, they will lose qualification for PPS. The system will generally check any prior absences and cancel PPS once the customer leaves Australia and the Immigration Datalink verifies the departure. If this does not occur, refer to ICT Service Desk via mySupport. The Resources page contains a link to mySupport.

Was the customer's payment cancelled or suspended by a previous absence from Australia and has the customer and/or child returned to Australia for less than 6 weeks?

• Yes, advise the customer they will lose entitlement to PPS from date of departure. Go to Step 4
• No, advise the customer that payment may continue for 6 weeks. Go to Step 5

PPS will cease from date of departure:

• advise any add-ons (including Rent Assistance (RA)) will also cease from date of departure. See Portability of Add-ons
• explain decision and ensure all customers understand if they must contact when they have returned to Australia
• advise the customer about continuation of payment on their return to Australia. If the customer remains outside Australia after their payment has ceased to be portable, including where it ceases to be portable from departure, their payment can be restored if they return to Australia within 13 weeks of their payment ceasing, as long as they continue to have a PP child
• if the customer is also receiving Family Tax Benefit (FTB), cancel payments from date of departure. Coding departure for PP will also cancel FTB and associated payments. For more information, see Family Tax Benefit (FTB), Child Care Subsidy (CCS) and Paid Parental Leave scheme customer/child going overseas

Check if the customer has employment income or is a stimulus customer

Check if the customer has employment income or is a 2WE reporter. If yes, see Recording and correcting employment income details.

A stimulus reporter will be re-profiled to a notification reporter from their Entitlement Period Start Day (EPSD) on departure. Ensure any outstanding reports are lodged. The system will issue any entitlements.

Finalise interview

Give contact details for CIS for contact Services Australia while outside Australia:

• ask the customer if they have any further questions
• record details of the decision on a DOC
• if the customer requests written confirmation of the decision, issue a Pre Departure Interview - Portability Decision (XOB101) letter

Go to Step 6.

PPS is payable for maximum portability period of up to 6 weeks:

• advise any add-ons (e.g. Rent Assistance (RA), Pension Supplement) will continue while the customer remains qualified for PPS. See Portability of Add-ons
• explain decision and ensure all customers understand if they must contact when they have returned to Australia
• advise the customer about continuation of payment on their return to Australia. If the customer remains outside Australia after their payment has ceased to be portable, including where it ceases to be portable from departure, their payment can be restored if they return to Australia within 13 weeks of their payment ceasing, as long as they continue to have a PP child
• ask if they would like to nominate an agent to act on their behalf while they are overseas and, if so, document the authority
• for Family Tax Benefit (FTB):
• discuss the customer's income estimate. This must include all income they will earn during the entire financial year, including any foreign income
• ensure the customer is aware of the reconciliation process
• see Family Tax Benefit (FTB), Child Care Subsidy (CCS) and Paid Parental Leave scheme customer/child going overseas
• if any reviews are due before the expected date of return (check the Future Activity List (FAL) screen) action and finalise if possible, or advise customer they must reply to any requests for information Services Australia may send while they are outside Australia

Check if the customer has employment income or is a stimulus customer

Check if the customer has employment income or is a 2WE reporter. If yes, see Recording and correcting employment income details.

A stimulus reporter will be re-profiled to a notification reporter from their Entitlement Period Start Day (EPSD) on departure. Ensure any outstanding reports are lodged. The system will issue any entitlements.

Finalise interview

Give contact details for CIS for contact with the agency while outside Australia:

• ask the customer if they have any further questions
• record details of the decision on a DOC
• if the customer requests written confirmation of the decision, issue a Pre Departure Interview - Portability Decision (XOB101) letter

Record the change of address on the Address Details (AD) screen if the customer has provided new address details. Note: it is not mandatory for the customer to provide an address outside Australia.

Record any overseas telephone number and/or overseas email address if provided.

Update the Customer Advised Travel Details (RSCD) screen.

Are any of the customer's children also going outside Australia?

• Yes, see Step 1 in Table 3
• No:
• go to the Assessments Results (AR) screen and finalise the activity
• if return rules apply, PPS will cease from date of departure for a portability related reason
• if return rules do not apply, PPS will continue with add-ons for the maximum portability period of 6 weeks

Note: the reassessment will occur once the customer actually leaves Australia and the departure is verified via the Immigration Datalink

A dependent child can go outside Australia temporarily for up to 6 weeks and still be a PP child, even if the customer remains in Australia. PPS can continue to be paid for the maximum portability period of up to 6 weeks of a PP child's temporary absence.

PPS is not payable from the date of departure if the customer ceased to be the principal carer for all the customer's children for portability reasons (e.g. child/ren outside Australia more than 6 weeks) and the child/ren has/have not been in Australia for more than 6 weeks since their last return.

Note: PPS can continue to be paid provided the customer has at least 1 PP child. If the customer is no longer the principal carer for any child, they will lose qualification for PPS.

Does the customer continue to have at least 1 PP child?

• Yes, PPS can continue to be paid, see Step 1 in Table 3
• No, go to Step 8

Advise the customer PPS will cease from the date the child ceases to be a PP child, and the requirement to reclaim if and when they regain qualification.

Record the change in circumstances for the child (e.g. loss of care) and ensure an appropriate letter issues. Note: the portability letter is not appropriate in these circumstances.

Finalise interview

Record details of the decision on a DOC:

• ask the customer if they have any further questions, if not the interview can be terminated
• see Step 1 in Table 3

Go to the Child Selection (CHS) screen and select the child(ren) who is travelling outside Australia.

Key 'S' in the line for the relevant child and key 'CHRSCD' in the Nxt field. Press [Enter] to bring up the Customer Advised Child Travel (CHRSCD) screen.

Does an error message appear 'I083AM - Child is a customer - please enter CRN in header'?

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

Update the:

• CHRSCD screen
• Child Country of Residence (CHCRES) screen if the child is leaving Australia to live in another country

Note: do not record temporary absences from Australia on the CHCRES screen.

Repeat these steps for all children leaving Australia.

Go to Step 4.

Key the child's CRN in the Nxt field and press [Enter]:

• record the change of address on the Address Details (AD) screen if the customer has provided new address details. Note: it is not mandatory for the customer to provide an address outside Australia
• update the:
• RSCD screen
• Country of Residence (CRES) screen if the child is leaving Australia to live in another country

Note: do not record any temporary absences from Australia on the CRES screen.

Key 'AR' in Nxt and press [Enter]:

• finalise the activity (key 'Y' in the Finished field)
• return to the customer's record (generally using 'FL' in Nxt field)
• repeat steps if required for any other children also travelling outside Australia

Go to the Assessment Results (AR) screen and finalise the activity.

Note: the reassessment will occur once the customer actually leaves Australia and the departure is verified via the Immigration Datalink

Do not suppress the auto advice.