Income Management and enhanced Income Management customers entering or leaving prison 103-01050140

IM and enhanced IM are both tools that help customers to manage their income support payments and prioritise spending on essential goods and services such as food, housing, electricity, and education. It involves setting aside a percentage of a customer’s income support payment and 100 per cent of advance and lump sum payments to their quarantined account.

The IM program closed to new entrants on 4 September 2023, which means that customers who are identified, or request to volunteer for welfare quarantining, must commence enhanced IM.

When an IM or enhanced IM customer enters prison, and their payment is suspended, or cancelled for more than 13 weeks, their participation in the IM or enhanced IM program will automatically end.

If the customer has deductions, including through Centrepay or the Rent Deduction Scheme, these deductions will cease from the suspension or cancellation date.

Disbursement of remaining IM funds

Incarcerated customers are unable to attend disbursement interviews. When a customer’s IM participation automatically ends, any remaining IM funds will be disbursed under the Auto Disbursement rules.

Enhanced IM account

The customer’s enhanced IM account must be closed within 91 days of the end date. When the account is closed, any residual funds will be disbursed to the customer’s nominated bank account.

IM

If the customer’s payment is restored or re-granted to date paid to +1 (that is, there is no payment gap), the customer is then considered to have been eligible for IM continuously and must remain on the IM program.

However, if their payment is not restored or re-granted to date paid to +1 (that is, there is a payment gap), and they continue to meet other eligibility criteria, the customer must commence enhanced IM as a new customer with a waiting period.

Enhanced IM

Enhanced IM may be reinstated for customers who leave prison and have their payment restored or regranted within 13 weeks of the cancellation date, regardless of whether there is a payment gap or not. These customers will commence enhanced IM without a waiting period.

Enhanced IM may be reinstated for customers who leave prison and claim a payment after 13 weeks of the cancellation date. These customers will commence enhanced IM with an Initial Waiting Period. Customers who were released from prison may be identified, or request to volunteer for enhanced IM, if they meet the eligibility criteria for the enhanced IM program, they will commence enhanced IM as a new customer with an initial waiting period.

An exemption or exclusion from IM or enhanced IM that was granted by the agency before a customer entered prison may continue to take effect for the customer after they leave prison.

However, the customer may be identified, or request to volunteer for enhanced IM, if they meet the eligibility criteria for the enhanced IM program at a later date.